First match back following a double grand slam and major coaching drama can be tricky, but Naomi manages to get probably the easiest second round match humanly possible in Dubai (Kiki Maldenovic).
Naomi has to thank the Dubai organizers for granting a wild card to Fatma Al Nabhani in the main draw, which enabled Kiki to actually post a win in a WTA singles event.
This is great for Naomi, Kiki, and Al Nabhani (who should really be contesting club matches against Alexandra Stevenson), so everybody wins!
Yes, it could have been trickier. Kiki had a poor 2018 in singles but she is a talented player and might fancy her chances in a match where she has nothing to lose. All eyes will be on Naomi.
First match back following a double grand slam and major coaching drama can be tricky, but Naomi manages to get probably the easiest second round match humanly possible in Dubai (Kiki Maldenovic).
Naomi has to thank the Dubai organizers for granting a wild card to Fatma Al Nabhani in the main draw, which enabled Kiki to actually post a win in a WTA singles event.
This is great for Naomi, Kiki, and Al Nabhani (who should really be contesting club matches against Alexandra Stevenson), so everybody wins!
Buzarnescu and probably a handful others who I can't be bothered to look for today. But generally yes, on paper this was supposed to be a fairly easy R2 for Naomi.
Boy were we wrong and it's threads like this one that make me still believe in this place, in TF.
Let this be a lesson for everyone, no one is safe, no matter how red hot you think your favorite is, no matter the H2H. This is the WTA baby and this is why we love it, because it's pure madness at the best and worst of times.
OP has some impressive jinxing powers. He/she also managed to take out in one fell swoop all 4 of Petra, Woz, Kerber and Osaka with the pre-YEC thread last year.