Sonobe qualifies for Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Round of 32

Wakana Sonobe, the 17-year-old Japanese talent, showcased her unquestionable abilities by defeating Cristina Bucsa in straight sets to move into the Round of 32.

Britain’s Sonay Kartal and USA’s Sofia Kenin also impressed on day two of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open to book their places in the Main Draw.

Widely regarded as one of tennis’s brightest stars, Sonobe won the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open last week, and having defeated Hailey Baptiste in the first qualifying round on Saturday, she faced the highly experienced Bucsa on Stadium Court on Sunday afternoon.

Once again, she produced a fantastic display, starting the match well and growing in stature throughout. After winning the first set 6-3, many inside the stadium would have been expecting a response from Bucsa, but it failed to materialise.

On they day, Sonobe was simply too good, eventually winning 6-3, 6-3 to set up a meeting with China’s Yue Yuan in the Round of 32.

In the day’s opening match on Court 2, Kartal, 23, blasted her way into the last 32 with an eye-catching display against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.

Kartal, who claimed her first WTA title at Tunisia’s Jasmin Open last September, lost just one game on her way to taking the first set with relative ease. Uchijima fought back well in the second which, at times, looked to going either way, with both players producing some superb passages of play.

It was Kartal, however, who saw the match out 6-1, 6-4 to set up a Round of 32 clash against Katie Volynets, who progressed courtesy of a 7-6, 6-3 win over Daria Saville.

There was also a straight-sets victory for Sofia Kenin, who defeated Veronika Kudermetova in the day’s first match on Stadium Court.

There was very little to separate the players in a first set which ebbed and flowed, and was ultimately decided by a tie-break, but Kenin, who won the Australian Open in 2020, took control in the second, eventually prevailing 7-6, 6-2. She meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the last 32.

In the day’s other match, Renata Zarazua won 6-1, 6-2 against Zeynep Sonmez, and now faces Magda Linette.

Monday sees the start of the Main Draw in the singles competition, while the doubles tournament also gets underway, including Jelena Ostapenko/Ellen Perez against Linda Noskova/Yulia Putintseva, while Sofia Kenin/Magda Linette face Laura Samson/Marketa Vondrousova.