A year after she was denied a chance to step on the courts, Israel’s Shahar Peer is making up for lost time today by taking out No.1 seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-5 at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.
Peer was denied a visa last year by the United Arab Emirates to even enter the country causing a firestorm of controversy for the event including a $300,000 fine by the WTA and loss of its key sponsor the Wall Street Journal. But despite having Peer in the event, it’s not like things have improved despite Peer’s stellar play. Peer had to play Wozniacki on Court 1 since it was easier for tournament officials to “lock it down” and the hotel where Peer is staying at has sealed off her floor as a security measure.
But Peer seems to be taking everything in stride. Or perhaps she is just used to attracting unwanted controversy as she did in Auckland earlier this year. Referencing that after her win Peer said, “I think experiences like that and again here make me stronger. I am playing with a determination here and my first-round win meant so much after everything that happened last year. With all the things I had been through both mentally and professionally, it was so important.”
Despite the financial incentives that both the WTA and ATP get from staging events in the Middle East, they all still feel like pseudo-exhibitions with low attendance during each match. This was the case today during the day match where No. 2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova figured out a way to lose against qualifier Regina Kulikova 5-7, 7-6(2,) 6-4 after Kuznetsova was up 4-1 in the third set. Empty seats were also very noticeable during the WTA Tour Finals last year in Doha where it seemed the only fans there were embassy staff from other countries and the ruling family of Doha.
Meanwhile, Jelena Jankovic, who lost today to Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2, is making her own moves in Dubai. Literally. Jankovic annouced that she is moving to Dubai to take advantage of the weather and probably a nice financial incentive as well. Since she ended her ties with old coach Ricardo Sanchez, it remains to be seen if J.J. can figure out a way to return to the top five, much less be No. 1 again. Whatever J.J. decides, let’s hope she uses a little more sense in her photo ops as this one is in poor taste considering the ongoing issues women in that region face.
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