WTA: Doha: Mona Barthel fails in first round despite chase to catch up with Doha

Mona Barthel is still in the deep. The 27-year-old from Neumünster lost her first-round match at the WTA tournament in Doha against Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland 6-3,3-6,5-7, thus counting her fourth first-round defeat at the fifth tournament this year. Only at the Australian Open Barthel had reached the second round.

Barthel had caught up a 2:5 gap in the third set, but lost her serve again at 5:5. With the tenth match point (!) Radwanska was able to win the fiercely contested match.

Former world leader Angelique Kerber (Kiel/No. 8) will enter the second round of the $3.173 million tournament in Qatar. Ninth seeded Julia Görges (Bad Oldesloe) will play her first-round match against Czech Lucie Safarova on Tuesday.

In the German duel Carina Witthöft (Hamburg) and experienced Tatjana Maria (Bad Saulgau) will also be fighting for their way into the next round.