Tauson delivers 20 aces and powers past Kenin in first round of WTA 1000 tournament

[p]If [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tauson-clara/2PPTHPya/"]Tauson[/a] had lost the match, she would have dropped out of the top 20, as she has several points to defend in Dubai. Last year, Tauson reached the final in Dubai.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kenin-sofia/IJAxNUl3/"]Kenin[/a] put up a good fight in the first set until the score was 5-5. Tauson was subsequently broken and fell behind 5-6, but Kenin was unable to serve out the first set.[/p][p]Tauson broke back and forced a tiebreak. Helped by two aces, the Dane won the tiebreak 7-4.[/p][p]Tauson made 13 service aces in the first set, and her good serve also helped her in the second set, although the aces appeared less frequently.[/p][p]Tauson, on the other hand, played much more convincingly in the second set. She settled into her stylish stride quite early and chased Kenin around the court. [/p][p]It turned into a break of serve in the first game for Tauson, who also took a 2-0 lead, with the American looking increasingly discouraged and frustrated.[/p][p]Later, Tauson also broke to 5-2 and subsequently served the match home. Quite symptomatic of the match, Tauson finished off with her 20th ace.[/p][p][b]"It was a nice round number. I was really happy with the serves, because the rest of my game was not working so well. I felt extra pressure because I reached the final last year"[/b], said Tauson, who is seeded as number 12 in the tournament.[/p][p]In the second round, Tauson will face another American, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stearns-peyton/YsJXLo1O/"]Peyton Stearns[/a], who is ranked 58th in the world.[/p]