Doha Quarterfinalis

Last year players like Niculescu, McHale, Safarova, and Wickmayer reached the quarters in Doha, but we have a different scene this year.  Seven of the top eight seeds have reached the quarters and the one that's not is the #10 seed and a very familiar name.  It is nice to see some sense of order return to the tour and not have top 10 seeds toppling right and left in tournament's early rounds, although I certainly enjoy upset stories as well.

Here are the quarterfinalists and the women's first Tier I event of the year:
1) Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
2) Serena Williams (USA)
3) Maria Sharapova (RUS)
4) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
6) Sara Errani (ITA)
7) Petra Kvitova (CZE)
8) Samantha Stosur (AUS)
10) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

-Kerber is the only top 8 seed to lose, she fell in her opening match (R2) in straight sets to Barthel, who was in turn defeated by Wozniacki.  The German no. 1 is off to a slow start this year after a very consistent 2012.
-Azarenka, Serena, Sharapova, Radwanska, and Wozniacki have yet to lose a yet.  Wozniacki is only woman of those to play 3 matches.
-Azarenka, Stosur, and Radwanska are the remaining quarterfinalists from last year.  Bartoli (SF) had an awful draw, surviving Schiavone before succumbing to Kuznetsova.  The four mentioned in opening sentence combined for 4 wins.

Third set tiebreak: Zakopalova def. 16-Stephens (R2)
Double bagel: Azarenka def. McHale (R3)
American performance: 5-4 - Serena 2-0, McHale 1-1, Stephens 1-1, Lepchenko 0-1 (ret), q-Mattek-Sands 0-1
Locals performance: no Qataris but Al Nabhani (OMA) and Jabeur (TUN) lost in R1.

If Serena wins her next match, she will take over world no.1.  If she loses tomorrow, Azarenka or Sharapova would need to win the title to be no. 1 next week.
Wozniacki has moved back into the top 10, passing Bartoli.
McHale has fallen to #49, coming up one win short of defending last year's points.

Young players Babos, q-Garcia, and l-Gavrilova each won matches.  But Babos and Garcia were favored over wildcards while Gavrilova upset Medina Garrigues.

Tomorrow's quarters:
-Azarenka vs Errani
-Radwanska vs Wozniacki
-Sharapova vs Stosur
-Serena vs Kvitova