Keothavong to face Ani in Fes
British No.1 ready for clay court season…
Anne Keothavong will kick-start her clay court season at the Gran Prix de Sar La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Fes, Morocco, on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old begins her campaign at the $220,000 WTA Tour event against world No.110 Maret Ani, from Estonia, in round one. They play in the second match on court 5 on Tuesday.
Keothavong and Ani are in the top quarter of the 32-player draw with the winner earning a potential meeting with fifth seed Sorana Cirstea from Romania in the second round.
The other big name in that section is Spain’s top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues. Russian players dominate the top end of the seedings – Alisa Kleybanova is second seed, Anastasia Pavyluchenkova is third seed and fourth seed is Maria Kirilenko.
World No.54 Keothavong and 27-year-old Ani have played once, although that contest, back in 2007, wasn’t completed with the Briton withdrawing through injury midway through the second set.
The Estonian is capable of playing good tennis on clay as she has already shown this year – she won a round at the WTA Tour event in Bogota and made the last eight in Acapulco a week later.
Ani arrives in Fes on a high after helping Estonia beat Israel in the Fed Cup over the weekend. She lost both singles but teamed up with Kaia Kanepi to win the deciding doubles against Shahar Peer and Tzipi Obziler 8-6 in the third set to earn her nation a 3-2 victory.
“She’ll be a tough opponent on clay as I’m sure it’s her favourite surface,” Keothavong said. “We’ve only played against each other once before which was a few years ago but I had to retire in that match because of a back injury.”
The Londoner made an excellent start to her week in North Africa by winning her first round doubles match on Monday.
Keothavong teamed up with Hungary’s Melinda Czink to beat Moroccan wild cards Lina Bennani and Nadia Lalami 6-0, 3-6, 10-6 in the second match on Centre Court.
Their reward is a potential second round clash with the top seeds, Kirilenko and Cirstea.
Tuesday order of play
Court 5 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Groth vs. Fondevila Castro
2. Keothavong vs. Ani
3. Zakopalova vs. U.Radwanska