Pliskova Downs Defending Doha Champion Anisimova in Opener – Tennis Now
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, February 9, 2026
Photo credit: Bradley Kanaris/GETTY
Karolina Pliskova has been a career-long nemesis for Amanda Anisimova.
In a clash of former Doha champions, Pliskova ended Anisimova’s Qatar Total Energies Open reign today.
Former world No. 1 Pliskova led 5-7, 7-6(3), 4-1 when Anisimova retired from an apparent illness.
It was Pliskova’s sixth win over Anisimova in seven career meetings.
World No. 418 Pliskova posted her first Top 10-win since she defeated No.10 Ons Jabeur on the grass of Nottingham in 2024.
Ankle surgery forced Pliskova to miss nearly the entire 2025 season creating a rankings plummet.
This year, Pliskova reached the Australian Open third round bowing to defending champion Madison Keys.
The 2017 Doha champion Pliskova was down 5-7, 0-3 today when she began finding the lines with her forehand.
Firing her favored forehand, Pliskova began imposing her advantage on that stroke.
The two-time major finalist Pliskova broke back for 3-all then eventually held at 15 to force the second-set tiebreaker.
Even at 2-all, Anisimova’s forehand misfired twice in a row before Pliskova cranked a forehand drive down the line to earn a handful of set points at 6-2.
On her second set point, Pliskova pounded down a smash.
Looking winded at times after longer exchanges, Anisimova took a medical timeout after Pliskova held for a 2-1 third-set lead.
The US Open finalist had her blood pressure checked and then took further treatment while lying down on court.
When play resumed, Pliskova banged a backhand down the line breaking for 3-1.
The Pliskova forehand down the line was the biggest shot on the court today.
Rapping a forehand down the line right off the sideline, Pliskova held for 4-1.
After that shot, Anisimova walked to net to retire after two hours, 22 minutes. Pliskova will play a fellow Czech, either 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova or 18-year-old Tereza Valentova next.
Anisimova, who will lose 1,000 ranking points and drops to No. 6 in the WTA Live Rankings, was the second prominent player to retire after having her blood checked.
Transylvania Open finalist Emma Raducanu called a medical timeout to have her blood pressure checked. A few points later, Raducanu retired to Camila Osorio, 2-6, 6-4, 2-0. Osorio will play Czech Katerina Siniakova next.
Siniakova toppled 11th-seeded Clara Tauson 6-4, 6-1.
