Tennis: Zhu stuns Mertens with three-set three-hour victory in Dubai

Belgium's Elise Mertens, two days after winning the biggest title of her career at the Qatar Open, fell at the first hurdle at the Dubai Duty Free tournament following a three-set defeat by Chinese qualifier Zhu Lin in a match that swung wildly back and forth and featured 17 breaks of serve. Mertens dropped her opening service game and Zhu served for the set at 5-3, but a run of five straight games brought the number 16 seed the first set and put her a break up in the second. Zhu fought back with a five-game run of her own and twice served for the set - Mertens then rediscovered some form, but at 4-5, she dropped her serve again and Zhu levelled. Four more breaks of serve followed in the decider, then Zhu pounced with the final break to complete a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 victory after just under three hours on court.