Pennetta survives 4 match points in Dubai (Yahoo Sports)

Wildcard Flavia Pennetta of Italy survived four match points in the second set before pulling off a 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 first round win over lucky loser Julia Goerges of Germany in the Dubai Tennis Championships on Sunday. The 10th-seeded Pennetta trailed 5-2 in the second set at Dubai Tennis Stadium but held serve and went on to close out the set with an ace in the tiebreaker. Sabine Lisicki of Germany fired a total of 16 aces to win her first singles match in 2015, beating Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-3, 6-4.