WHILE ultimately the four seeded players made their way through to the second round of the 2020 WTA Volvo Car Open fantasy tennis tournament in Charleston, there were a mixture of expected and surprise results from day one of the tournament. For starters, the match between 10th seed Swiss talent, Belinda Bencic and fellow up and comer, Amanda Anisimova was a thriller. Bencic had to fight back from a set down to win 3-6 6-4 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes against her top 30 opponent. Other seeds, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova and Croatia’s Petra Martic all made their way through to the Round of 32 with easier encounters.

Martic had the biggest challenge of the trio up against Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson, but managed to hold on in a flat two-hour two-set contest, 6-4 7-6. Muguruza and Kvitova were drawn against much lower ranked opponents in American wildcard Danielle Collins and Australian qualifier Sam Stosur respectively and both matches were the same scoreline – 6-4 6-1. In another massive clash, Kazakstan’s Elena Rybakina – who just missed out on being a side at Charleston – defeated the returning Angelique Kerber 6-4 6-4, while Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova knocked out Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-3 6-2.

In the lower quarter of the draw, there were four three-set matches which made for entertaining tennis. Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva joined Rybakina in the second round with a come-from-behind 1-6 6-4 6-4 victory over Russian qualifier, Daria Kasatkina. It was better news for Veronika Kudermetova with the Russian making her way through to the Round of 32 courtesy of a 6-4 4-6 6-2 win over Magda Linette. The Pole went down in that clash, but her compatriot got one up over Sloane Stephens with wildcard, Iga Swiatek winning 7-6 4-6 6-4. Meanwhile Stephens’ compatriot had better luck herself, with qualifier Bernarda Pera triumphing in an upset over China’s Saisai Zheng, 7-6 2-6 6-4.

In the remaining couple of matches, Greece talent Maria Sakkari knocked off Great Britain’s Heather Watson, while Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit defeated Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova. Both matches were in straight sets, but were tight contests.

In tomorrow’s day of action, ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka takes on the in-form Elise Mertens in an encounter not to be missed, while the likes of 16th seed Johanna Konta and 12th seed Bianca Andreescu have tough first round clashes. In a repeat of the Miami match up in which Kristina Mladenovic won, the Frenchwoman faces American Alison Riske in the first round.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[10] Belinda Bencic (SUI) defeated Amanda Anisimova (USA) 3-6 6-4 6-4
[11] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [WC] Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4 6-1
[13] Petra Kvitova (CZE) defeated [Q] Sam Stosur (AUS) 6-4 6-1
[15] Petra Martic (CRO) defeated Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 6-4 7-6
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) defeated Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-3 6-2
Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated Heather Watson (GBR) 7-5 6-3
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-4 6-4
Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 7-6 6-3
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) defeated [Q] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 1-6 6-4 6-4
[Q] Bernarda Pera (USA) defeated Saisai Zheng (CHN) 7-6 2-6 6-4
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Magda Linette (POL) 6-4 4-6 6-2
[WC] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Sloane Stephens (USA) 7-6 4-6 6-4