THE Silicon Valley Classic WTA 500 event in San Jose has continued with six matches playing out to finish off the Round of 32, whilst in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, seeds fell across the board as four home hopefuls claimed opening round wins.

Three of six American competitors claimed a second round berth in the United States, competing well on home soil as seventh seed and last week’s Palermo champion Danielle Collins led the charge. With five aces to her name, Collins won 81.3 per cent of her first serve points and backed that effort up with a 47.2 per cent win rate off her second serve, also saving five of Shelby Rogers‘ seven break point opportunities to claim the 6-4 6-3 victory. Collins was one of two to overcome a compatriot, as Sloane Stephens followed suit with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Caty McNally despite trailing 0-4 during the first set.

“I was feeling a bit of nerves. I was unsure of the sun and I was like a little bit shaky, so when I came out here, I knew it was going to be tough but I just had to calm down and play,” Stephens said.

“I think when I was down 4-0 I realised, ‘Okay, now it’s time to play.’ It was a tough start but I was happy to reel off some games and get that set, and then eventually, the match.”

“I haven’t played here in nine years. I have family here and I have so many fans here that I haven’t been able to see… so I was happy to get the win.”

The remaining two Americans in the draw both fought through three setters, with world number 491 Claire Liu managing a huge upset of Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, ranked 142, while Australian Ajla Tomljanovic found success against 19-year-old and former world number 21 Amanda Anisimova. Despite trailing 1-6 3-5 with Anisimova serving for the match, Tomljanovic dug deep to win five straight games and defy Anisimova’s 40 winners to claim the eventual 1-6 7-5 7-5 victory in two hours and 10 minutes.

“She really kind of killed me in the first set. I wasn’t ready to get so many tough balls, even after some good serves I hit. I just knew I had to stay really close to her in the second set,” Tomljanovic said post-match.

“I was fortunate to come back from a few match points down, but I thought she played some really great tennis at times. I’m happy to be through.

“I stayed mentally tough. I didn’t give up even though I was down 6-1, 5-3 pretty comfortably, and I definitely found ways to win today. Even though I didn’t feel great in the first set, I knew my tennis was there if I just kept hitting out and finding my spots, which I did.”

The remaining two victors of the day were eighth seed Kazakh Yulia Putintseva and Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic, who both claimed straight sets wins to enter the second round.

At the Winners Open in Romania, four hometown hopefuls got their tournament off to a winning start with the remaining competitor in Alexandra Dulgheru retiring midway through her clash with second seed Andrea Petkovic, seeing the German earn her way into the second round alongside top-ranked Romanian Ana Bogdan, seeded third, and eighth seed Kristina Kucova. But it was not easy for all the seeds despite Bogdan and Kucova claiming respective quick wins, as Egypt’s Mayar Sherif upset top seed Alize Cornet in 85 minutes.  Czech Kristyna Pliskova and another Romanian in Mihaela Buzarnescu both proceeded in straight sets with victories over fourth seeded Italian Martina Trevisan and seventh seed Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova, respectively.

Two more Romanians in Jacqueline Cristian and Irina Bara joined the winners list following straight sets wins, as Anna Karolina Schmiedlova joined her compatriot Kucova in the second round, while Philippines’ Alexandra Eala, Australian Seone Mendez and Serbian Aleksandra Kruni were the remaining three victors on day two of the event.

SILICON VALLEY CLASSIC ROUND OF 32 RESULTS: 

[7] Danielle Collins (USA) defeated Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-4 6-3
[8] Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) defeated Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-5 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) defeated Han Na-Lae (KOR) 6-4 6-4
Sloane Stephens (USA) defeated Caty McNally (USA) 6-4 6-2
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) defeated Amanda Anisimova (USA) 1-6 7-5 7-5
Claire Liu (USA) defeated Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-3 4-6 6-4

WINNERS OPEN 2021 ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

Mayar Sherif (EGY) defeated [1] Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-2 6-4
[2] Andrea Petkovic (GER) defeated Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) 6-3 4-1 RET
[3] Ana Bogdan (ROU) defeated Panna Udvardy (HUN) 6-2 6-4
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) defeated [4] Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-4 6-4
Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) defeated [7] Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) 6-2 6-3
[8] Kristina Kucova (SVK) defeated Cagla Buyukakcay (TUR) 6-1 6-1
Alexandra Eala (PHI) defeated Paula Ormaechea (KAZ) 7-5 6-2
Seone Mendez (AUS) defeated Jana Fett (CRO) 6-2 6-2
Jacqueline Cristian (ROU) defeated Reka-Luka Jani (HUN) 6-1 6-2
Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) defeated Yuki Naito (JPN) 6-3 5-0 RET
Irina Bara (ROU) defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) 6-2 6-3
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) defeated Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 6-4 6-2

Picture credit: Larry Hinh/Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic