FEWER matches played out on the third day of regular proceedings at the Prague Open, with a couple games from the day prior completed and just two of the three Round of 16 matches played. A late walkover from Lesia Tsurenko – withdrawing prior to the game’s expected start – gave Ana Bogdan an easy look into the quarter finals.

Two seeds took the court in the Round of 16 matches, with just one coming out unscathed in Elise Mertens, who defeated Italian Camila Giorgi in over an hour and a half. While Giorgi’s serve is typically one of her greater assets, she was riddled with errors and conceded seven double faults which allowed Mertens to maintain the upper hand for a 6-4 6-2 victory. Mertens was clinical off her first serve, winning 28 points of 33 from her first serve at almost 85 per cent, and never looking like losing to the 71st ranked Italian. The real kicker was the matchup between Kristyna Pliskova and second seed Petra Martic, with Martic coming in off the back of a tough battle the day prior and going down to the Czech in just 80 minutes, 6-1 7-5. Despite a second set comeback, Martic could not compete with Pliskova on a mission, with Pliskova’s nine aces contributing to her 86.2 per cent winning rate off her first serve. Martic’ss 66.7 per cent winning rate could not compare, especially with Pliskova’s intensity and hard-hitting style allowing her to convert more off her second serve than Martic’s first. 

In the carry-over from yesterday’s Round of 32 matches, Laura Siegemund continued where she left off, sitting 4-6 4-0 when the match was called off and continuing that barrage with a dominant third set to collect the 4-6 6-0 6-1 victory over Mayar Sherif. Winning 66.7 per cent off both her first and second serves, Siegemund was clinical and took advantage of her chances, despite racking up five double faults. Despite the disappointing finish it was a strong effort from 172-ranked Sherif to get ahead early, just unable to withstand Siegemund on a mission. The second match to continue where it left off left plenty of frustration on Katerina Siniakova’s face, with the Czech snatching momentum in the second set yesterday prior to the match being postponed. The overnight break did wonders for Tamara Zidansek though, with the Slovenian taking advantage and dominating the third set to win 6-3 3-6 6-0. Zidansek’s 71.8 per cent winning rate off her first serve was what got her over the line, and while Siniakova converted 57 per cent of her break points it was not enough.

Tomorrow’s draw will see Eugenie Bouchard back on court after a great return to the fray earlier this week, taking on a no doubt tired Zidansek who will be playing for her third day straight. Siegemund is in the same boat, taking on a fast-finishing Sara Sorribes Tormo while first seed Simona Halep takes on Barbora Krejcikova.