WTA Tour wrap: Venus falls on rough day for Americans
THE second day of the Tennis in the Land and Chicago Women’s Open events saw plenty of big results during the Round of 32, with a seed falling at each of the tournaments.
At the Tennis in the Land in Cleveland, the top two seeds came away relatively unscathed, as top seed Daria Kasatkina asserted herself with a 6-3 6-3 blitz over Slovenian Kaja Juvan, while second seed Anett Kontaveit overcame a shoddy start to eventually blast past American Lauren Davis in a topsy turvy 92-minute encounter, 1-6 6-0 6-0. Sixth and seventh seeds Magda Linette and Sara Sorribes Tormo both also denied second round berths to Americans, disposing of Emina Bektas and Alexa Glatch, respectively, while ninth seed Zhang Shuai had a tight start against Italian Martina Trevisan before completing the 7-5 6-1 result in under 90 minutes.
It was a shaky day for Americans overall, with eighth seed Shelby Rogers felled by Czech Katerina Siniakova, as the seed was joined by Davis, Bektas, Glatch, Christina McHale, Maria Mateas and Catherine Harrison. The only American to survive the day was Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who overcame one of two Japanese talents in Ena Shibahara, 6-4 3-6 6-1. Nagi Hanatani was more fortunate in her own encounter, coming into her second clash with fresh legs after Russian Anna Blinkova retired just one game into the six-minute match. The day’s remaining two winners were Czech 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, who overcame Brit Tara Moore 6-4 7-5, and Russian Vera Zvonareva, who defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri.
In Chicago, it was third seed Romanian Sorana Cirstea who was ousted in a 3-6 6-3 6-2 clash with Czech Tereza Martincova, unable to compete with the Czech’s hot serve. Two players completed results early with mid-match withdrawals, as Clara Burel retired from her clash with top seed Elina Svitolina during the third set, while Ana Bogdan earned an easy ride after Heather Watson retired partway through their 6-2 1-0 clash.
The day’s remaining four seeds in Marketa Vondrousova, Viktorija Golubic, Kristina Mladenovic and Alize Cornet all claimed first round wins, with just Cornet requiring three sets to get the job done against American Ann Li, dropping the first set before flying through the second and third. Li was joined on the sidelines by compatriot Venus Williams, who fell to Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei, and Quinn Gleason who was downed in just 61 minutes by Vondrousova. Elsewhere, Alison van Uytvanck and Fiona Ferro both claimed opening round wins over Nao Hibino and Aldila Sutjiadi, respectively.
TENNIS IN THE LAND ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:
[1] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) defeated Kaja Juvan (SLO) 6-3 6-3
[2] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated Lauren Davis (USA) 1-6 6-0 6-0
[6] Magda Linette (POL) defeated Emina Bektas (USA) 7-6 6-4
[7] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) defeated Alexa Glatch (USA) 6-2 6-1
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) defeated [8] Shelby Rogers (USA) 7-5 6-1
[9] Zhang Shuai (CHN) defeated Martina Trevisan (ITA) 7-5 6-1
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) defeated Ena Shibahara (JPN) 6-4 3-6 6-1
Polona Hercog (SLO) defeated Maria Mateas (USA) 6-3 6-2
Nagi Hanatani (JPN) defeated Anna Blinkova (RUS) 1-0 RET
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) defeated Christina McHale (USA) 6-4 7-5
Caroline Garcia (FRA) defeated Catherine Harrison (USA) 6-1 6-2
Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE) defeated Tara Moore (GBR) 6-4 7-5
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) defeated Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) 6-4 6-2
CHICAGO WOMEN’S OPEN ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:
[1] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Clara Burel (FRA) 5-7 6-2-0 RET
Tereza Martincova (CZE) defeated [3] Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 3-6 6-3 6-2
[5] Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) defeated Quinn Gleason (USA) 6-2 6-0
[6] Viktorija Golubic (SUI) defeated Maria Camila Osorio Serrano (COL) 7-6 6-3
[7] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) defeated Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-2 7-6
[9] Alize Cornet (FRA) defeated Ann Li (USA) 6-7 6-0 6-4
Alison van Uytvanck (BEL) defeated Nao Hibino (JPN) 6-1 6-3
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) defeated Venus Williams (USA) 6-2 6-3
Fiona Ferro (FRA) defeated Aldila Sutjiadi (POL) 4-6 7-5 6-1
Ana Bogdan (ROU) defeated Heather Watson (GBR) 6-2 1-0 RET
Picture credit: ESPN
Struff that! German’s Monte Carlo magic
BIG serving German Jan-Lennard Struff has left the Monte Carlo Masters crowd shocked after producing an all-time comeback against Argentinian Sebastian Baez. Heading in as the underdog against the South American who had already collected two clay court titles this season, Struff fought back from 6-1 5-2 down in the second set to win 10 […]
Collins storms away from Osaka in Abu Dhabi win
FORMER Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins proved too good for two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, with the American qualifier storming to victory in Abu Dhabi after a tight first set. In what was billed as a potential classic in the WTA 500 event, Collins used her extra match fitness to power past the Japanese […]
Djokovic hits stride in history-making run
WORLD number one Novak Djokovic is hitting his straps at Melbourne Park, after breezing through to his 58th Grand Slam quarter final yesterday. The Serb needed less than two hours to dismantle French 20th seed Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 6-0, 6-3, as he continues to chase records. Having won the first two sets to nil, Djokovic […]
Aus Open: Medvedev scrapes through in early hours
DANIIL Medvedev made tough work of his second round matchup at the Australian open, but clawed back from two sets down to defeat Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 overnight. The match was completed at 3:40am local time, after four hours and 23 minutes of play. A two-time runner up at Melbourne Park, […]
Aus Open: Top seeds waste no time on day four
WHILE rain affected the outside courts, all four of the men’s top eight seeds in action on day four progressed to round three of the Australian Open. In particular, fourth and fifth seeds Jannik Sinner and Andre Rublev wasted no time, running through their opponents in under two hours. Sinner upped his level to beat […]
Kokkinakis fights to opening round win
THANASI Kokkinakis became the sixth Australian to advance to round two of the 2024 Australian Open men’s draw, after a four-hour slog at John Cain Arena yesterday. The local favourite came from behind to beat world number 37 Sebastian Ofner in a five set thriller, 7-6, 2-6, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6. Having overcome career threatening injuries […]
Demon time: Top Aussie advances
TOP-RANKED Australian Alex de Minaur has advanced to the second round of his home Grand Slam, after big-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic was forced into a third set retirement (hip). The match was level at one set apiece, with de Minaur up 2-0 in the third before a hobbling Raonic called time. Local fans came out […]
Draper dismantles top seed in Adelaide
BRITON Jack Draper has dominated top seed Tommy Paul to advance to the Adelaide International semi finals. The world number 38 needed just one hour and 20 minutes to dismantle his highly fancied opponent, fresh off a marathon victory over Miomir Kecmanovic on Wednesday. Draper impressed from the get-go, shooting out to a 4-0 lead […]
Popyrin ends year with three-hour epic against mate
IT was quite the tiring finish for Alexei Popyrin in Brisbane, as the talented 24-year-old overcame compatriot Christopher O’Connell in an epic three set match that lasted more than three hours at Brisbane International. Having only played one match against each other previously – where Popyrin won in straight sets at the Rome Masters last […]
