Hana Bank Open: Top seeds Jelena Ostapenko, Ekaterina Alexandrova book R16 spots



by ABBEY JOHNSON

Hana Bank Open: Top seeds Jelena Ostapenko, Ekaterina Alexandrova book R16 spots

Jelena Ostapenko, seeded no. 1 advanced to the second round of the Hana Bank Open in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday. The Latvian defeated Korean wild card Boyoung Jeong 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) in two hours and 13 minutes. The match had 15 breaks of serve, eight of which came on Ostapenko’s serve and seven, which came on Jeong's serve.

Ostapenko finished the match with 106 points to Jeong's 99.

Hana Bank Open: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva makes her mark

In the second round, Ostapenko will play Anastasia Gasanova. Gasanova defeated Australian qualifier Astra Sharma, 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and 56 minutes.

Andorran Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva beat Chloe Paquet 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 24 minutes. Eighth seed Rebecca Marino will be the 17-year-old’s next opponent. The Canadian won against Croatian qualifier, Jana Fett 6-1, 6-2.

Indian qualifier Ankita Raina took her place in the second round after coming through against Australian Maddison Inglis, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Raina will play fourth seed Lin Zhu next. The Chinese player won her opener on Monday against South Korea's Su Jeong Jang, 6-3, 6-4.

Seventh seed Tatjana Maria defeated Eugenie Bouchard 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in their round-of-32 match. The German will now play Australian Kimberly Birrell. Birrell came through in an Australian derby against Priscilla Hon on Monday, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Another Australian, qualifier Lizette Cabrera crashed out in the first round at the South Korean capital after losing her match to fellow qualifier, Switzerland's, Lulu Sun, 7-6(6), 6-2. Sun will play either fifth seed Varvara Gracheva or Anna Blinkova next.

France's Kristina Mladenovic reached the second round after winning against home player, wildcard, Sohyun Park, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Mladenovic awaits third seed Magda Linette or Arianne Hartono next. Lastly, South Korean wilcard Na-Lae Han set up a second-round clash against second seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Hana Bank Open.

Han won her opener against fellow South Korean, qualifier, Dayeon Back, 6-1, 6-1. On Tuesday, Alexandrova won against Asia Muhammad, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

Jelena Ostapenko Ekaterina Alexandrova Kristina Mladenovic