Top seed Marie Bouzkova crashed out in the first round of the Prague Open on Monday. The Czech, who was also the defending champion at home, lost her first-round match to Jaquelina Cristian. The Romanian needed two hours and 47 minutes to clinch a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.
Cristian won 66% of her first-serve points to Bouzkova’s 54%. Both players won around 30% of her second-serve points. Bouzkova won 39% while Cristian won 37%. The match had 25 break points in total. Of the 14 Bouzkova faced, she saved six while Cristian saved four of the break points she faced.
In the second round, Cristian could face either a Czech in wildcard Barbora Palicova or Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango.
Prague Open: Xinyu Wang also marks an early exit
Xinyu Wang was another seed who was upset in the first round.
Viktoria Hruncakova defeated the Chinese seventh seed in two hours and 18 minutes. Coming from a set down, the Slovakian secured a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) win for herself. Both players combined for a total of 17 aces and 15 double faults.
Hruncakova had 10 aces to her opponent’s seven and six double faults to the latter’s nine. Hruncakova also won 71% of her first-serve points to Wang’s 68% and 43% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 50%.
Hruncakova saved five of the nine break points she faced while converting four of seven break points that came her way. The world no. 78 will play Japan’s Nao Hibino next. Hibino, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, beat Sara Errani 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in their first-round opponent.
Tamara Korpatsch defeated Viktoriya Tomova in their first-round match, 6-2, 6-4. The German qualifier now awaits Yanina Wickmayer or second seed Lin Zhu. Lastly, in the all-Ukrainian first-round match, eighth seed Kateryna Baindl defeated Dayana Yastremska to make it to the round-of-16. Baindl needed two hours and nine minutes to wrap up a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory for herself.