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Jelena Ostapenko, the second seed this week at the Rothesay Classic won her opening-round match on Tuesday. The world no. 17 needed an hour and 40 minutes to complete a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Linda Noskova. Ostapenko’s performances were solidly bookended as seen in the first and third sets while Noskova came up with her own resilience in the second set.
Both sets combined, Ostapenko faced only one break point which she successfully saved. She went on to break Noskova five times across the two sets though. In the second set, there was an exchange of breaks between the players before Noskova secured a second break to take the set and push the match into the decider.
In the second round, Ostapenko will play Venus Williams. The 43-year-old won both their past two matches but both of those matches were played almost six years ago, in 2017. Talking about her upcoming match, the Latvian said, “She's a great champion and it's amazing to share the court with her.
I have nothing to lose, so I will just try to play my best”.
Rothesay Classic: In Birmingham, Nottingham heroes falter
Fourth seed Anastasia Potapova also moved into the second round. Potapova came from a set down to win against Marta Kostyuk 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-4 after two hours and 31 minutes.
She will next play Cathy McNally. Meanwhile, both the Nottingham champion and runner-up lost their first-round matches here. Lin Zhu defeated the Nottingham winner, Katie Boulter 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and 46 minutes. Both players combined to create 24 break-point chances.
Zhu faced 14 of these and saved 10 break points. Boulter faced 10 but could only save four of these. Zhu finished the match with 76 points to the Briton’s 68. Jodie Burrage who lost the Rothesay Open final to Boulter lost to Harriet Dart in a derby of Britons at the Rothesay Classic.
Dart completed a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 after two hours and 18 minutes of play. 