Google News
Qinwen Zheng ousted former champion, Sloane Stephens in their first-round match at the Charleston Open on Tuesday. The Chinese claimed a 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 victory over the 13th seed in two minutes past the two-hour-mark. Zheng won almost 85% of her first-serve points to Stephens’ 54% while she marginally trailed the American in terms of second-serve points won – 40% to the latter’s 42%.
Zheng did lose her serve thrice in the match but went on to break her opponent, six times. In the second round, Zheng will take on Ekaterina Alexandrova, who’d reached the second round on Monday. Zheng’s compatriot, Xiyu Wang, however, failed to win her three-set battle against 10th seed Belinda Bencic.
The Swiss came from a set down to claim a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 win in two hours and 26 minutes. Not much separated Wang from Bencic in terms of first-serve points won – the Swiss won 73% points while Wang won 71%. However, while Bencic won 72% of her second-serve points, Wang could only manage to win 50%.
Bencic dropped her serve twice in the match while going on to break Wang thrice. Bencic has now set up a much-awaited clash against Linda Fruhvirtova.
Charleston Open: American players make the most
American wildcard Emma Navarro booked a round-of-32 clash against fourth seed Ons Jabeur after winning her first-round match against countrywoman, Madison Brengle.
In the clash between Navarro and Brengle with Navarro leading 6-7(4), 6-2, 3-0, the latter was forced to stop the match because of injury. Another of Navarro’s compatriots, Hailey Baptiste advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse in 62 minutes.
Baptiste’s next opponent will be the 12th-seeded Alize Cornet. All-in-all, Americans mostly had a good outing in their first-round matches on Tuesday. Coco Vandeweghe defeated Anastasia Gasanova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Vandeweghe will take on Lauren Davis in an American derby.
Davis won her opener against Miriam Bolkvadze of Georgia, 6-2, 6-3. In another American first-round derby, Alison Riske ousted Cathy McNally, 7-5, 6-3. Riske will play top seed Aryna Sabalenka for a chance to reach the third round.
Magda Linette and Yulia Putintseva beat Americans en route to reaching the second round at the Charleston Open. Linette beat Katie Volynets 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) while Putintseva defeated Robin Anderson, 6-2, 7-6(9). Next up for Linette is the seventh seed Leylah Fernandez while the Kazakh will play 15th seed, Amanda Anisimova. Photo Credit: Charleston Open Twitter