Fourth seed Camila Giorgi and seventh seed Clara Tauson bucked the trend of upsets at the Tenerife Ladies Open on Tuesday to reach the second round. Giorgi defeated Spain’s Aliona Bolsova 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and 47 minutes in the first round.
The Italian won marginally more first-serve points than her opponent – 60% to the latter’s 59% and won 50% of her second-serve points to Bolsova’s 40%. Both players, however, went on to break the other’s serve six times saving four break points each.
At the end of the match, Giorgi finished with eight more points than Bolsova – 112 to the latter’s 104. In the second round, Giorgi will play Danka Kovinic. The Montenegrin won against Alison Van Uytvanck, 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 21 minutes.
Tauson, meanwhile, defeated Heather Watson 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(6) in two hours and 38 minutes. The Dane won only 61% of her first-serve points to Watson’s 70% but won 63% of her second-serve points to the Briton’s 46%.
Tauson also narrowly edged out Watson in terms of points won for the match – 104 to the latter’s 101. In the second round, Tauson will take on Saisai Zheng. The Chinese player beat the Spanish wildcard, Rebeka Masarova 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 23 minutes.
Tenerife Ladies Open: Upsets mark start of the Spanish event
Croatian Donna Vekic upset eighth seed Alison Riske in their first-round clash. Vekic, who qualified for the main draw, needed 73 minutes to complete a 6-1, 6-4 win over the American.
In the second round, Vekic will play Irina-Camelia Begu. Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands ousted fifth seed Viktorija Golubic in their opener. Rus won 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 58 minutes. Next up for the 61st-ranked Rus is Greet Minnen.
The Belgian won against Mandy Minella 7-5, 7-6(2) in two hours and two minutes. Golubic’s compatriot, qualifier Stefanie Voegele also crashed out in the first round. France’s Alize Cornet beat Voegele, 6-1, 6-2 in an hour and 12 minutes.
Cornet will play Xinyu Wang for a place in the quarter-finals. Egypt’s Mayar Sherif reached the second round after a 6-2, 6-0 win over Italian wildcard, Lucrezia Stefanini. Sherif will play either top seed Elina Svitolina or Maria Camila Osorio Serrano in the second round.
The last upset of the day at the Tenerife Ladies Open came courtesy of Varvara Gracheva. The Russian took down third seed Sara Sorribes Tormo, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4) in three hours and 26 minutes. Gracheva will play Ann Li for a chance to reach the quarters.