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Petra Kvitova was stunned in the first round of the Prague Open on Monday. Slovakian qualifier Rebecca Sramkova ranked 226th in the world, ousted the top-seeded Czech 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and 36 minutes. While both players exchanged a couple of service breaks in the first and the third set, Kvitova was the better player in the second set.
The world no. 10 didn’t face a single break point and broke her opponent once which helped her take the set and equal the match. However, her inconsistencies mushroomed again in the final set and Sramkova was able to edge her out.
This win is Sramkova’s first win on the WTA tour in almost four years (since 2017). In the second round, she’ll play either Mona Barthel or fellow Slovakian, in wildcard Viktoria Kuzmova.
Prague Open: Other seeds make it through to 2nd round
The two other seeded players who opened their Prague Open campaigns on Monday started on a winning note.
Seventh seed Nina Stojanovic came from a set down to defeat Vitalia Diatchenko 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 30 minutes. Stojanovic faced nine break points but was broken only once – in the first set. In comparison, she went on to break Diatchenko on five of the six occasions in which she had a break point.
In the second round, the Serbian will play Grace Min. Min beat Australian wildcard Samantha Stosur 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in their opening-round clash. Greet Minnen, seeded ninth, ousted Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 in their round-of-32 match.
The Belgian needed an hour and 50 minutes to complete her victory. In the second round, Minnen will play either lucky loser Anastasia Gasanova of Russia or Czech wildcard, Lucie Havlickova. American qualifier Asia Muhammad also reached the second round.
Muhammad beat Australian Lizette Cabrera 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round. Next up for Muhammad is either Samantha Murray Sharan or eighth seed Tereza Martincova. Martincova’s compatriot, Tereza Smitkova was the last player to advance to the second round of the Prague Open on Monday.
Smitkova posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Australian Maddison Inglis. She’ll next play either compatriot and fifth seed