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Top-seed Petra Kvitova started with a win at the Bad Homburg Open. However, the world no. 11 had to eke out a win against Polish qualifier Katarzyna Piter. The Czech came through 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 after an hour and 52 minutes of play, in her first match since suffering an ankle injury during the French Open.
Speaking with the press post-match, Kvitova shared, “I felt kind of a mix of emotions. I was pretty happy to be back on the grass. On the other hand, I thought I was probably going to play a little bit better. It was my third hit after my injury, so I probably expected a little bit more from myself than I really showed today.
In the end, I won, so that's a pretty good result. I found a few games where I really played good grass tennis, and that's what I will have to take with me”. In the second round, Kvitova will take on American Ann Li. Li won against German qualifier Anna Zaja 6-0, 6-4 in their opener.
Li’s compatriot, third seed Jessica Pegula also moved into the second round. Pegula came through against Amandine Hesse of France 6-1, 6-2 in just 65 minutes. Katarina Siniakova will be Pegula’s second-round opponent.
Bad Homburg Open: German players have a field day
Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo also reached the second round. The seventh seed needed two hours and 11 minutes to get past Italian Martina Trevisan 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Sorribes Tormo will next Misaki Doi for a place in the quarter-final.
Alize Cornet reached the round-of-16 as well. The Frenchwoman defeated the Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in two hours and five minutes. Cornet awaits a Belarusian in either qualifier Yuliya Hatouka or second seed Victoria Azarenka.
Eighth seed Laura Siegemund made it through to the second round. The German had to face an unknown opponent in Indian main draw debutant, Riya Bhatia, after Sloane Stephens, against whom she'd been previously drawn, withdrew with an injury to her right foot.
Bhatia gave Siegemund a tough fight and led by a set and break before the German fought back to defeat her inexperienced rival. Siegemund needed two hours and eight minutes to beat Bhatia 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-1. In the second round, Siegemund will play fellow German Tamara Korpatsch.
Fourth seed Angelique Kerber and Anna Blinkova will play each other for a place in the quarter-final at the Bad Homburg Open. The German wrapped up a 6-1, 6-1 win over Russian qualifier Ekaterina Yashina in the first round.
Fellow Russian Blinkova, meanwhile, needed three sets and two hours and 16 minutes to win against Clara Tauson, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2.