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Injuries and ill-health greeted Monday at the Guadalajara Open leading to the withdrawal of two players, in Beatriz Haddad Maia and Belinda Bencic. The Brazilian cut herself on glass on Sunday when it shattered while she was trying to open its door.
Bencic, meanwhile, was forced to pull out after encountering gastrointestinal illness. Sachia Vickery and Elvina Kalieva replaced Haddad Maia and Bencic respectively. Vickery, who played fellow American Danielle Collins eventually made it to the second round after Collins retired mid-match with an injury to her lower back.
The 175th-ranked Vickery had won the first set 7-6(7) when Collins decided to not continue any further. Earlier in the set, it was Collins who’d taken a brisk 5-2 lead in the set before Vickery turned it around. Now, the 28-year-old will take on another fellow countrywoman, Caroline Dolehide in the second round.
Dolehide won her first round in a derby of her own, against Peyton Stearns, 6-7(1), 7-6(5), 7-6(2) in a clash that concluded just a minute short of three hours. Meanwhile, Taylor Townsend’s second-round match against Kalieva was suspended with Townsend leading 6-1, 5-5.
Earlier, Kalieva went on to receive a first-round bye since Bencic, whom she replaced in the draw, had received a first-round bye as the fifth seed.
Guadalajara Open: Victoria Azarenka salvages seeds' pride
There were quite a few seeds who exited the tournament as well.
These included the couple of seeds who were playing the second round. The Italian derby between Martina Trevisan and the 15th-seeded Jasmine Paolini saw Trevisan come through 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 44 minutes. Likewise, Hailey Baptiste also ousted 16th seed Karolina Pliskova, 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(4).
In the ninth game of the deciding set, the American needed to stave off a match point before seeing off the Czech in their clash. Italy’s Camila Giorgi got the better of Mayar Sherif in their first-round match. Giorgi needed an hour and 50 minutes to get a 7-5, 6-3 win for herself.
The last upset of the day was that of 11th seed Anastasia Potapova. Colombian Emiliana Arango stunned the world no. 26, 6-4, 6-3 in their first-round match-up. Lastly, 10th seed Victoria Azarenka also made her way into the second round of the Guadalajara Open.
Azarenka was at her imperious best against Robin Montgomery, getting through 6-1, 6-1 in nine minutes past the hour.
