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Two former Rothesay International titlists advanced to the second round on Monday. These were 2014 winner Madison Keys, and two-time champion (2017 and 2019), Karolina Pliskova. In what was her 2023 grass season debut, Keys defeated Tereza Martincova, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
The American needed an hour and 43 minutes for the win. Keys won 74% of her first-serve points to Martincova’s 62% although the latter put in 82% of her first serves to Keys’ 62%. Keys also won 50% of her second-serve points and 54% points on return on the Czech’s second serve.
The world no. 25 converted five of nine break points to secure the win for herself. In the second round, Keys now awaits another Czech, 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova or qualifier, Xiyu Wang. Krejcikova replaced top seed Elena Rybakina at the top of the draw after the Kazakh was forced to withdraw from the event with illness.
Rothesay International: Karolina Pliskova finds her footing
Pliskova, meanwhile, made it to the second round after her first-round opponent, Elise Mertens retired mid-match with an injury. The Czech was leading the Belgian 6-7(3), 6-3, 3-0 at the time the latter stopped the match.
This is the first time in three tournaments that Pliskova’s made it past the opening round. Her last three tournaments had seen her exit in the opener, including at the Bett1 Open on grass, last week, to eventual winner, Petra Kvitova.
In the second round, the former world no. 1 will play ninth seed Daria Kasatkina. Kasatkina won her round-of-32 match-up against Anhelina Kalinina, 6-3, 6-1 in an hour and 14 minutes. Britons Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart also made their way into the second round of the Rothesay International.
Burrage who’s playing in the main draw as a lucky loser beat qualifier Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Dart, who received a wildcard, won against Shuai Zhang, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1. Photo Credit: Karolina Pliskova Twitter 