Second-seeded Barbora Krejcikova made quick work of fellow Czech Linda Fruhvirtova on Wednesday, posting a 6-2, 6-4 victory in an all-Czech first-round clash in Prague. Krejcikova took advantage of 6 of her 8 break point chances throughout the match, which wrapped up in one hour and 18 minutes.
Krejcikova was sharp on her first serve as well, winning 73.1 percent of those points — 19 out of 26. She closed out the opening set by winning the final three games and then dominated the finish of the second set by taking the last four games in a row.
Three other Czech players seeded third through fifth also advanced. Third-seeded Sara Bejlek outlasted Russia’s Anna Blinkova 7-6 (9), 3-6, 6-1. Fourth seed Nikola Bartunkova came from behind to defeat China’s Yuan Yue by a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, and fifth-seeded Tereza Valentova cruised past Australia’s Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-1.
In another notable result, American-born Australian Maya Joint defeated Czech player Laura Samson 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Joint gained widespread attention earlier this year as the player who eliminated Serena Williams in the first round during Williams’ recent comeback bid at Wimbledon.
At the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open in Germany, top-seeded Oleksandra Oliynykova held on to defeat Germany’s Nastasja Schunk 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, saving 16 of 22 break points along the way. Oliynykova dominated the first set before Schunk surged back to win the final four games of the second set to level the match. In the third set, Oliynykova built a 4-1 lead, only to see Schunk claw back to tie it at 5-5, before Oliynykova closed out the final two games for the win.
Third-seeded Panna Udvardy of Hungary beat Russia’s Elena Pridankina 6-4, 6-2. Fifth seed Tamara Korpatsch of Germany picked up a 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 victory after Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva was forced to retire with a lower-leg injury.
Seventh-seeded Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan defeated Germany’s Mona Barthel 6-2, 7-6 (5), and eighth-seeded Sinja Kraus of Austria rallied from a set down to beat Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
