Badosa makes smooth start as Ostrava Open begins

Paula Badosa got her campaign off to a winning start as the WTA Ostrava Open began on Monday. 

Iga Swiatek, Petra Kvitova, Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari are among the top names at the WTA 500 event, though they are all yet to play their first matches. 

World No 27 Badosa was the only seed in action on Monday, and she started her week in smooth fashion with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Russian qualifier Varvara Gracheva. 

In a dominant performance, ninth seed Badosa did not concede a single break point as she triumphed in 73 minutes to gain revenge for her defeat to Gracheva at the US Open earlier this month. 

Read also

Our interview with Paula Badosa: “I understand what Naomi Osaka is going through”

Tennis Majors

Fellow Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo joined Badosa in claiming a first-round victory, though she had to work much harder to see off Anastasia Zakharova. 

While Sorribes Tormo triumphed 6-3, 6-3, she was given a stern examination by Zakharova, who earned nine break points in the contest but paid the price by converting just two. 

The prize for Sorribes Tormos is a tough round of 16 tie against Olympic gold medalist Bencic. 

Meanwhile, Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia was a day one casualty as she lost 6-2, 7-6 to Anastasia Potapova. 

Potapova will now take on two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova, who will be playing in front of her home fans in the Czech Republic. 

Also on Monday, Anett Kontaveit defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-4 while Magda Linette defeated Oceane Dodin 6-2, 7-6 in a battle between two qualifiers.

Watch also

Is Raducanu real thing or fluke? – Match Points #32

Tennis Majors