Fruhvirtova continues ascent with win over Konjuh in Charleston

The 16-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova scored another big win on Monday, upsetting world No 62 Ana Konjuh in the first round of the WTA Credit One Charleston Open.

The Czech teen is coming off the biggest week of her career, reaching the fourth round in Miami and is up to a career-best No 188 in the world rankings.

Playing against 24-year-old Konjuh, Fruhvirtova bounced back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 49 minutes to reach the second round of the green clay event.

Fruhvirtova has good memories from this venue last year as she reached her first WTA Tour-level quarter-final at the MUSC Health Women’s Open which was held on a one-year licence.

“These are the matches and the moments I’ve always worked hard for”: Linda Fruhvirtova

The win, Fruhvirtova’s fifth over a player ranked in the top 100, sets up a clash against either 10th seed Belinda Bencic, the Tokyo Olympics singles gold medalist, or China’s Wang Xiyu.

“”It was important for me to forget the first set, keep fighting, keep trying to find a way to win, and I’m glad I found a way. These are the matches and the moments I’ve always worked hard for, and it’s a great motivation to keep working hard and believing, and I’m enjoying it,” Fruhvirtova said as quoted by the WTA Tour.

Lind is not the only Fruhvirtova on the block; she has a younger sister, Brenda Fruhvirtova, who is just 15 and already ranked inside the top 400 in the world.

In other matches on Monday, 12th seed Alize Cornet, of France, 15th seed Amanda Anisimova, of the United States, and No 16 seed Zhang Shuai, of China, all advanced.

However, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the No 11 seed, had to retire while trailing Poland’s Magdalena Frech 7-6 (6), 3-2 due to injury.

First Round Results at the WTA Charleston Open on Monday

• Magdalena Frech, Poland, def. Petra Kvitova (11), Czech Republic, 7-6 (6), 3-2, ret.
• Alize Cornet (12), France, def. Alycia Parks, United States, 6-0, 7-5
• Amanda Anisimova (15), United States, def. Sachia Vickery, United States, 6-0, 7-5
• Zhang Shuai (16), China, def. Francesca Di Lorenzo, United States, 6-2, 6-4
• Katarina Zavatska, Ukraine, def. Yuan Yue, China, 6-4, 6-2
• Anhelina Kalinina, Ukraine, def. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 6-4, 6-4
• Anna Bondar, Hungary, def. Arianne Hartono, Netherlands, 6-1, 6-4
• Claire Liu, United States, def. Heather Watson, Britain, 6-4, 6-2
• Ekaterina Alexandrova, Russia, def. Allie Kiick, United States, 6-1, 6-1
• Ulrikke Eikeri, Norway, def. Nadiia Kichenok, Ukraine, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
• Jasmine Paolini, Italy, def. Gabriela Lee, Romania, 6-2, 6-3
• Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, def. Shelby Rogers, United States, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2
• Irina-Camelia Begu, Romania, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 7-6 (2), 6-4

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