Jelena Ostapenko, who’s the top seed this week at the Birmingham Classic reached the second round on Tuesday with a hard-fought win over Canadian qualifier, Rebecca Marino, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in two hours and a minute.
Ostapenko won 81% of her first-serve points to Marino’s 67% and 41% of her second-serve points to Marino’s 43%. The Latvian broke Marino’s serve seven times while saving seven of the 11 break points she faced. In the second round, Ostapenko will play Dayana Yastremska.
The Ukrainian got past Magda Linette of Poland, 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes.
Birmingham Classic: Beatriz Haddad Maia extends winning momentum
There were three significant upsets as well in the draw as the fourth seed, Elise Mertens, the fifth seed, Petra Kvitova, and seventh seed Alison Riske lost their respective first-round matches.
Cathy McNally took down Mertens after coming from down a set, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and 34 minutes. The American qualifier won 59% of her first-serve points to Mertens’ 65% and 48% of her second-serve points to the Belgian’s 39%. McNally lost her serve six times across the match and converted seven break points on Mertens’ serve.
In the second round, McNally will play Donna Vekic.
Meanwhile, Beatriz Haddad Maia, the champion in Nottingham last week got past Kvitova in an all-left-handers’ derby. The Brazilian won 7-6(4), 6-2 in an hour and 28 minutes. Haddad Maia won 71% of her first-serve points to the Czech’s 61% and 47% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 50%. She failed to save both break points she faced but converted four of the eight break points she had on the two-time Wimbledon champion’s serve.
For a place in the quarter-finals, Haddad Maia will take on Magdalena Frech. The Pole won against Nuria Parrizas Diaz, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3.
Katie Boulter ended the run of Riske, the player whom Haddad Maia had beaten in the final last week. The British wildcard won 6-4, 6-4 against the American in an hour and 19 minutes. She will play Caroline Garcia next.
Lastly, sixth seed Sorana Cirstea reached the round-of-16 at the Birmingham Classic. The Romanian defeated Shelby Rogers, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and will next play Aleksandra Krunic.