Top seed Iga Swiatek won the all-native opening round against Magdalena Frech to reach the second round of the Poland Open on Wednesday. The world no. 1 needed an hour and 13 minutes to claim a 6-1, 6-2 win.
Swiatek faced no break points and converted four of the seven break points she had on Frech’s serve. She won 86% of her first-serve points and 65% of her second-serve points. In comparison, Frech finished the match by winning 58% of her first serves and 37% of her second serves.
This is Swiatek’s first tournament since she lost to Alize Cornet in the third round at Wimbledon. In the round-of-16 this week, the two-time Major winner will take on Romanian qualifier, Garbriela Lee. Lee won her opener against fellow qualifier, Cyprus’ Raluca Serban 3-6, 6-2 7-5 on Tuesday.
Poland Open: Home hopes dash and crash
Swiatek’s fellow Poles, wildcards Martyna Kubka and Weronika Falkowska didn’t fare too well in their respective first-round matches.
Elisabeth Cocciaretto beat Kubka 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 23 minutes. Petra Martic, the eighth seed ousted Falkowska 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and seven minutes.
Cocciaretto’s fellow Italian, 10th seed Jasmine Paolini also advanced to the second round after posting a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Danka Kovinic. In the match that was played on Tuesday, Paolini needed merely 62 minutes to wrap up the win.
Paolini will clash against Clara Burel for a chance to reach the quarter-finals in Warsaw. The Frenchwoman won her opener against Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova, 7-6(5), 6-1 on Tuesday as well.
Another Italian, Sara Errani also took her place in the second round. The former French Open finalist who qualified for the main draw this week, Errani claimed a hard-fought win against Dutchwoman, Arantxa Rus. After two hours and 29 minutes of play, Errani won 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. She will next play Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl. Baindl, who’s in as a lucky loser this week, upset the 11th-seeded Maryna Zanevska, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday.
France’s Kristina Mladenovic scored an upset over sixth seed Anna Bondar in their round-of-32 match-up on Monday. Mladenovic won 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(8) in two hours and 55 minutes. On the same day, Ana Bogdan ousted seventh seed Nuria Parrizas Diaz in their opener, 6-4, 7-6(3).
On Wednesday, Bogdan played and won her second-round match against Katerina Siniakova, 6-0, 6-4 to reach the quarters of the Poland Open. Seeking to reach the semi-finals, the Romanian will take on Laura Pigossi. The Brazilian beat Nadia Podoroska 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the second round.
Photo Credit: Iga Swiatek Twitter