Top-seeded Magda Linette has been eradicated from the WTA occasion in Texas within the first spherical, struggling a 6-3 4-6 6-4 loss to 88th-ranked Varvara Gracheva.
Linette, ranked a career-high twenty first this week, has misplaced three of her previous 5 matches. That follows a five-match profitable streak that carried her to her first grand slam semi-final on the Australian Open in January earlier than being overwhelmed at Melbourne Park by eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Gracheva, who saved 10 of 14 break factors in opposition to Linette, will face Anna Blinkova subsequent.
Seeded ladies who superior to the second spherical with victories on Tuesday included No.4 Danielle Collins, No.5 Sloane Stephens and No.8 Marta Kostyuk.
Collins, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up, got here again to get previous Magdalena Frech 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 6-4; Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, saved the one two break factors she confronted and beat Taylor Townsend 6-3 6-3; and Kostyuk defeated Dalma Galfi 7-5 6-1.
Linette’s exit means three of the highest six seeds departed from the hard-court match that marks the debut of girls’s skilled tennis in Austin. That’s as a result of No.2 Zhang Shuai pulled out with an sickness and No.6 Lauren Davis withdrew with an stomach damage; each changed by ladies who misplaced within the ultimate spherical of qualifying.
Erika Andreeva took Zhang’s place in the principle draw and defeated Harriet Dart 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 7-6 (7-3), whereas Nao Hibino took Davis’ spot and misplaced to Anna Kalinskaya 6-4 3-6 6-2.
Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, dropped out of the sector earlier than play started due to tonsillitis.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
