Linda Fruhvirtova crashed out in the first round of the Hana Bank Open in South Korea. Yanina Wickmayer defeated the Czech teen who was fresh off from winning her maiden WTA title at the Chennai Open last week. The Belgian needed an hour and 29 minutes to post a 6-1, 6-4 win.
Wickmayer won 75% of her first-serve points to her opponent’s 63% and saved four of the six break points she faced. She went on to convert five of the nine break points that came her way on Fruhvirtova’s serve. In the second round, Wickmayer will play Emma Raducanu.
The sixth-seeded Briton won her first-round match against Moyuka Uchijima, 6-2, 6-4 in 78 minutes. Anna Blinkova upset the fifth-seeded Varvara Gracheva in their first-round match. Blinkova won 6-4, 7-6(1) in an hour and 51 minutes.
She will play Swiss Lulu Sun next. The last opening-round match of the day was won by third seed Magda Linette. The Chennai Open finalist came through against Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 38 minutes. She will take on Kristina Mladenovic next.
Hana Bank Open: Last-eight matches are set
Ekaterina Alexandrova, the second seed – and the highest seed to play her second-round match on Wednesday – reached the quarters in the South Korean capital. Alexandrova needed just 62 minutes to wrap up the win against South Korean wildcard, Na-Lae Han, 6-1, 6-3.
She will next play either Blinkova or Sun for a chance to reach the semi-finals. Fourth seed Lin Zhu also took her place in the quarter-finals after ousting Indian qualifier Ankita Raina, 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 25 minutes.
Zhu will play seventh seed Tatjana Maria next. The German won against Kimberly Birrell, 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and 22 minutes. Lastly, Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva posted an upset over the eighth-seeded Rebecca Marino, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarters of the Hana Bank Open. The Andorran awaits the winner between Linette and Mladenovic next.
