German Annika Beck started off strongly in this week’s Tashkent Open, which is clearly being played in the shadows of the Wuhan Open (the Uzbek event has up to ten times less prize money). The number 1 seed was only on court for an hour and a minute, dispatching Elizateva Kulichkova 6-3, 6-1.
The big upset of the day was number 3 seed Polona Hercog’s defeat against 21 year-old Aliaksandra Sasnovich in three sets, doing the Belarussian’s hopes of breaking into the top 100 no harm at all.
Big hitters Bojana Jovanovski and Yaroslava Shvedova also recorded wins in the opening round against Jelena Ostapenko and Andreea Mitu respectively.
Vekic (d. Bertens), Rodina (d. U.Radwanska), Kozlova (d. Koukalova), Siniakova (d. Kania), Abduraimova (d. Martic), Krunic (d. Kontaveit), Larsson (d. Voegele) and Cepelova (d. Sharipova) also made their way into the second round.