Eugenie Bouchard eases through first-round match with victory over Ling Zhang in Kuala Lumpur - UBITENNIS

Eugenie Bouchard eases through first-round match with victory over Ling Zhang in Kuala Lumpur

By Alex Burton
3 Min Read
Bouchard, already a finalist this season on the WTA Tour, is looking to recapture the form that saw her reach a WImbledon final (image via Zimbio.com)

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard got her bid for the Malaysia Open title off to a good start, as she defeated Ling Zhang 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and ten minutes.

Bouchard was handed a kind draw for her first match as Zhang, ranked at No. 278, only gained entry to this tournament as a wildcard. The match went to form as Bouchard broke three times in the first set and, despite dropping her own serve once, closed out the set comfortably.

The second set appeared even more one-sided, with Bouchard yielding just one game to her opponent. The reality was a closer set than the score would suggest, as Zhang earned four break points but failed to secure any of them. Bouchard was successful twice from four break points and, with the advantage of serving first, ensured that Zhang did not get a chance to add a second game to her side of the score-board in the final set.

Bouchard may have won, but some struggles on serve were evident, as allowing an opponent the calibre of Zhang to have multiple break chances does not bode all that well for the tournament.

There will be a steep rise in the quality of opponent in the second round as Kurumi Nara, a Japanese twenty-four year old ranked no. 82, defeated tour veteran Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, saving match points before completing a tiebreak win, 12-10 in the third. Third seed Sabine Lisicki defeated Magda Linette 6-4, 7-6, but fifth seed Nao Hibino was an early victim, losing to Ying-Ying Duan 6-4, 6-2.

Bouchard is seeded sixth in the tournament, and is in the same section as top seed Roberta Vinci, a potential quarter-final opponent. Annika Beck and Elina Svitolina highlight the bottom section of the draw.

 

 

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