Zarina Diyas overcame some tough opposition from Kiki Bertens to move into the second round of the Japan Women’s Open. The second seed recovered from a slow start to take the match 6-4, 6-4.
After dropping her serve in the first game of the opening set, the world number 43 wasn’t able to break back until the sixth game to level at 3-3. The Kazak was then in more trouble as she was broken for the second time of the match but this time she responded immediately in the next game by breaking Bertens. The set looked to be heading towards a tie-break until a costly back hand was hit wide by Bertens which enabled the second seed to the first set.
After taking the first set Diyas started to pull away from her Dutch opponent in the second as she broke to open up a 3-0 lead. The 3-0 lead was however short-lived as Bertens broke back to level proceedings once again. Despite the fight back from Bertens, it wasn’t enough to cause the upset. With Bertens serving at 4-5, Diyas seized the opportunity once more by breaking to take the match.
During the match Diyas produced 2 aces, won 30/49 of her first serves and 8/15 of her second. In the second round she will play Magda Linette of Poland in what will be their first meeting.
More seeds crash out
There was disappointment for 4th seed Alison Riske as she was knocked out in three sets by China’s Zheng Saisai (0-6,6-4,6-1). The defeat is Riske’s fourth consecutive first round exit after Cincinnati, New haven and the US Open. Saisai comes into the tournament with a high amount of confidence after winning the biggest title in her career last week at the Dalian Women’s Tennis Open, a WTA $125,000 event.
Slovenia’s Polona Hercog was another first round casualty. The eighth seed lost 6-1,5-7,7-5 to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei.
