Top seed Magda Linette of Poland survived a first-round scare and defeated Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France.
Linette had 18 break point opportunities against Bucsa’s serve, converting just seven. But Linette broke Bucsa three times in the final set while cashing in on 62.5 percent of her first serves to win in two hours and 16 minutes.
Fourth-seeded Bernarda Pera earned a spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia’s Kimberly Birrell. Fellow American Emma Navarro upset No. 8 Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to advance.
Clara Burel of France and Anna Blinkova of Russia also advanced to the quarters with straight-set victories.
Grand Prix Son Altesse Royale La Princesse Lalla Meryem
Fourth-seeded Alycia Parks defeated Anastasia Tikhonova of Russia 6-3, 7-6 (6) to advance to the second round in Rabat, Morocco.
Parks slammed eight aces and overcame six double faults for the win. Fifth-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada was a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Spain’s Angela Fita Boluda to advance.
Eighth-seeded Tatjana Maria needed two hours and 43 minutes to get past Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-0. No. 7 Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic, however, was ousted by Cagla Buyukakcay of Turkey 7-5, 6-4. Buyukacay is ranked No. 263 in the world.
Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia, Julia Grabher of Austria, Timea Babos of Hungary and Lucia Bronzetti of Italy also advanced.
–Field Level Media
