Czech top seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, Swedish second seed Sofia Arvidsson and South African eighth seed Kevin Anderson were ousted on Monday at the US$1.32 million WTA and ATP Memphis International.
Dutch standout Michaella Krajicek defeated Strycova 6-1, 6-3 in 70 minutes to book a second-round meeting with US qualifier Alexa Glatch in the 32-player women’s indoor tournament.
US lucky loser Alexandra Stevenson eliminated Arvidsson 6-3, 6-1 to book a second-round date with compatriot Coco Vandeweghe.
Strycova’s ouster left Czech seventh seed Renta Voracova as the only seeded player in her half of the draw following Sunday’s defeats of No. 8 Vania King of the US and Russian No. 4 Alla Kudryavtseva.
In the first match of the men’s event, Anderson was beaten 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) by American Robert Kendruck, who will face either US wild card James Blake or Brazil’s Ricardo Mello in the second round.
Also falling on Monday was women’s fifth seed Olga Govortsova of Belarus, who lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to French qualifier Stephanie Foretz Gacon.
The last of Gacon’s seven double faults handed Govortsova a break to pull even at 4-4 in the final set, but the lone French player in the women’s draw broke back and held to advance after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
British qualifier Heather Watson is square off against Gacon in the second round.
US third seed Melanie Oudin advanced with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Russian Anastasia Pivovarova. She will next face another Russian, Evgeniya Rodina, who beat Croatian wild card Ajla Tomljanovic 1-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7/5).
COPA CLARO
AP, BUENOS AIRES
Fourth-seeded Albert Montanes beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-1, 7-6 (7/0) in an all-Spanish first-round match at the clay-court Copa Claro on Monday.
Leonardo Mayer of Argentina defeated Federico del Bonis of Argentina 7-6 (7/1), 7-5.
Top-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain, who won the Brazil Open on Saturday, was to play yesterday, as was No. 2 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. David Nalbandian of Argentina is seeded third.
BOGOTA CUP
Reuters, BOGOTA
Mathilde Johansson of France edged No. 3 seed Simona Halep of Romania 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 on Monday in women’s singles action during the first round of the Bogota Cup.
Catalina Castano of Colombia overcame eighth seed Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain in a three-set thriller 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).
In other action, Yvonne Meusburger of Austria triumphed over Alexandra Panova of Russia 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, while Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria beat Mariya Koryttseva of the Ukraine, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4).
Additional reporting by Staff Writer
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