Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the second round of the Istanbul Cup on Tuesday after rallying from a set down to oust Italy’s Karin Knapp, while the WTA announced that next year’s Taiwan Open is to be moved from Kaohsiung to Taipei.
Kaohsiung-born world No. 81 Hsieh defeated world No. 72 Knapp 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-1 at the Garanti Koza Arena in 2 hours, 23 minutes.
The Taiwanese No. 1 saved 10 of 13 break points and converted seven of 10, winning 109 of the 207 points contested to set up a second-round clash against world No. 127 Maria Sakkari of Greece, who stunned top seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-3.
Third seed Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine also fell at the first hurdle in a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Romanian qualifier Sorana Cirstea, while eighth seed Johanna Larsson of Sweden survived a second-set wobble to down Ukrainian qualifier Maryna Zanevska 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5). Ukrainian seventh seed Kateryna Bondarenko had to rally from a set down to oust Olga Govortsova of Belarus 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Also advancing were Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria, Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, Hungarian qualifier Reka-Luca Jani, Cagla Buyukakcay of Turkey and Slovakian qualifier Kristina Kucova.
Meanwhile, the WTA announced on Tuesday that next year’s Taiwan Open is to be staged at the Taipei Arena on Jan. 30.
Venus Williams won the singles title at the inaugural event staged at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung during the Lunar New Year holiday this year, while Taiwanese sisters Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan claimed the doubles title.
“On behalf of the Taipei City Government, I am pleased to announce that Taiwan Open will be held in Taipei next year,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je told the WTA Web site. “We are committed to bringing the best events to our global city and the decision to move the event to Taipei demonstrates the city’s ability to attract the best international sport events. We look forward to working with the WTA and the tournament organizers to make this an event all of Taiwan can be proud of.”
The organizers said the move to Taipei would result in increased sponsorship and government investment, hopefully making the tournament accessible to a much larger fan base.
PORSCHE GRAND PRIX
AP, STUTTGART, Germany
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova swept past qualifier Luisa Chirico 6-0, 6-0 to reach the second round of the WTA Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Kvitova needed only 55 minutes to dismiss the American, winning 17 of 19 first-serve points. The Czech also faced only one break point.
Ana Ivanovic of Serbia rallied to beat German qualifier Carina Witthoeft 7-6 (7/3), 6-0. Ivanovic was down a break and the German served for the first set, but could not hold and her game collapsed.
Two other Germans advanced to the second round of the indoor clay tournament with straight-set wins.
Annika Beck beat “lucky loser” Camila Giorgi 6-4, 6-2 and qualifier Laura Siegemund defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 6-0, 7-5, coming back from a break down in the second set.
Giorgi had replaced Italian countrywoman Sara Errani, who pulled out with a right-leg injury.
Seventh-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain defeated Oceane Dodin of France 6-3, 6-0.
Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday led the way into the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals, with Carlos Alcaraz hot on their heels after a straight-sets victory of his own. Sinner shrugged off a mid-match weather delay lasting nearly three hours as he advanced 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) over Adrian Mannarino. Alcaraz, the second seed who has reached the final in his past six tournaments, hammered Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4. After sweeping the opening set in 28 minutes, Alcaraz hit a speed bump, dropping his serve to trail 2-4. He promptly regained the break, then fought through a marathon ninth game
STUMBLE: World No. 2 Coco Gauff confidently won her first set against seventh-seed Italian Jasmine Paolini before being overcome in the second and third sets World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and second-ranked Coco Gauff were sent crashing out of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Friday, while Carlos Alcaraz fought off a fierce challenge from Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals. Top seed and defending champion Sabalenka had no answer for Elena Rybakina, falling to the 2022 Wimbledon champion 6-1, 6-4. Reigning French Open champion Gauff had 16 double faults in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 exit at the hands of seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini. Spain’s second-ranked Alcaraz had his difficulties, but he broke Rublev in the final game of a tense duel to emerge a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 winner
Spanish champions Barcelona opened their Spanish La Liga campaign on Saturday with an island cruise as they played almost an hour against nine men on their way to a 3-0 victory in RCD Mallorca. Barcelona’s second-half stroll did not please coach Hansi Flick. “They’re three important points, but I didn’t like the match,” he told broadcaster Movistar. “After going two goals up and following Mallorca’s two red cards, I think the team only gave 50 percent, and I didn’t like that,” he said. “Playing at 50 or 60 per cent is not possible against nine players.” Two of Barcelona’s Ballon
Manchester City signaled their intent to take back the English Premier League title as Erling Haaland struck twice in a 4-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday to begin their campaign. After four consecutive titles, City finished a distant third last season as Pep Guardiola’s men failed to win any trophy for the first time in eight years. New signings Tijjani Reijnders, who was the star of the show at Molineux, and Rayan Cherki were also on target to give Guardiola hope his side would be back in the title race this season. “We knew he is a top signing
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