Google News Viking International: Camila Giorgi ousts defending titlist Karolina Pliskova in 1R
by ABBEY JOHNSON | VIEW 3639
Karolina Pliskova, the defending champion at the Viking International in Eastbourne crashed out in the opening round on Tuesday. Italian Camila Giorgi upset the fifth-seeded Czech 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 40 minutes. Giorgi hit 29 winners, 10 more than Pliskova’s total for the match.
This was Giorgi’s only second win against Pliskova in seven meetings. In the second round, Giorgi will play lucky loser, Shelby Rogers. Rogers defeated Kiki Bertens 6-1, 7-5 in their opening-round clash. Coco Gauff upset seventh seed, Elise Mertens, in their first-round match.
Gauff came back from losing the opening set 6-0 to post a 0-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 comeback win over the Belgian after two hours and 13 minutes of play. This is the second consecutive tournament that Mertens has lost in the first round.
Last week, she’d crashed out in the opener at the Viking Classic in Birmingham where she’d been seeded second. Meanwhile, Gauff will play Latvian lucky loser Anastasija Sevastova next. Sevastova ousted qualifier Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-4 in their opener.
The third and final seed to crash out in the first round was eighth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Jelena Ostapenko upset the French Open finalist 6-1, 6-3 in just 53 minutes. In the second round, Ostapenko will take on Birmingham titlist Ons Jabeur.
The Tunisian beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 7-6(4) in their first-round match.
Viking International: Top seeds avoid upset
The top four seeds advanced through to the second round. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated American qualifier Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.
She will play another American, Alison Riske in the second round. The second-seeded Elina Svitolina, meanwhile, needed three sets to defeat Paula Badosa. The Ukrainian eventually came through 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(1) in two hours and 17 minutes.
In the second round, Svitolina will play Elena Rybakina. Third seed Bianca Andreescu moved into the second round of the Viking International with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Christina McHale. In the second round, the Canadian will play Anett Kontaveit.
Fourth seed Iga Swiatek almost came to the brink of defeat before getting the better of Heather Watson 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5. Lastly, sixth seed Belinda Bencic also took her place in the second round. The Swiss beat Petra Martic 6-1, 6-3 in their opening-round encounter.