Google News
Former world No 3 Elina Svitolina will be starting her grass season in 's-Hertogenbosch after accepting a main draw wildcard, the tournament organizers announced. Svitolina, 28, is set to make her second appearance on the grass courts of 's-Hertogenbosch.
In 2014 - when Svitolina was just starting her tennis career - she competed in 's-Hertogenbosch. Back then, Svitolina made a good start to her 's-Hertogenbosch debut as she won her opening two matches before losing to Jie Zheng in the quarterfinal.
Nine years later, Svitolina is set to return to 's-Hertogenbosch and make her second appearance at the Dutch grass-court tournament which is taking place between June 12-18.
Svitolina joins a star-studded 's-Hertogenbosch lineup
Svitolina won't be the lone big name in 's-Hertogenbosch as several other well-known players have signed up to compete at the Dutch grass-court event - Paula Badosa, Belinda Bencic, Victoria Azarenka and Bianca Andreescu.
Meanwhile, Svitolina is competing at a WTA clay-court tournament in Strasbourg this week. In Strasbourg, Svitolina made a positive start to her campaign as she saw off Louisa Chirico in the first round 6-4 7-6 (1). Svitolina made a slow start to the match as Chirico broke the Ukrainian in the third game to go up by an early break.
Fortunately for Svitolina, she quickly responded as she broke Chirico in the fourth game to tie the first set to two games apiece. In the 10th game - when Chirico was serving to stay in the first set - Svitolina broke the American again to seal the opener.
Early in the second set, Chirico was twice up by a break but Svitolina twice got the break back. Then, Svitolina broke Chirico in the eighth game to open a 5-3 lead. Just when it seemed the match was over, Chirico earned back-to-back breaks to take a 6-5 lead and give herself a chance to serve out for the second set.
But Svitolina got the break back and forced a second-set tie-break, which she absolutely dominated to complete a two-set win.
