ORTISEI, December 6, 2016

Swiss qualifier Simona Waltert caused the upset of the day at the $10,000 Raiffeisen ITF Val Gardena, knocking out the tournament’s top seed Claudia Ciavone in the opening round on Tuesday.

Deborah Chiesa (photo: Marco Wanker)

The only 15-year-old, who is competing in her first ITF Pro Circuit event since reaching the quarterfinals on home soil in Sion in August, converted seven of her nine break point opportunities to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory in two hours and 17 minutes. Walter, a multiple Swiss junior champion and currently ranked World No. 1194, will next face her compatiot Nina Stadler. The 21-year-old Swiss defeated Italian wild card Silvia Saccani 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 11 minutes.

The tournament’s number three Deborah Chiesa fought past Natalie Proese of Germany, winning 7-6, 5-7, 6-1. The 20-year-old from Italy sent down six aces and won 110 of the 208 total points played to prevail in two hours and 35 minutes. She will next take fellow Italian Lucia Bronzetti.