ORTISEI, December 7, 2016

Local favourite Verena Hofer lost her opening match at the $10,000 Raiffeisen ITF Val Gardena, held at the Tennis Club Ortisei on Wednesday evening. The 19-year-old Italian lost to Ksenia Palkina Ulukan of Kyrgyzstan 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. Palkina Ulukan won 102 of the 201 total points played to secure victory in two hours and five minutes. She will next face seventh seed Klaartje Liebens from Belgium

The tournament’s number two and highest remaining seed in the draw, Lenka Jurikova, beat German qualifier Jana Jais 6-2, 6-2. The 26-year-old from Slovakia sent down seven aces and capitalized on four of his 11 break point chances to advance in one hour and 15 minutes. Jurikova will next take on Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic of Germany.