TENERIFE/STARNBERG, October 19, 2021
Tenerife Ladies Open top seed Elina Svitolina made her highly-anticipated first appearance at the WTA 250 tournament on an action-packed Tuesday at the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, a municipality in the western part of Tenerife.
In her opening match on the Canary Islands, the World No. 6 from the Ukraine was scheduled to face Colombian Maria Camila Osorio Serrano in the final match of the day. Svitolina won the opening set 7-5 after 42 minutes before the match was suspended due to darkness. The 27-year-old, who reached the quarterfinals at the US Open as well as in Indian Wells last week, would face Mayar Sherif of Egypt in the second round if she wins. Svitolina’s match against Osorio Serrano will resume Wednesday not before 11:30 am local time.
Nos vemos mañana 😉@WTA #meftennisevents #TenerifeLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/Wwp7U6djop
— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) October 19, 2021
Giorgi battles into second round
Earlier in the afternoon, No. 4 seed Camila Giorgi, who captured her biggest career title at the WTA 1000 event in Montreal in August, battled past Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov from Spain 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4. The 29-year-old Italian struck five aces, produced 13 doubles faults but won 63 per cent of her first-service points to prevail after two hours and 47 minutes.
“It was a great match. I think we both played a good level of tennis,” Giorgi said during her post-match on-court interview. The World No. 36 will next take on Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, who beat Alison van Uytvanck from Belgium 6-3, 6-3.
“It will be another important match and I hope to play like I did today,” Giorgi added. “I was very consistent. I did a few mistakes but that’s my game. I love Spain. I lived here and I am very happy to be here.”
Gracheva upsets Sorribes Tormo
In other action, Donna Vekic continued her good run of form with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over No. 8 Alison Riske from the United States. The 25-year-old Croatian qualifier converted all of her four break-point chances to advance after one hour and 14 minutes. Up next for Vekic will be Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania.
Varvara Gracheva from Russia knocked out third-seeded Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4). The World No. 80 overturned a 1-5 deficit in the third set to secure victory in the longest match of the day, lasting three hours and 27 minutes. Gracheva will next play US-American Ann Li.
Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands upset No. 5 seed Viktorija Golubic from Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 58 minutes and will next oppose Greet Minnen from Belgium, who edged out Mandy Minella from Luxemburg 7-5, 7-6(2) after two hours and two minutes.
Alize Cornet of France eased past Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-1, 6-2 after 73 minutes to meet Chinese qualifier Xinyu Wang in the second round.
¡ Tenerife, me encanta !
Solid match today and a first round win @meftennisevents 😊✌
Un match solide pour entamer l’un des derniers tournois de l’année 💪😊🌴 #TenerifeLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/4a7njUL8C5— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) October 19, 2021
Tenerife Ladies Open – Tuesday Results
Arantxa Rus d. Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-4
Saisai Zheng d. Rebeka Masarova 6-4, 6-2
Danka Kovinic d. Alison Van Uytvanck 6-3, 6-3
Greet Minnen d. Mandy Minella 7-5, 7-6(2)
Camila Giorgi d. Aliona Bolsova 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4
Elina Svitolina vs. Maria Camila Osorio Serrano 7-5, 0-0 suspended
Varvara Gracheva d. Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4)
Mayar Sherif d. Lucrezia Stefanini 6-2, 6-0
Clara Tauson d. Heather Watson 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(6)
Alize Cornet d. Stefanie Voegele 6-1, 6-2
Donna Vekic d. Alison Riske 6-1, 6-4
🗓Order of play| Wednesday 20
-REVISED-@WTA | #TenerifeLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/T0URzlsMn6— MEF tennis events (@meftennisevents) October 19, 2021
