2020 WTA Copa Colsanitas fantasy tennis: Azarenka makes perfect return as Begu, Cocciaretto knock out seeds

GRAND Slam winner and former world number one, Victoria Azarenka made the perfect return from injury by winning her first round match at the 2020 WTA Copa Colsanitas fantasy tennis tournament. The unseeded Belarusian – now ranked outside the top 50 – downed Australian, Astra Sharma in straight sets 7-5 6-3. Sharma reached the final at this event 12 months ago, but Azarenka showed her class and strength with an imposing win.

It was a mixed bag of results for the first day of play, with a couple of seeds bowing out in Frenchwoman, Caroline Garcia and Australian, Ajla Tomljanovic. Garcia fell to Romania’s Irina Camelia Begu in a tight three-set contest. Begu got up 6-4 2-6 6-1 to steady herself after a disappointing second set, and send out the fourth seed from the International tournament. Italian qualifier, Elisabetta Cocciaretto is known for her clay court ability and she enjoyed a strong win over Tomljanovic, getting up 6-4 6-4 over her higher ranked opponent.

The other two seeds survived the first round however, with second seed Czech, Katerina Siniakova making it through to the Round of 16 thanks to an easy 6-1 6-2 victory over Estonian, Kaia Kanepi. Joining her in the second round was eighth seed Russian, Anna Blinkova who won through after an equally one-sided 6-1 6-3 victory over German, Anna Lena Friedsam. In other results, Swiss up and comer Jil Teichmann came from behind to knock out Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas, American qualifier Ann Li knocked off Spanish wildcard Lara Arruabarrena in three sets, and Frenchwoman Alize Cornet made it through with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Anna Schmiedlova.

In tomorrows’ action to finish off the Round of 32, top seed Marie Bouzkova takes on talented young Russian, Anastasia Potapova, while one of the predicted matches of the day will be German Andrea Petkovic taking on Italian qualifier and former top five player, Sara Errani.

ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[2] Katerina Siniakova (CZE) defeated Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-1 6-2
Irina Camelia Begu (ROU) defeated [4] Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4 2-6 6-1
[Q] Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) defeated [6] Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-4 6-4
[8] Anna Blinkova (RUS) defeated Anna Lena Friedsam (GER) 6-1 6-3
Alize Cornet (FRA) defeated [WC] Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-4 6-4
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) defeated Astra Sharma (AUS) 7-5 6-3
Jil Teichmann (SUI) defeated Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 3-6 6-2 6-1
[Q] Ann Li (USA) defeated [WC] Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-4 6-7 6-3

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