2020 WTA Stuttgart and Istanbul fantasy tennis: Seeds too good on day one

IT was a big first day of fantasy competition for both the Tennis Grand Prix and Istanbul Open, with both Round of 32 days hosting a wealth of talent and mostly predictable outcomes, with all seeded players across both competitions heading through to the second round.

At Stuttgart, not one match went to three sets with all six winners consistent against their respective opposition. Sixth seed Garbine Muguruza and eighth seed Dayana Yastremska were both unworried by the talent standing in their way, downing their respective opposition in straight sets. Yastremska proved the young-guns are here to fight,  and was highly clinical in her defeat of grand slam champion Angelique Kerber, downing her in just over an hour, 6-2 6-2. Muguruza was similarly impressive against Anett Kontaveit, with the Spanish champion dominating majority of the match to down the Estonian, 6-2 6-3. 

Two more quality names in Qiang Wang and Sloane Stephens also head through to the Round of 16 after stellar first set performances, relentless against their respective opposition in Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasija Sevastova. While both were challenged in the second set, both overcame their troubles though Qiang almost allowed her veteran opposition in Kuznetsova a look in, only winning the second set tiebreaker to head through relatively unscathed.

Taiwan qualifier Su Wei Hsieh downed wildcard Tatjana Maria 6-2 6-1 while fellow wildcard Anna Lena Friedsam had a tougher time against British opposition, Heather Watson.

Istanbul saw relatively similar results on day one, with three seeds winning their way through to the second round. Elena Rybakina came in strong against Caroline Garcia, running home victor 6-2 6-3 in what was a relatively easy win to the 20-year-old Kazakh. Fellow top three seed Petra Martic had a tougher time against her Swiss opposition in Jil Teichmann, dropping the first set after Teichmann well and truly put the accelerator on to pile on the points. But a second set tiebreaker saw martic regain the upper hand, eventually running out strong with the 2-6 7-6 6-2 victory. 

Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova was among four Americans to compete on day one but was only joined by wildcard Coco Vandeweghe in the Round of 16, knocking out compatriots Ann Li and Jessica Pegula in the process. Li struggled against 18-year-old Anisimova, unable to compete with the up-and-comer, going down in straight sets 6-0 6-3. Vandeweghe had a tougher time against Pegula, challenged all the way but eventually running out victor in over two hours of play, 4-6 6-3 7-6.

The next match saw a talented young-gun matchup, with 18-year-old Pole, Iga Swiatek taking on 17-year-old Canadian, Leylah Fernandez. Swiatek was just too strong, running out in a relatively easy victory 6-1 6-1 thanks to her constant pressing attack but the young wildcard Fernandez stuck to her guns and this match just goes to show how much young talent is on the rise. Australian Astra Sharma just could not compete with her Russian opposition in Liudmila Samsonova, going down in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

In other games, fellow wildcard Mihaela Buzarnescu defeated Japanese qualifier, Kurumi Nara, holding her ground despite dropping the second set and winning 6-1 5-7 6-3, while Veeronika Kudermetova held her ground for much of her match against Carla Suarrez Navarro but eventually was run down by the Spanish talent, who won 7-6 5-7 6-3.

Tomorrow will see some intriguing matchups across both fantasy competitions with first seed and surprise entrant Serena Williams taking the court at Istanbul, while seventh seed Petra Kvitova will look to go back-to-back at Stuttgart.

STUTTGART ROUND OF 32 RESULTS: 

[6] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6-2 6-3
[8] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) defeated Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-2 6-2
Qiang Wang (CHN) defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-2 7-6
Sloane Stephens (USA) defeated Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-1 6-4
[Q] Su Wei Hsieh (TAI) defeated [WC] Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-2 6-1
[WC] Anna Lena Friedsam (GER) Heather Watson (GBR) 6-4 6-4

ISTANBUL ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[2] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4 6-3
[3] Petra Martic (CRO) defeated Jil Teichmann (SUI) 2-6 7-6 6-2
[6] Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Ann Li (USA) 6-0 6-3
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) defeated Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 7-6 5-7 6-3
[WC] Mihaela Buzarnescu (TUR) defeated [Q] Kurumi Nara (JPN) 6-1 3-6 6-4
Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated [WC] Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 6-1 6-1
[WC] Coco Vandeweghe (USA) defeated Jessica Pegula (USA) 4-6 6-3 7-6
Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) defeated Astra Sharma (AUS) 6-4 6-3

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