The Engie Open de Limoges offers $115,000 of prize money, and the tournament seeds are all inside the top 100. That's what makes this tournament a nice one to follow this week.
Today there were seven matches scheduled, and they were all won by the higher ranked players. The first match of the day was between Maryna Zanevska and Sílvia Soler-Espinosa. The Ukrainian taking the win in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6).
It was 01:00 p.m local time when Anna-Lena Friedsam entered the court with Anna Blinkova. They battled for an hour and 44 minutes for a place in the second round of the tournament. Anna-Lena Friedsam took the match by a score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Following those two matches that went to a third set, we witnessed a straight sets win, the first of the day. Margarita Gasparyan defeated Andrea Gamiz 6-2. 7-5. It was a quick match but not one that was too straight forward for the Russian
Barbora Krejcikova then faced Kateryna Kozlova in the fourth match of the day. This was not their first meeting as they met this year for the first time in Hobart, Australia. The winner of the two matches was Kozlova. This match she won by 7-6(5), 6-4.
Rising star Danka Kovinic defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and eight minutes. This was the first time these two met on the WTA circuit.
After a full day of matches, Carina Witthoeft and Tessah Adrianjafitrimo showed they were fully capable of putting on a solid match as well. The German and the Frenchwoman made sure that the crowd enjoyed good tennis match and went to a first set tiebreak, won by Carina. The match ended 7-6(6), 6-2, with the victory to the smiling German.
The last match of the day at Engie Open de Limoges, as expected considering the day it was, was another thriller. Donna Vekic booked a place in the second round defeating home favourite Amandine Hesse 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-0.
Tomorrow's Key Matches
The stars of Limoges will be out in full flight tomorrow as they get things going in Limoges. Stefanie Voegele faces Lesia Tsurenko to open the day's proceedings. Tsurenko has pulled off some major upsets this year, so don't be surprised if she ends up winning the whole tournament. The second singles match of the day will be between young Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin and Rachel Hogenkamp. The third match of the day pits two former Grand Slam surprises in recent memory. Andreea Mitu, fourth-rounder at this year's French Open, meets Tamira Paszek. Paszek made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon back in 2011 and 2012.
Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone is the fourth singles match on in the day as she faces Kristyna Pliskova. Alize Lim and Katerina Siniakova will be the second to last match on as Louisa Chirico and Annika Beck end tomorrow's proceedings.