WTA roundup: Eala dominates in Sao Paulo as Maria advances in rain-delayed Guadalajara Open

No. 3 seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines stormed into the second round in Sao Paulo with a commanding 6-0, 6-2 victory over France’s Yasmine Mansouri on Tuesday. The 20-year-old won nine straight games to open the match, saved all four break points she faced, and converted 69.4 percent of her service points.

Eala, fresh off her maiden WTA Challenger title in Guadalajara last week, is chasing her first tour-level win.

Other seeded winners included No. 5 Renata Zarazua of Mexico, who defeated Brazil’s Luiza Fullana 6-2, 6-1, No. 6 Francesca Jones of Great Britain, and eighth seed Panna Udvardy of Hungary. Brazil’s Laura Pigossi and Ana Candiotto, along with Turkey’s Berfu Cengiz, also progressed.

Top seed Beatriz Haddad Maia delighted the home crowd with a ruthless 6-1, 6-1 win over Italian qualifier Miriana Tona.

Guadalajara Open Akron
Germany’s Tatjana Maria, the sixth seed, wrapped up a 6-4, 6-2 first-round win over Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez on a rain-interrupted day.

The delays allowed Canada’s Marina Stakusic to complete a comeback 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Russia’s Polina Kudermetova. But Poland’s fifth seed Magda Linette retired after dropping the first set 6-0 against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango, struggling with a left-leg issue.

France’s Elsa Jacquemot upset No. 2 seed Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-0, while Canada’s Rebecca Marino and Australia’s Storm Hunter also advanced.

In the night session, Italian qualifier Lucrezia Stefanini led Sloane Stephens 6-4, 3-5 before play was suspended. Stephens is making her comeback after a foot injury that sidelined her since January.

SportsLigue