WTA roundup: Zheng aces Osaka test

Sixth-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China fired 23 aces to take down Japan's Naomi Osaka 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Tuesday in the first round at the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin.

The 23 aces are the most in a single WTA tour match since Canada's Rebecca Marino had 24 against France's Caroline Garcia in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2022. Zheng also saved three out of four break points and capitalised on the four-time Grand Slam champion's 30 unforced errors.

Before the rain stopped play, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated No. 7 seed Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4, 6-2. Russia's Veronika Kudermetova and Ekaterina Alexandrova, Czech Linda Noskova, and Croatia's Donna Vekic all advanced to the second round.

Rothesay Classic

Caroline Wozniacki's first grass match since 2019 ended in a 6-4, 6-1 loss to No. 5 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium in Birmingham, England.

A former World No. 1 from Denmark, the 33-year-old Wozniacki's return from maternity leave lasted one hour and 31 minutes. Mertens hit seven aces and faced just one break point.

No. 2 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic defeated Australia's Daria Saville 6-1, 7-6 (5), while Czech No. 8 seed Marie Bouzkova defeated England's Heather Watson 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

No. 4 seed Katie Boulter of England had to retire after losing 6-3 in the first set to Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina. Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan, Diana Shnaider of Russia, Harriet Dart and Caroline Dolehide of England all advanced.

SportsLigue