Cocciaretto moves through in Prague, Naito shocks Dart

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – No.2 seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto moved through to the second round of the 125K Prague Open with a thumping 7-5, 6-0 success over Dalila Jakupovic.

The Italian made a quick start to the match as she won the opening three games but then lost three in succession, including two on her serve, to fall behind.

Thereafter, the WTA World No.144 stepped up her game, winning eight successive points to lead 5-4, and though the set was subsequently squared, a break to 15 sealed the advantage for Cocciaretto.

Victory was sealed in one hour 16 minutes as she charged through the second set without the loss of a game, dropping only 10 points along the way.

Elsewhere, Yuki Naito shocked No.3 seed Harriet Dart. Although the Japanese lost the opening set 6-1, she fought back to break the Briton five times in the closing two sets, both of which were won 6-2.

Dart was not the only seed to fall on the opening day of action. No.20 seed Chloe Paquet was another player to suffer after winning the first set 6-1 as the Netherlands’ Richel Hogenkamp won the second by an identical scoreline.

Four breaks of serve were shared in the decider while Paquet had four match points on the Hogenkamp serve, yet it was the Dutchwoman who ran away with the tiebreak to seal a 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3) win.

No.14 ranked Jana Cepelova was another to fall at the first hurdle, with Chihiro Muramatsu defeating her 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-2 in an encounter that lasted two hours 20 minutes and saw 16 breaks of serve.

Meanwhile, Varvara Lepchenko, the No.22 seed, lost out, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) to Marie Benoit. 

WTA World No.391 Daria Lopatetska was the other unseeded player to cause an upset on the clay, taking just 78 minutes to dispatch Indy De Vroome, 6-2, 6-3.

On the other hand, there were straight-sets wins for seeded players Kristina Kucova, Mayar Sherif, Gabriela Ruse, Cagla Buyukakcay, Irina Bara, Giulia Gatto-Monticone, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Olga Danilovic.

Bibiane Schoofs was the sole seed to emerge through in three sets, overcoming Ulrikke Eikeri, 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.