Ajla Tomljanovic has continued her build-up to Wimbledon, where she is a two-time quarter-finalist, with a quick 6-2 6-1 77-minute first round defeat of Anna Blinkova in the Birmingham ATP 250 event.
She now meets China’s Zhu Lin, who beat Romanian third seed Sorana Cirstea 7-6 (7-2) 6-2.
Defending champion and No.1 seed Jelena Ostapenko was knocked out by Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
The Latvian, ranked 13th, won her second career title on grass last June but she was beaten 6-3 6-3 at Edgbaston Priory by Cocciaretto, who needed seven match points to make it over the line.
The Italian will next face American former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who saw off China’s Yuan Yue by the same scoreline, while former Flushing Meadows runner-up Leylah Fernandez wasted little time dispatching Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-1 6-1.
Daria Savile meets second seed Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
In Berlin Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova returned to the grass with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Rebeka Masarova in the WTA500.
There were also wins for Katarina Siniakova, Daria Kasatkina, Zaynep Sonmez and Anna Kalinskaya.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au