Osaka, Zheng advance in Bad Homburg as former champion Shnaider falls
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, Elise Mertens, former world No. 5 Zheng Qinwen and Anna Kalinskaya have been among the many notable first-round winners on the Bad Homburg Open on Monday, whereas French Open semifinalist Diana Shnaider suffered a straight-sets defeat to Clara Tauson.
Bad Homburg: Scores | Order of play | Draws
Here are some key takeaways from the motion in Bad Homburg as we speak:
Osaka wins rain-delayed match; to face Mertens for spot in quarterfinals
In a match carried over from Sunday due to dangerous climate, former world No. 1 Osaka opened her bid for a primary profession grass-court remaining with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
The match was suspended with Osaka main 5-4 in the opening set. When play resumed Monday, the Japanese participant dominated, successful seven of the ultimate eight video games to seal the victory in 1 hour, 34 minutes.
A key statistic from the match was Frech successful simply 21.4% of factors on her second serve, in contrast with 60% for Osaka.
Osaka’s finest grass-court consequence stays her semifinal run in Nottingham in 2018, the place she misplaced to eventual champion Ash Barty. She will subsequent face Elise Mertens for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Mertens halted red-hot Alexandra Eala later Monday, coming from a break drown in the primary set and successful eight straight video games throughout the primary and second units to advance with a 6-3, 6-3 win in 1 hour, 24 minutes. The victory extends the Belgian’s excellent document in WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz opening matches this season to 12-0.
Osaka and Mertens have squared off seven occasions, with Osaka holding a 4-3 benefit. Mertens gained their most up-to-date assembly in Toronto in 2024, however Osaka claimed their lone grass-court matchup at ‘s-Hertogenbosch earlier that 12 months.
Tauson knocks out former champion Shnaider
In a marquee first-round conflict between two Top 25 gamers, world No. 25 Clara Tauson upset the seventh-seeded Shnaider 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour, 45 minutes.
The Dane transformed 4 of his 10 break-point alternatives, whereas Shnaider, the 2024 champion, capitalized on solely two of six probabilities.
The victory marked Tauson’s first grass-court win of the season after opening-round exits in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Berlin. It additionally snapped a seven-match dropping streak for the Dane. Shnaider, in the meantime, heads into Wimbledon having misplaced each of his opening-round matches on grass this 12 months.
The win leveled the head-to-head collection at 1-1. Tauson will subsequent face Zheng in the second spherical.
Zheng earns three-set victory over Sierra
Serving as the precursor to the Venus Williams vs. Irina-Camelia Begu match on Center Court, Zheng earned a morale-boosting win over Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra to succeed in the second spherical.
Now ranked No. 153 after present process elbow surgical procedure final July and taking part in just one match earlier than February this 12 months, Zheng wanted 2 hours, 23 minutes to beat Sierra 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
Tauson leads the head-to-head in opposition to Zheng 1-0, however this shall be their first assembly on grass.
Kalinskaya, Wang additionally advances
In different first-round matches, Kalinskaya defeated Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus 6-4, 6-1 to succeed in the second spherical.
Kalinskaya will subsequent face both fifth-seeded Linda Noskova, who gained the Berlin Open on Sunday, or qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
China’s Xinyu Wang additionally superior, defeating fortunate loser Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-2. Wang will face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez for a spot in the final eight.
