The challenge of grass court tennis claimed some high-profile names on Tuesday with six of the top eight seeds at the Aegon International Eastbourne departing at their first hurdle.
Defending champion Belinda Bencic relinquished her title after facing the stern test that is Elena Vesnina.
A tale of two tie-break sets determined the victor and 2013 Eastbourne champion Vesnina was far more composed on the critical points to close out a 7-6(4), 7-6(5) ticket into the last 16.
Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska was gifted an early passage into the third round after Mirjana Lucic-Baroni retired trailing the 2008 Eastbourne champion 6-4, 2-1.
“I didn't expect that. She was still playing great tennis, very powerful game, very consistent. So I was surprised that something happened to her,” said Radwanska, who struggled to find her rhythm on Centre Court.
Radwanska fell to Coco Vandeweghe at the first hurdle in Birmingham and is eager to ignite her grass court campaign by the coast.
“I think we all are putting a bit of pressure on ourselves that you should win that first round or second round,” added the world No.3. “So I think that's why you're not really relaxed on the court as much as you are in the quarter-finals and the semis, when you’re also used to the conditions.”
Eugenie Bouchard is next in store for the Pole having dispatched the 15th seed Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-1 with a highly commanding performance.
“I’m very much looking forward to it, it’s a privilege to play the best players in the world and I truly see that as an exciting challenge,” said the Canadian. “I know how well I can play, we’ve both reached the finals at Wimbledon, so I’m hoping it will be really high quality.”
Following her “unexpected” reunion with coach Nick Saviano, a re-focused Bouchard appears sharp and focused.
“I feel like I'm really trying to go after the ball and really trying to dominate the point, because all these girls are all good players. I feel like if I back off or I give them chances that they go after it and they'll control the point against me. So it's really important that I try and do that first and stay very, very focused.”
Saviano, who guided Bouchard through a breakout 2014 season, returned to the “Genie” camp earlier in the year at Charleston, a move the world No.48 has found reassuring.
“For sure, you have a certain comfort level with someone like that, especially when you’ve had great results with them but he knew me way before that, before I had achieved anything and was an average junior,” added the 2014 Wimbledon runner-up. “So he knows me really well, which helps in training and match preparation, with tactics, and I think he’s a great coach as well.”
Fourth seed Timea Bacsinszky was swept aside by an inspired Kristina Mladenovic.
The world No.33 clinched the Women’s doubles crown on the home clay at Roland Garros before reaching the final on grass at S’Hertogenbosch earlier this month.
That rich vein of form has transferred to sun drenched Eastbourne and firing down 80 percent of first serves in the opening set, Mladenovic cantered through 6-1 in just 27 minutes.
“She's very tricky. She has, I would say, all shots in her game. I was watching her last year in Wimbledon. She made it to the second week (quarter-finals), and she has a lot of variety in her game. It's not easy, especially with the conditions here,” said the Frenchwoman.
“The second set was a great battle,” as Mladenovic saw a 4-2 lead dissolved by a spirited display from the world No.12 before closing out the victory 7-5.“I'm just very happy about the way I played today. I think it was very consistent, as well. I was trying to use my powerful groundstrokes, but also, too, to be patient and to use also the geometry of the court and tried to play smart.”
2010 champion Ekaterina Makarova built on her victory over Tara Moore by sending second seed Roberta Vinci out in a gruelling encounter.
“Of course I’m so happy, I lost to her on the clay in Stuttgart 6-4 in the third set, I tried to remember what I learned from that match,” said Makarova.
The world No.39 turned the tables this time out, surging 3-0 ahead in each set and managing to find the pivotal points for a fine comeback 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
“Today was another really tough match, it was a little up and down. She played a lot of slice and on grass everything happens so fast, you have to be so focused against her the whole time, it’s also hard to concentrate in these conditions with the wind,” said the Russian.
Having lifted the Aegon International Eastbourne trophy in 2010, Makarova is targeting another deep run with Wimbledon so close on the horizon.
“Of course you want to win but I’ll take it match by match to get sharp,” added the world No.39. “If I can’t get to the end of the week I still need to make sure I’m ready for Wimbledon.”
Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki replicated her scintillating first round performance to dismantle seventh seed Sam Stosur for a first top 20 victory of 2016.
80 percent of match first serves enabled the Dane to dictate the play despite Stosur’ power game unleashing 23 winners.
“Some results might look easy on the grass but it never is. You always have to focus and take advantage of the break points you get. Sam is a big server, so I was really pleased about the way I was able to return today.”“I'm pleased with the way I have been playing. You know, the first match I played quite well, but today I feel I played even better. Hopefully there is more tennis to come,” said the 2009 champion following the 6-2, 6-1 scoreline.
That emphatic win secured Wozniacki a contest with in-form Monica Puig. The Puerto Rican emerged from qualifying and has dismissed Naomi Broady and Ana Konjuh for the loss of just six games.
Nottingham champion Karolina Pliskova maintained her superb campaign on the British turf with a fine 6-2, 6-2 victory facing Australia’s Daria Gavrilova.
Pliskova enters the last 16 to meet Misaki Doi, who stunned eighth seed Carla Suarez Navarro in a tight three-sets match.
Qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko earned a decent rest after navigating past Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 and then toppling sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova from a set down 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 both on Tuesday.
