Stuttgart Open: Former world number ones Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber advance to second round with contrasting wins

Stuttgart: Former world number ones Karolina Pliskova and Angelique Kerber came through their first-round matches in Stuttgart on Wednesday with differing experiences as both played their first clay-court matches this season. Pliskova, 29, had to dig deep after losing the second set to German Tamara Korpatsch before sealing a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory. The Czech Republic star, currently ninth in the world, admitted struggling before setting up a second-round match against Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko on Thursday. “I’m super happy that I’m through, but other than that I didn’t see many really good things,” said Pliskova. “I was struggling a bit in the rally. I thought there were too many errors from easy balls, but my serve was quite ok. “First rounds are always a bit nervous, especially a first match on clay. “I’m just going to hope it’s going to be better.”

🇩🇪 @AngeliqueKerber up and running on home soil 💪

The two-time Stuttgart champ awaits Svitolina in the #PorscheTennis last 16! pic.twitter.com/tJIEPH4umZ

— wta (@WTA) April 21, 2021

Pliskova is on course to meet world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia in the quarter-finals on Friday. Barty, the top seed, makes her first appearance later against former Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund in their second round tie. Earlier, three-time Grand Slam winner Kerber breezed into the second round, sweeping aside Georgia’s Ekaterine Gorgodze in a 6-2, 6-2 victory. “That wasn’t a bad way to start the clay-court season, she wasn’t an easy opponent and I had a solid game,” said Germany’s Kerber. The 33-year-old, who has dropped to 26 in the world rankings, expects a “tough match” on Thursday against fourth-seed Ukranian Elina Svitolina, who has won all of their last six meetings.