Riske runs gauntlet in test of emotions

IT was a day of passionate, hard-fought and emotional battles at the Hobart International yesterday, encapsulated by the clash between Alison Riske and Katerina Siniakova.

In what was one of the longest and most exciting matches of the tournament so far Riske, from the US, took down Siniakova, ranked 47, from the Czech Republic.

The match — lasting two hours and 32 minutes — was one of few to have reached the third set and the final score was 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Both players battled through frustration and emotion in a passionate display that held its intensity to the end.

Riske said: “I fought a lot of nerves and a lot of different things in that match but I did come out on top, which was definitely a relief.

“I think it’s almost 100 per cent mental to be honest, especially towards the end, you just try to stay in there one shot longer than your opponent.”

She will now face Kirsten Flipkens, from Belgium, who beat Kristyna Pliskova in round one on Monday.

Last year’s runner-up, the Romanian Monica Niculesca, progressed to Round 2 after beating Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2 with her forehand slice and powerful backhand combination.

She will play Varvara Lepchenko, from the US, who took out 2012 tournament champion, Germany’s Mona Bathel.

Defending champion Elise Mertens managed to prolong her campaign for a second Hobart International title against Beatriz Haddad Maia, from Brazil, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Croatian Donna Vekic beat the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-4 in Round 2 yesterday afternoon and will face either Heather Watson or Jaimee Fourlis in the quarter-final.