Wildcard Han bursts through in Seoul

SEOUL: Korea wildcard Han Na-Lae overpowered third-seeded Kristyna Pliskova 6-4, 6-4 on Tuesday, in a tournament upset that earned her a place in the Korea Open second round.

The 25-year-old Korean player held her ground against fearsome server Pliskova, whose identical twin sister Karolina is the former world number one.

Han led by a set and break before Pliskova briefly levelled the second set. But the Korean, who is ranked 274 in the world and tends to play a stronger game in front of a home crowd, fought back to clinch the match.

Pliskova, ranked 42, served seven aces against Han, but struggled to land first serves and she looks to regain momentum after injuring her dominant hand at the Jiangxi Open in Nanchang.

Han is now lined up to Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Elsewhere, top seeded Jelena Ostapenko beat Sweden’s Johanna Larsson, 7-6, 6-1 for her place in the second round. Meanwhile, the US’s Nicole Gibbs beat Korean Jang Su Jeong, 6-3, 7-5.

WTA KOREA OPEN RESULTS Women’s singles (first round) Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x1) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 7-6 (8/6), 6-1; Nao Hibino (JPN) bt KaiChen Chang (TPE) 6-2, 6-4; Veronica Cepede (PAR) bt Peangthan Pliphuech (THA) 6-3, 6-2; Nicole Gibbs (USA) bt Su-Jeong Jang (KOR) 6-3, 7-5; Na-Lae Han (KOR) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE x3) 6-4, 6-4; Arantxa Rus (NED) bt Christina McHale (USA x8) 6-3, 6-4; Denisa Allertova (CZE) bt Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-2, 7-5; Richel Hogenkamp (NED) bt Kiki Bertens (NED x2) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 face