Stosur off to winning start in Strasbourg
AUSTRALIA’S Samantha Stosur is through to the second round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg after scoring a fine straight-sets win over American Jessica Pegula.
The 35-year-old former world No.4, who won her most recent WTA singles title in Strasbourg two years ago when beating compatriot Daria Gavrilova, won 6-4, 6-1 in just over an hour as she continued her build-up to next week’s French Open.
Australian qualifier Astra Sharma also banked a notable win, claiming the scalp of Chinese eighth seed Shuai Zhang 6-4, 6-1 to set up a clash with Puerto Rican Monica Puig.
Queenslander Stosur next faces Ukraine’s 19-year-old Dayana Yastremska, who earlier beat French veteran Pauline Parmentier.
Sixth-seeded Yastremska, who beat former US Open champion Stosur at the Australian Open in January in straight sets, won 6-2, 6-4 to claim her first win on clay for the year.
Top seed and Australian No.1 Ashleigh Barty was due to kick off her tournament last night against Gavrilova, as the two Aussies face off on clay for the second time in three weeks on clay.
Earlier this month Barty beat Gavrivola in the first round at the Madrid Open in straight sets.
Barty holds a 3-1 edge in their head-to-head record ahead of her final hit-out before arriving in Paris, where she is guaranteed a top-eight seeding for the first time.