Azarenka outlasts Bondarenko in San Jose

SAN JOSE: Former world number one Victoria Azarenka outlasted Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 6-7(7), 7-5 at the Silicon Valley Classic on Monday to set up a highlyanticipated second-round clash with top-seeded Garbine Muguruza on Wednesday.

Azarenka took the first set comfortably but faced stiffer resistance in the second from the Ukrainian, who battled hard against the 29-year-old Belarusian on a night when her powerful first serve lacked its usual accuracy.

Azarenka committed 12 double faults and was broken four times but did just enough to edge the defensiveminded Bondarenko, who sent a backhand long on match point to put an end to the marathon match.

Elsewhere, Australian Ajla JAZIRI GETS ZVEREV NEXT Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri booked a second-round match against third-ranked defending champion Alexander Zverev of Germany by defeating Russian Evgeny Donskoy 6-4, 6-1. US wild card Noah Rubin beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-4 to reach a secondround match against US second seed John Isner. Tomljanovic defeated Spaniard Georgina Garcia Perez 6-4, 6-1 to set up a second-round meeting with second-seeded American Madison Keys.

Nineteen-year-old Sofia Kenin defeated Paraguayan Veronica Cepede Royg 6-4, 6-4 and American Danielle Collins fired three aces and won 76 per cent of her first service points to dispatch compatriot Danielle Lao 7-6(2), 6-3.

Greek Maria Sakkari cruised to a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win over American Christina Mchale, who committed eight double faults and was broken five times.

Tuesday’s action will see 23time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams face off against Australian Johanna Konta in their first-round duel in San Jose.