Pliskova out; Nadal’s debut delayed
madrid — World number three Karolina Pliskova was dumped out of the second round of the Madrid Open on Monday 6-3, 6-3 by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova.
However, top seed Angelique Kerber fought back from 5-3 down in the deciding set to avoid a similar fate as she overcame Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 to set up a potential third round showdown with Maria Sharapova.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal’s debut at the Madrid Open has been pushed back a day because of an ear infection.
Organisers say Nadal will play his opening match on Wednesday because of the ailment that has been bothering him since Friday.
The four-time champion says the infection “is nothing important” but is a “little bit painful.”
Nadal will play his secondround match against Fabio Fognini of Italy. Nadal had a bye in the first round.
Pliskova, seeded second in the absence of world number one Serena Williams as she is expecting her first child, has struggled on the clay after a great start to the season on the hard courts of Australia and the USA.
Following early exits in Stuttgart and on home soil in Prague last week, world number 22 Sevastova’s run of seven straight games from 3-2 down in the first set to lead by a set and 3-0 was decisive.
Sevastova was solid on serve throughout and needed just one break in the second and she served out to set up a meeting with Barbora Strycova or Lara Arruabarrena in the third round.