QUEBEC CITY:
Top-seed Daniela Hantuchova was sent crashing out of the WTA Bell Challenge tournament, losing 6-4, 6-4 to unseeded Kiwi Marina Erakovic. The 23-year-old Erakovic, from Auckland, is ranked 85th in the world and is gunning for her first WTA Tour title. Meanwhile, the evening match featured an all-Czech contest as sixth-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated compatriot Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 7-5. In other matches, Michaella Krajicek of Netherlands beat crowd favourite Rebecca Marino of Canada 6-1, 6-3 and third-seed Tamira Paszek of Austria downed Britain’s Heather Watson 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.