CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Third-seeded Maria Sakkari won her second-round match at the Charleston Open on Tuesday, beating Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-3.
Miami Open champion Danielle Collins and Sloane Stephens won first-round matches. Collins, who has said this season would be her last because she’s suffering from endometriosis, an ailment that affects the uterus, beat Paula Badosa 6-1, 6-4 at the clay-court tournament.
“I’d rather like to go out with a bang, you know, than the other way," Collins said. "I know everybody has a different way of ending their professional career, and for me I want to go out playing my best tennis.”
Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, defeated Magdalena Frech 6-0, 6-2.
“It's more athletic. It's more running, more sliding, just a lot more adversity I feel like, but in a good way,” said Stephens, who said clay was her favourite surface. “When you think the point is over, it's never over.”
Other early winners Tuesday included Taylor Townsend, Astra Sharma, Caroline Dolehide, Ashlyn Krueger and Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Top-seeded Jessica Pegula lost the opening set against Amanda Anisimova in an evening match.
