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 highly-anticipated 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 defensive-minded Bondarenko, who sent a backhand long on match point to put an end to the marathon match.
Elsewhere, Australian Ajla 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 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams face off against Australian Johanna Konta in their first-round duel in San Jose. — Reuters
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