London: Canada’s Bianca Andreescu advanced to the second round of Wimbledon with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over Anna Bondar in her campaign opener, here Thursday.
After a nondescript grass season (2-3, across three events), Andreescu found some rhythm against Bondar. In her fourth appearance at the All England Club, the 23-year-old Canadian advances to the second round for only the second time.
Next up for Andreescu is No.26 Anhelina Kalinina, who defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-3. Kalinina and Andreescu have never played.
In another women’s singles match, Jule Niemeier displayed enormous resilience to upset Karolina Muchova 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 in the first round.
Niemeier, a quarterfinalist here a year ago, forged 19 break points in the match and converted four of them — enough to set up a second-round match with Dalma Galfi, a 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2 winner over Linda Noskova.
The critical moment came when Niemeier finally won her seventh set point to take the opening frame. Muchova, who needed medical attention in the third set, was suffering from a right thigh injury.
IANS