Tuesday at the Topshelf Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch saw the top seeds start their campaign for the trophy and for several of them, the quest for the title ended shortly after it began.
The first prominent victim of the day was Dominika Cibulkova, as the Australian Open finalist got upset by Yaroslava Shvedova. After losing the first set, the Slovakian rallied back to force a second set, but Shvedova prevailed to seal the first surprise of the day.
Next up was Eugenie Bouchard, and unlike Cibulkova, the Canadian had a smooth start into her match, winning the first set against Vania King. Shortly after, the day turned sour for the young WTA superstar though, as King picked up her game, sending Bouchard packing, much to the chagrin of her many fans on site.
One of the few top players to live up to their seeding was Simona Halep, as the 2013 Topshelf Open champion got past Olga Govortsova in straight sets, backing up her Roland Garros final with a smooth transition to grass.
Following the example of the #1 seed was Carla Suarez Navarro, the third-placed Spaniard got past Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova in two sets, as the Czech was her usual fired-up self, engaging in several heated discussions with umpire Kader Nouni.
Perhaps the most epic match of the day was saved for last, as Andrea Pektovic’s thrilling 2-hour battle against Magdalena Rybarikova kept the fans on the edge of their seats. The three-set match was filled with momentum swings, stunning rallies and several controversial line calls in deciding moments of the match.
In the end, Rybarikova kept her cool as Petkovic was rattled by some of the umpire’s decisions and when all was said and done, the two players showed what excellent sportsmanship looks like by sharing a friendly embrace at the net.
Which surprises will Wednesday at the Topshelf Open have in store? Find out by checking back for more of our exclusive coverage from ‘s-Hertogenbosch!
