MOSCOW — Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh ousted sixth-seeded Barbora Strycova in the first round of the Kremlin Cup Tuesday, winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
The 18-year-old Konjuh will now face either Latvia›s Anastasija Sevastova or Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova in the second round.
Earlier, former top-ranked Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Latvia›s Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-3 in a match featuring 15 breaks of serve.
«It was very difficult for me to hold my serve because my opponent was returning very well and she was at times making so many great winners,» Jankovic said.
Australia›s Daria Gavrilova reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Lucie Safarova.
With Serena Williams› decision to withdraw from next week›s WTA Finals, the final spot in the year-end tournament will be decided here.
Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain each know that winning the Kremlin Cup will guarantee a place at the eight-player Finals in Singapore.
If neither Kuznetsova nor Suarez Navarro wins, the final spot stays with Britain›s Johanna Konta, who isn›t playing this week as she tries to shake off an abdominal strain.
On Monday, Daria Kasatkina of Russia powered into the second round of the Kremlin Cup, beating Switzerland›s Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-1.
Ninth-seeded Timea Babos of Hungary won her first-round match against 2014 Kremlin Cup finalist Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5.
In the men›s draw, Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci beat Turkey›s Cem Ilkel 7-5, 6-1, while Czech Lukas Rosol beat Austria›s Gerald Melzer 7-5, 6-2.
Early exit for Johnson, Baghdatis
In Stockholm, Radu Albot of Moldova upset fifth-seeded Steve Johnson in straight sets in the first round of the Stockholm Monday.
Albot held his serve throughout the match to defeat the American 6-3, 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis also got an early exit as South Africa›s Kevin Anderson beat the Cypriot in three sets, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In other first-round action, Adrian Mannarino of France beat Donald Young of the United States 7-5, 6-4, and American Ryan Harrison defeated Adam Pavlasek of Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5.
Top-seeded Gael Monfils and second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov enter the tournament later in the week. — Agencies
