The battle for the last twelve places in the women’s main draw at the Mutua Madrid Open started on Monday in the Caja Mágica. At an event that now includes as many as 96 players in the fight for the title, qualifying for the WTA 1000 in the Spanish capital has kicked off with some great tennis to entertain the fans.
Nuria Párrizas led the home players with her win over the Greek Despina Papamichail. In one hour and 42 minutes, the Spaniard dispatched her opponent in two sets, coming through a tiebreak in the first of them (7-6[2], 6-2). The third seed in qualies will now face German player Tamara Korpatsch (6-1, 6-4 vs. Elina Avanesyan).
Another tie that drew a big crowd was a clash between two players who already know what it is to go deep into the MMOPEN. Sara Errani, a semi-finalist in 2013, saw off 2017 finalist Kristina Mladenovic. The Italian defeated the French player 6-1, 7-6[7] and will now play Briton Jodie Burrage (6-3, 6-1 over Spaniard Rosa Vicens) for a place in the main draw.
Of the other home players, only Aliona Bolsova and Irene Burillo progressed. Current World No.130 defeat French eighteenth seed Diane Parry 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 and will face Magladena Frech from Poland (2-6, 6-3, 7-5 vs. Olga Danilovic). The 25-year-old Spaniard, who is playing in Madrid on a wildcard, beat Czech tenth seed Tereza Martincova 7-6[3], 6-4 and will meet Colombian wildcard Emiliana Arango (6-7[5], 7-6[6], 6-3 over Erika Andreeva).
The remaining members of the Armada were less fortunate. Leyre Romero and Jessica Bouzas both put up a strong fight against Bulgarian first seed Viktoriya Tornova (4-6, 6-2, 6-2) and French player Leolia Jeanjean (4-6, 6-3, 6-4), respectively. Sara Sorribes was unable to get past Canadian player Eugenie Bouchard (6-1, 6-4), while Ángela Fita (6-4, 6-2 vs. Kamilla Rakhimova), Andrea Lázaro (6-2, 6-4 vs. Taylor Townsend) and Carlota Martínez (7-6[1], 6-2 vs. Arantxa Rus) also fell at the first fence.
Qualy 1 results
[2] J. Grabher (AUT) d. A. Konjuh (CRO) 64 76[4]
[4] M. Vondrousova (CZE) d. M. Bjorklund (SWE) 63 61
E. Ruse (ROM) d. [6] Y. Bonaventure (BEL) 36 63 61
[7] A. Friedsam (GER) d. M. Uchijima (JAP) 76[1] 61
[9] A. Schmiedlova (SVK) d. L. Pigossi (BRA) 62 64
E. Mandiik (USA) d. [11] O. Dodin (FRA) 61 61
[14] L. Siegemund (GER) d. V. Hruncakova (SVK) 63 62
[19] C. Burel (FRA) d. K. Kucova (SVK) 62 75
D. Yastremska (UKR) d. [20] E. Lys (GER) 51 ret.
[21] K. Birrell (AUS) d. R. Jani (HUN) 60 61
