LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Sixth-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy reached the second round of the Luxembourg Open with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Tereza Smitkova of the Czech Republic on Monday.
Struggling with her first serve, the 2010 champion was broken twice but converted six of 11 break points against her 84th-ranked opponent.
Vinci was joined in the next round by eighth-seeded Monica Niculescu of Romania, who defeated Germany’s Antonia Lottner 6-2, 6-2.
Top-seeded Andrea Petkovic is headlining the field at the $250,000 hard court tournament.
The three seeded players in action on Monday all advanced as No. 4 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova won 6-4, 6-3 against Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain.
Germany’s Mona Barthel and Jana Cepelova of Slovakia also won in straight sets while Italian Karin Knapp retired after just five games of her match against Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria.
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