Venus Williams crashes out of Istanbul Cup

Sport360 staff 08:56 23/07/2015
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Down and out: Venus.

    Top seed Venus Williams was dumped out in the first round of the Istanbul Cup as the seven-time grand slam champion lost 6-4 7-6 (7/4) to Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko.

    Bondarenko had to come through qualifying to reach the main draw but the world No 119 was too good for Williams, particularly in the first set, which she won after breaking serve three times.

    Williams looked on course for a comeback when the American won four games in a row to lead the second set 6-5 but Bondarenko dug deep to hold on and seal the match in a tie-break.

    “I’m really sad,” Williams told wtatennis.com. “I came here to play and to win but I ran into an opponent that was just too hot today.”

    – Wimbledon: ‘Hall of Shame’ gaffe fans Australia tensions with Tomic
    – Video: Tearful Murray defeats Simon to send GBR into Davis Cup semis
    – Tennis: Muguruza motivated for future in spite of Wimbledon final defeat

    Williams’ defeat was not the only upset of the day as number three seed Jelena Jankovic also went out, losing to Urszula Radwanska 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

    Among those safely through to round two were France’s Alize Cornet, Italy’s Camila Giorgi, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens.

    Meanwhile, top seed Sara Errani made a winning start to her Nurnberger Gastein Ladies campaign with a straight-sets victory over Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The Italian won 6-4, 6-4 and will next face Ukrainian qualifier Maryna Zanevska.

    Anna Karolina Schmiedlova was also a first-round winner as she beat Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 3-6 6-2 6-0 while Johanna Larsson progressed thanks to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Stefanie Voegele.

    Second seed Samantha Stosur was in second-round action and she is through to the quarter-finals after a thumping 6-1, 6-0 win against Klara Koukalova. The Australian will next face Danka Kovinic who was a 6-3, 6-1 victor over Richel Hogenkamp. 

    Also through to the last eight are Polona Hercog, who beat fifth seed Lucie Hradecka 6-3, 6-2, and Annika Beck, a 6-2, 6-3 winner against Denisa Allertova.

    Recommended