Tennis player Jakub Menšík defeated eighth-seeded American Christopher Eubanks 6:3, 3:6, 6:1 in the 1st round of the tournament in Mallorca and is celebrating his first win on grass on the professional circuit.
Menšík took the first set against Eubanks, who is more than 40 places higher in the rankings, thanks to a single break, but the situation turned in the second.
In the deciding set, the Czech dominated thanks to a total of 12 aces, allowed the opponent only one game and ended the match after an hour and a half with a clean game.
The 18-year-old native of Prostějov made his debut on grass two weeks ago in Hertogenbosch, where he was eliminated in the 1st round.
It was then that he returned to the ATP Tour more than a month after withdrawing from the Grand Slam Roland Garros shortly before the start due to hand problems.
The Italian Fabio Fognini awaits him in the next match in Mallorca.
Karolína Muchová also succeeded in returning after an almost ten-month break caused by an injury to her right wrist. On grass in Eastbourne, she advanced to the second round when Russia’s Elina Avanesyan scratched her opening match after 20 minutes at 3-1 in the first set. She had problems with her thigh muscle.
The 27-year-old native of Olomouc played her last duel last September, when in the semi-finals of the US Open she was not enough for the eventual winner, the American Cori Gauffová.
Due to persistent problems, Muchová underwent surgery in February, after which her arm was in a solid splint for six weeks and another two weeks in a shorter one. After the splint was removed, she experienced severe hand fatigue and difficulty moving her fingers.
The former world No. 8 will prepare for Wimbledon after the tournament in Eastbourne, where she will face Poland’s Magda Linette in the next round. He also wants to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris.
On the other hand, Linda Nosková finished. In the 2nd round of the grass tournament in Bad Homburg, she was not enough against Bulgarian Viktorija Tomovova, who lost 4:6, 2:6.
The 19-year-old Czech did not win a single break during the entire match, while she herself lost serve three times.
Defending champion Kateřina Siniaková also played in the second round match, but the match with the second-seeded Lyudmila Samsonova from Russia was interrupted due to darkness. The match will be played at 6:3 and 2:2 for the Czech tennis player.
After an even first set, Nosková did not catch the beginning of the second set and was soon losing 0:4. After that, she improved and had only two break points at 1:4. But she didn’t use them and Tomovová, who is more than 30 places lower in the ranking, converted her third match point after more than an hour.
Four out of five Czech tennis players succeeded in qualifying for Wimbledon in Tuesday’s program. Only Sára Bejlek lost, after a scratch at 4:6, 0:1 against Maddison Inglisová from Australia.
The most experienced Tereza Martincová knocked out the Latvian Darja Semenista 6:4, 6:1. Linda Fruhvirtová turned the match against Australian Priscilla Honová and won 3:6, 7:6, 7:6.
Dominika Šalková beat the American Ann Liova 6:4, 6:3 and Gabriela Knutsonová dealt with the Romanian Irina Baraova 7:6, 6:1.
Men’s tennis tournament in Palma de Mallorca (grass, subsidy 932,135 euros):
Singles – 1st round: Little one (Czech Republic) – Eubanks (8-USA) 6:3, 3:6, 6:1, Walton (Aust.) – Hanfmann (German) 7:5, 6:2, Jubb (Brit.) – Marterer (German .) 6:1, 6:2.
Women’s tennis tournament in Bad Homburg (grass, subsidy 802,237 euros):
Singles – 2nd round: Tomovová (Bulgaria) – Noskova (Czech Republic) 6:4, 6:2.
Eastbourne Women’s Tennis Tournament (grass, €859,704 subsidy):
Singles – 1st round: Muchova (Czech Republic) – Avanesjanová (Russia) 3:1 scratch, Mertensová (Belgium) – Miyazakiová (Britain) 6:1, 6:2, Kruegerová (USA) – Golubicová (Switzerland) 6:1, 6:7 (7:9), 7:5, Raducanu (Britain) – Stephens (USA) 6:4, 6:0, Boulter (Britain) – Martičová (Croatia) 6:1, 7:6 (10:8 ), Kasatkinova (6-Russia) – Wang Sin-yü (China) 6:4, 6:2.
Doubles – 1st round: KrejčíkováSiegemundová (2-CZ/Germany) – Fernandezová, Šibaharaová (Can./Japan) 6:4, 6:3, Bucsaová, Ninomijaová (Spain/Japan) – BouzkovaLinetteová (CZ/Pol.) 6:4, 6:4.
Qualification for tennis Wimbledon in London (grass):
Women – Round 1: Martincová (CZ) – Seeded (12-Lot.) 6:4, 6:1, L. Fruhvirtová (28-CR) – Honová (Aust.) 3:6, 7:6 (7:1), 7:6 (10:7), Šalkova (CZ) – Liová (USA) 6:4, 6:3, Knutson (Czech Republic) – Baraová (Romania) 7:6 (8:6), 6:1, Inglisová (Austria) – I’m in (22-CR) 6:4, 1:0 stretch.
