Hobart, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) – Fifth-seeded American Sloane Stephens
moved into the second round at the Hobart International with a two-set victory
over Romanian Monica Niculescu Sunday.
Stephens took advantage of six double faults from her opponent and scored a
6-4, 6-2 victory in 67 minutes in this Australian Open tune-up.
Sixth-seeded Czech Klara Koukalova was ousted by Japan’s Kurumi Nara,
0-6, 6-2, 6-1.
One other first-round result Sunday saw Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi upend Monica
Puig of Puerto Rico, 6-4, 6-1.
Australian Casey Dellacqua is the top seed, followed by Kazakhstan’s Zarina
Diyas.
