Hobart, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) – Great Britain’s Heather Watson
continued her dominance of Sloane Stephens on Tuesday with a straight-set
victory in the second round of the Hobart International.
Watson rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph for her fourth win in as many tries
against the fifth-seeded American. The other three matches went three sets,
but it was no contest on Tuesday as Watson made it a rout by winning nine of
10 games after the match was even at 3-3.
Next up for Watson will be ninth-seeded Italian Roberta Vinci, who rallied
Tuesday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Germany’s Annika Beck. Vinci was down a
set and a break before battling back.
Japan’s Kurumi Nara also advanced with a 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 triumph over Swedish
qualifier Johanna Larsson.
Tuesday’s evening match between third-seeded Camila Giorgi of Italy and
Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi was postponed. It was rescheduled for Wednesday with the
remainder of the second-round matches.
The top two seeds will also be in action Wednesday, as top-seeded Casey
Dellacqua of Australia will meet Italy’s Karin Knapp and second-seeded Zarina
Diyas of Kazakhstan will square off against Slovakian wild card Daniela
Hantuchova.
This year’s Hobart titlist will earn $43,000.
