Linz Open: Elise Mertens, Nadia Podoroska progress through to the second round in Austria

ByEurosport

Updated 11/11/2020 at 20:36 GMT

Number two seed Elise Mertens knocked out qualifier Anhelina Kalinina 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the second round of the Linz Open on Wednesday. There were also victories for Nadia Podoroska, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Oceane Dodin, Barbora Krejcikova and Veronika Kudermetova at the WTA tournament in Austria.

Elise Mertens

Image credit: Getty Images

Number two seed Elise Mertens knocked out qualifier Anhelina Kalinina 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the second round of the Linz Open on Wednesday.

Mertens, who reached the quarter-finals of the US Open for a second year in a row, lost the opening set in 43 minutes before Mertens raced to level up, saving a break point late on.

The Belgian then broke the 23-year-old in the fifth game of the third set at the third time of asking before breaking again to go 5-2 up. She won the match with the first of her three match points with an ace.

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She will meet former world number two Vera Zvonareva in the second round, who beat teenager Marta Kostyuk in straight sets on Tuesday.

Number six seed and shock 2020 French Open semi-finalist Nadia Podoroska beat Irina-Camelia Begu in straight sets, breaking four times to win it 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 45 minutes.