Stosur qualifies for Eastbourne
Two wins in the qualifying rounds of Eastbourne propel Sam Stosur into the main draw, where she joins Ash Barty, Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Gavrilova.
Eastbourne, UK, 23 June 2019 | tennis.com.au
Sam Stosur posted two commanding qualifying victories on Saturday to take her place in the main draw of the Nature Valley International at Eastbourne.
A day after dismissing Polish teenager Iga Swiatek for the loss of just three games, Stosur beat another Pole, Magda Linette, 6-4 6-4 to advance to the main draw.
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There she has been drawn to play Sofia Kenin, who on Sunday will feature in the Mallorca Open final against Belinda Bencic.
The winner of Stosur-Kenin will play No.4 seed Angelique Kerber, who receives a first-round bye.
Stosur joins Ash Barty, Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Gavrilova in the main draw of the WTA Premier-level event.
Birmingham finalist Barty is the top seed, and like Kerber receives a first-round bye. Either Evgeniya Rodina or Ons Jabeur will be her second-round opponent.
Tomljanovic takes on Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round, while Gavrilova took her place in the draw as a lucky loser after falling to France’s Fiona Ferro 6-3 6-o in the final round of qualifying on Saturday.
Gavrilova faces ninth seed Anastasija Sevastova in the first round.
In the men’s qualifying draw at Eastbourne, Max Purcell pushed former world No.31 Andrey Rublev all the way in a 7-5 6-7(1) 6-3 loss on Saturday.
The only Australian in the main draw is John Millman, who comes up against No.5 seed Fernando Verdasco in his first match.
More Aussies can be found in the main draw in Antalya, Turkey.
The in-form Jordan Thompson is the third seed and receives a bye into the second round, where he will take on either Bradley Klahn or a qualifier.
Matt Ebden is also in the field – the West Australian veteran takes on fifth seed Damir Dzumhur in round one – as is Bernard Tomic, who has drawn No.7 seed Andreas Seppi.
Luke Saville fell 6-3 6-4 to Portugal’s Goncalo Oliveira in the first round of the qualifying event on Saturday.