(Reuters) — Unseeded Serena Williams and Czechia’s Karolina Muchova came up short in their opening-round doubles match on Tuesday in the WTA 500 Berlin Tennis Open.
Williams, playing in her second tournament since announcing her comeback, and Muchova fell 6-4, 6-4 to New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos.
Muchova fared better in singles play as the No. 7 seed breezed past China’s Shuai Zhang 6-1, 6-3. Sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine led Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 4-1 when Kalinskaya retired. Czech No. 8 seed Linda Noskova handled Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-4.
Madison Keys, France’s Diane Parry, Spain’s Paula Badosa, Czechia’s Katerina Siniakova and Germany’s Eva Lys also claimed first-round wins in straight sets.
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Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez knocked out No. 2 seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada with a 6-4, 7-6 (1) triumph in the first round in the United Kingdom. Sonmez had to win two qualifying matches just to get into the tournament.
Two other seeded players suffered first-round defeats. No. 8 McCartney Kessler dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to fellow American Katie Volynets while No. 11 Sara Bejlek fell 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 to Karolina Pliskova in an all-Czech clash.
No. 5 seed Ann Li made it through the Round of 32 with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 verdict over Australia’s Kimberly Birrell. Caty McNally, Great Britain’s Hannah Klugman and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska registered straight-set wins while Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic needed three sets to take down Sofia Kenin.
