Top seed Kiki Bertens has made the perfect start to her Hobart International campaign, recording a convincing 6-1 6-2 victory over German Annika Beck in the feature match of the tournament’s first night session.
Bertens needed only 68 minutes to advance to the second round, hitting five aces and winning an impressive 85 per cent of points on her first serve.
“I’m really happy with this win, it’s my first singles win of this year,” Bertens said.
“In the beginning I was a little bit nervous because I really wanted this win… but I think after three games I felt the ball good. I was just going to play some rallies and get more aggressive from there, that was the game plan for today and I think I did that really well, especially in that second set.”
The world No.22, who made the French Open semifinals in a career-best 2016 season, is competing as the top seed at a WTA tournament for the first time in her career.
“Of course it is like a little bit more pressure, it’s the first time I’m first seeded, but I don’t try to see it that way,” the 25-year-old said.
“I think every match is a tough one, so you have to be ready before every game.”
Bertens has a proven record at the Domain Tennis Centre, where she won her first WTA doubles title in 2015 and reached the singles quarterfinals last year, which kick-started her breakthrough season.
“I have great memories and hopefully I can go a little further this year,” she said.
The Dutchwoman faces Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva in the second round.