Fifth-seed Veronika Kudermetova is through to the second round of the Hobart International after defeating wildcard and fan favourite Sam Stosur on Monday evening.
The world No.42 took just over an hour to claim her maiden main draw victory in Hobart, taking the match 6-2 6-2.
The 22-year old’s strong first serve was a defining factor in the outcome, along with her powerful, accurate groundstrokes.
“I’m really happy to win,” Kudermetova said.
“I tried to focus on my game and not make too many mistakes.”
“When you’re winning games you feel more confident, and I’m feeling confident after this match.”
Stosur paid tribute to her opponent post-match, highlighting Kudermetova’s accuracy despite the wind.
“They were very tough conditions out there, and she was able to hit through the court a lot better than me,” the Australian said.
“She just hit the ball bigger.”
The former No.4 and 2011 U.S. Open winner took the time to reflect on her time in Hobart, where she made her maiden main draw appearance as a teenager in 2004.
“For me at the moment, it’s all about really trying to enjoy my tennis,” Stosur said.
“When I’m out there I have that opportunity and I enjoy playing in front of crowds like that. That’s the main focus for me.”
In the final evening match, Kristyna Pliskova defeated a resilient Nina Stojanovic after conceding the opening set, rallying to claim a 1-6 6-4 6-3 win to see her through to the second round.
There were 45 aces served up today, taking the tournament total to 85.
With $100 for every ace being donated to the #Aces4BushfireRelief campaign this summer, it takes our contribution to $8,500.
Tickets for the Hobart International are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
Prices start from $20 for adults and entry is free for children with a paying adult across the entire event, including finals.