Pliskova, Konta Open with wins, Venus Williams and Dart Lose in Doubles in Birmingham

(June 17, 2019) Venus Williams made her return to doubles on Monday at the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham, not with sister Serena, but with British 22-year-old Harriet Dart. The pairing was short-lived as the wild card team lost to Abigail Spears and Nadiia Kichenkok 4-6, 7-6(3), 10-7. “I was a little bit nervous but it was such an amazing experience and something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” said Dart. “It’s great to learn from someone like her; she’s just an incredible champion.”

British No.1 Johanna Konta advanced to the second round of the LTA summer grass court event.

“I wouldn’t say like I’m fully adapted by any means,” said Konta, who beat Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-2. “But I think that will come with time and come with matches, but it’s a step in the right direction. It was nice to get some court time on the grass because the girls that maybe have had more time maybe haven’t played as much on the grass because the weather hasn’t been too kind so the fact to be able to play on the grass and play a match, I’m just really happy with that.”

Konta, from Eastbourne, plays her next match on Wednesday against either former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko or Polish qualifier Iga Swiatek and comes to the grass court season on the back of her best ever clay-court season.

She was joined in the second round by World No.3 Karolina Pliskova, who proved too strong for Mihaela Buznarescu.

For the first time in the 38-year history of the Nature Valley Classic, the top three players in the world are competing, with top two seeds Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty battling for the World No.1 ranking. Osaka, who won last year’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open, currently holds the top ranking but needs a strong showing this week in Birmingham to hold off the challenge from Barty.

Both women take to the grass courts on Tuesday, with Osaka playing talented Greek Maria Sakkari before Barty takes on Donna Vekic. Vekic will present a significant challenge, having shown her grass court prowess with her run to last week’s Nature Valley Open in Nottingham. Venus Williams also begins her singles campaign. The seven-time Grand Slam champion plays Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round on Tuesday.

Guernsey’s Heather Watson was outlasted 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 despite putting up a determined challenge against the experienced Czech. “I thought I did a lot well today on the court. I thought particularly at the net. I won almost all the points where I came to the net,” said Watson. I mean, my chances were small, but she played very well and I am happy with my level. I’ve never really done well here in Birmingham in the past. I don’t know why because I feel like I play well. But going into Eastbourne next week I feel very positive.”

NATURE VALLEY CLASSIC – BIRMINGHAM – BIRMINGHAM, GBR
$1,006,263
JUNE 17 – 23, 2019

RESULTS – JUNE 17, 2019
Women’s
Singles – First Round
[3] [WC] Ka. Pliskova (CZE) d M. Buzarnescu (ROU) 63 64
M. Gasparyan (RUS) d [4] E. Svitolina (UKR) 63 36 64
S. Hsieh (TPE) d [5] A. Sabalenka (BLR) 63 26 76(1)
[7] J. Konta (GBR) d A. Kontaveit (EST) 64 62
E. Rodina (RUS) d K. Mladenovic (FRA) 62 26 64
B. Strycova (CZE) d [WC] H. Watson (GBR) 36 63 64

Women’s
Doubles – First Round
Q. Wang (CHN) / D. Yastremska (UKR) d [1] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / Y. Xu (CHN) 64 76(4)
A. Barty (AUS) / J. Goerges (GER) d K. Christian (USA) / D. Jakupovic (SLO) 63 64
N. Kichenok (UKR) / A. Spears (USA) d [WC] H. Dart (GBR) / V. Williams (USA) 46 76(3) 10-7
J. Ostapenko (LAT) / G. Voskoboeva (KAZ) d [WC] S. Grey (GBR) / E. Silva (GBR) 60 67(3) 10-8

Women’s
Qualifying Singles – Third Round
Qualifying – [1] I. Swiatek (POL) d [5] B. Pera (USA) 26 76(6) 64
Qualifying – [6] L. Davis (USA) d [4] A. Sharma (AUS) 62 61
Qualifying – V. Tomova (BUL) d A. Kalinskaya (RUS) 64 62
Qualifying – Kr. Pliskova (CZE) d M. Bouzkova (CZE) 46 64 62

ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019
ANN JONES CENTRE COURT start 11:15 am
50th Anniversary Celebration Ann Jones Wimbledon Victory

Not Before 11:30 am
D. Yastremska (UKR) vs [8] J. Goerges (GER) 
[1] N. Osaka (JPN) vs M. Sakkari (GRE) 
[WC] V. Williams (USA) vs A. Sasnovich (BLR) 
D. Vekic (CRO) vs [2] A. Barty (AUS) 

COURT 1 start 11:30 am
E. Alexandrova (RUS) vs P. Martic (CRO) 
J. Ostapenko (LAT) vs [Q] I. Swiatek (POL) 
[WC] H. Dart (GBR) vs Y. Putintseva (KAZ) 
[6] Q. Wang (CHN) vs [Q] L. Davis (USA) 
J. Brady (USA) vs L. Tsurenko (UKR) 

COURT 2 start 11:30 am
D. Jurak (CRO) / K. Srebotnik (SLO) vs [2] S. Hsieh (TPE) / B. Strycova (CZE) 
[Q] Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs [Q] V. Tomova (BUL) 
M. Buzarnescu (ROU) / H. Watson (GBR) vs R. Atawo (USA) / L. Kichenok (UKR) 
A. Rosolska (POL) / Z. Yang (CHN) vs [3] N. Melichar (USA) / K. Peschke (CZE) 
[4] A. Groenefeld (GER) / D. Schuurs (NED) vs H. Chan (TPE) / L. Chan (TPE)

Mallorca Open
June 17-23, 2019
Mallorca, Spain
$250,000

RESULTS – JUNE 17, 2019

Singles – First Round
[3] B. Bencic (SUI) d R. Peterson (SWE) 75 64
[4] E. Mertens (BEL) d [WC] A. Petkovic (GER) 62 62
[7] S. Kenin (USA) d K. Flipkens (BEL) 62 63
A. Van Uytvanck (BEL) d [8] K. Siniakova (CZE) 62 36 63
Y. Wang (CHN) d A. Friedsam (GER) 75 63
A. Tomljanovic (AUS) d M. Puig (PUR) 64 75

Qualifying Singles – Second Round
Qualifying – [1] S. Sorribes Tormo (ESP) d J. Larsson (SWE) 61 60
Qualifying – T. Martincova (CZE) d [4] [WC] A. Bolsova (ESP) 67(7) 64 63
Qualifying – [8] Y. Bonaventure (BEL) d [5] J. Teichmann (SUI) 63 63
Qualifying – S. Rogers (USA) d [6] F. Ferro (FRA) 16 76(1) 63
Qualifying – [9] K. Juvan (SLO) d [WC] S. Lisicki (GER) 57 64 64
Qualifying – [10] V. Lepchenko (USA) d [Alt] K. Nara (JPN) 64 26 60

ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019
PISTA CENTRAL start 11:00 am
[Q] V. Lepchenko (USA) vs [2] A. Sevastova (LAT)

Not Before 2:00 pm
V. Azarenka (BLR) vs [6] C. Garcia (FRA)

Not Before 4:30 pm
V. Kuzmova (SVK) vs [WC] M. Sharapova (RUS)

Not Before 6:30 pm
[1] A. Kerber (GER) vs [Q] Y. Bonaventure (BEL)

PISTA 1 start 11:00 am
S. Zheng (CHN) vs [WC] S. Stosur (AUS)
[Q] T. Martincova (CZE) vs [5] A. Anisimova (USA)

Not Before 2:00 pm
[WC] P. Badosa (ESP) vs A. Riske (USA)
A. Cornet (FRA) vs [Q] S. Sorribes Tormo (ESP)

PISTA 2 start 11:00 am
[Q] K. Juvan (SLO) vs O. Jabeur (TUN)
[Q] S. Rogers (USA) vs S. Zhang (CHN)

Not Before 2:00 pm
[WC] A. Bolsova (ESP) / Y. Wang (CHN) vs [4] S. Aoyama (JPN) / A. Krunic (SRB)
[PR] L. Marozava (BLR) / S. Sanders (AUS) vs M. Adamczak (AUS) / O. Kalashnikova (GEO)
M. Ninomiya (JPN) / R. Voracova (CZE) vs D. Krawczyk (USA) / G. Olmos (MEX)