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Katie Boulter Advances at Ningbo Open, Cameron Norrie Returns to Action
British tennis star Katie Boulter showcased a return to form by advancing to the last 16 of the Ningbo Open, securing victory against Italy’s Sara Errani in straight sets. This win comes as Boulter has been grappling with inconsistent performances since the grass-court season.
Despite facing challenges, including a total of seven double faults and a significant rain delay during the match, the 28-year-old Boulter delivered a strong performance against the seasoned Italian. When play resumed with the score tied at 2-2 due to the rain, Boulter quickly gained control, ultimately taking the first set 6-3.
Continuing her momentum, Boulter broke Errani’s serve early in the second set, establishing a 3-0 lead. Although she faced a setback when Errani broke her serve while she was serving for the match at 5-1, Boulter promptly regained focus and secured the win.
Next, Boulter will face Brazilian player Beatriz Haddad Maia in pursuit of a quarter-final spot. Notably, the tournament has seen the withdrawal of two top seeds, French Open and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini, along with American Emma Navarro.
Norrie Faces Tough First Round After Injury Layoff
In other news from the tennis circuit, former British No 1 Cameron Norrie returned to competition after an injury hiatus that had kept him from participating in major events, including the Olympics and the US Open. At the Nordic Open in Stockholm, Norrie faced Serbian player Miomir Kecmanovic but fell short, losing 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.
Meanwhile, fellow Brit Jacob Fearnley advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Corentin Moutet from France. This match marks a significant achievement for Fearnley, who recently broke into the ATP top 100 following impressive performances on the Challenger Tour, which included two titles. His win at the Nordic Open extends his current unbeaten streak to 13 matches and also represents his first victory at the tour level outside of Great Britain.
Dart Triumphs in Osaka
On another front, Harriet Dart made headlines by securing an emotional victory at the Japan Open, overcoming German player Laura Siegemund in a grueling three-hour match. After dropping the first set 3-6, Dart demonstrated resilience, clawing her way back to take the second and third sets, both ending with a score of 7-5. This win also marked the end of a three-match losing streak for Dart.
Next, she will face Denmark’s Clara Tauson, who previously eliminated Dart from the China Open. Additionally, Dan Evans continued his successful campaign, registering a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) win over Taro Daniel at the Almaty Open, reinforcing his bid to return to the top 100.
Upcoming Events in October
The tennis calendar for October looks promising with several tournaments on the horizon:
- Almaty Open, Kazakhstan – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Stockholm Open, Sweden – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- European Open, Antwerp – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Japan Open, Osaka – WTA 250 (October 14-20)
- Ningbo Open, China – WTA 500 (October 14-20)
- Erste Bank Open, Vienna – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Swiss Indoors, Basel – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Guangzhou Open, China – WTA 250 (October 21-27)
- Toray Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo – WTA 500 (October 21-27)
Source
www.skysports.com