Sharapova out, Gavrilova through to second round of Kremlin Cup

18 October 2017 - 12:28 By Reuters
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Russia's Maria Sharapova (R) shakes hands with Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova after losing their women's singles first round tennis match at the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow on October 17, 2017.
Russia's Maria Sharapova (R) shakes hands with Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova after losing their women's singles first round tennis match at the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow on October 17, 2017.
Image: Yuri KADOBNOV / AFP

Maria Sharapova was swept away in the first round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Tuesday by Magdalena Rybarikova, while sixth-seeded Daria Gavrilova beat Kristyna Pliskova to make it to the round of 16.

Slovakian Rybarikova spoiled Sharapova's first appearance at the Kremlin Cup in a decade, winning 7-6(3) 6-4 in just under two hours to set up a second-round meeting with France's Alize Cornet.

Later on Tuesday Australia's Gavrilova beat Pliskova in three sets and will face Belarusian qualifier Vera Lapko in the second round.

Seventh-seeded Julia Goerges, of Germany, currently 27th in the WTA rankings, beat Russian qualifier Polina Monova in straight sets and will face Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva in the second round.

Twenty-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina also upset compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, seeded fifth, beating her 7-6, 6-1.

Kasatkina, who served up four aces in Tuesday's match, will face Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, in the second round.

Russia's Natalia Vikhlyantseva and Irina-Camelia Begu, of Romania, also move on to the second round after wins on Tuesday. 


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