Errani, Schmiedlova advance at Gastein Ladies

There were five breaks of serve in a back-and-forth second set, but again Errani made the crucial break in game nine and took the victory on her second match point.

With the match score 6-1 4-0 in F riedsam’s favour after 42 minutes, the 21-year-old German had to pull out due to ankle problems as Koukalova moved into round two.

Sam Stosur has reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 Nurnberger GasteinLadies. Stosur now has a 5-2 win-loss record against Koukalova.

Stosur was in control throughout her match with Koukalova, who is ranked 100th in the world compared with Stosur’s number 23 ranking. “The tournament is attractive, the scenery around it as well”, Stosur said. “The altitude makes it very different and the ball is flying, which I didn’t have much time to practice and she was playing great – it was not easy to play for me”.

Karin Knapp saved three match points against Tamira Paszek of Austria before sealing a 6-0 6-7 (5) 7-6 (6) win, while Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic rallied to upset the fourth-seeded Carina Witthoeft of Germany 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-4.

Polona Hercog exploited 11 double faults from Lucie Hradecka, topping the fifth-seeded Czech, 6-3, 6-2.

In first-round play, Johanna Larsson of Sweden downed Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-2, 6-2. Beck, on the other hand, anticipates the outcome of the second round match featuring seventh seed Anna Karolina Schmeidlova and Andreea Mitu.