Tennis: Potapowa won the first round in Linz, Jastremska also in the second round

The number five seeded Russian defeated the Italian Sara Errani 6:4,6:3. In the round of 16 she will face Errani’s compatriot Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The sensational semi-finalist of the Australian Open made it into the second round with more effort: Dayana Yastremska defeated Erika Andrejewa 7:6(4),3:6,6:2 in the Ukrainian-Russian duel.

Jastremska, who had played her way from qualifying to the semi-finals in Melbourne after a great run, also stuck to her usual procedure in Linz: She refused to shake her Russian opponent’s hand at the end – like all Ukrainians since the invasion of Russia. This also applies to players from Belarus, whose government supports Russia in their actions.

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“It’s a little easier when you’re away from home”

Before her first assignment in Linz, she answered how the 23-year-old manages to ignore the war. “When you’re away from home it’s a little easier because you don’t feel it that way. Sometimes you can put it aside on the pitch.” But things have gotten a little worse since the beginning of the year. She hears the question again and again, including in Linz, as to why she doesn’t shake hands with her Russian opponents.

“I can invite you all to Ukraine, there you can feel all this and you will understand why we don’t shake hands,” said Yastremska, who comes from Odessa. She also asked which players from Russia or Belarus supported their Ukrainian colleagues. “Maybe not our country, but us? I think it’s only fair not to shake hands. At least I’m at least trying to do something.” Incidentally, she later withdrew a swipe at a player from this circle and asked the media not to spread it.

Jodie Burrage in the quarterfinals

Jastremska’s next opponent is number three seeded Croatian Donna Vekic. She could only meet a Russian again in the semi-finals: Potapova or number two seed Yekaterina Alexandrova are all in her half of the table.

Jodie Burrage is the first player, and surprisingly at that, to reach the quarterfinals. The number 102 in the WTA ranking achieved her fourth victory in the Design Center en suite after successful qualification with a 6:3,7:6(5) over the Romanian lucky loser Jacqueline Cristian. She will have a very difficult time in the next round: On Friday she will face either the top seeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko or the up-and-coming Dane Clara Tauson.