Halep withdraws from Cincinnati, giving Kudermetova a free pass
Veronika Kudermetova benefited from the withdrawal of Simona Halep on Wednesday in Cincinnati. Kudermetova got a free pass to meet Paula Badosa or Ajla Tomljanovic in the round of 16.
Russian Veronika Kudermetova advanced to the last 16 of the Western & Southern Open after Romanian Simona Halep, the No 15 seed, withdrew before the match on Wednesday night at the Linder Tennis Family Center in Cincinnati.
Kudermetova, ranked No 20, will play the winner of the match between Spaniard Paula Badosa, the No 3 seed, and Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic next.
The Russian defeated Czech Barbora Krejcikova (6-3, 6-3) ahead of her victory.
In the previous round of the Cincy Open, Halep, ranked No 6, won against Russian lucky loser Anastasia Potapova (6-4, 3-6, 6-3).
Cincinnati WTA 1000, other second-round matches and results:
- Paula Badosa vs. Ajla Tomljanovic
- Shelby Rogers vs. Amanda Anisimova
- Aryna Sabalenka vs. Anna Kalinskaya
- Madison Keys vs. Jelena Ostapenko
- Iga Swiatek vs. Sloane Stephens
- Elena Rybakina beat Garbine Muguruza (8): 6-3, 6-1
- Emma Raducanu (10) beat Victoria Azarenka: 6-0, 6-2
- Elise Mertens beat Karolina Pliskova (14): 7-6(3), 6-3
- Jessica Pegula (7) beat Marta Kostyuk: 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2
- Marie Bouzkova vs. Alison Riske-Amritraj
- Shuai Zhang beat Ekaterina Alexandrova: 6-3, 6-4
- Ons Jabeur (5) beat Catherine McNally (WC): 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(7)
- Petra Kvitova beat Sorana Cirstea: 6-2, 6-3
- Caroline Garcia (Q) beat Maria Sakkari (4): 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 6-1
- Anett Kontaveit (2) beat Tereza Martincova (Q): 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
