The main draw started this Monday afternoon at the Pierre Sauvaigo Sports Park in Cagnes-sur-Mer. Sharon Fichman, the defending champion, and Carina Witthoeft, the number one seed, both qualified for the second round. In the qualifiers, Amandine Hesse failed to secure her ticket for the main draw.
Since her victory in Cagnes-sur-Mer in 2014, Sharon Fichman has had a difficult year with a knee operation resulting in a long absence, then a relapse, and several tournaments played without being at 100%. Inevitably, she has dropped in the rankings (206th worldwide) but one should not judge her by her world ranking.
This was the reality experienced by Nigina Abduraimova this Monday, as she was defeated by the Canadian 6-3 6-4. The Brazilian Teliana Pereira and the Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, on the other hand, comfortably secured their qualification for the second round.
Later in the day, the number one seed, Carina Witthoeft, despite her status, faced quality opposition in Nicole Gibbs, the 94th-ranked player in the world. An early break did not prevent her from quickly dropping the first set (2-6). The next set was much more competitive, but ultimately the German won the tough battle before smoothly proceeding in the final set (2-6 6-4 6-2).
Earlier in the day, in the qualifiers’ draw, Amandine Hesse, the last Frenchwoman in the running, failed to qualify for the main draw. After winning the first set 6-4, she was heavily dominated in the next two sets 6-1 and 6-2.
The Tuesday, May 5 program: continuation and end of the first round
The finalist of the 2013 edition, Maryna Zanevska, will make her debut in the 2nd rotation before giving way to Pauline Parmentier. Virginie Razzano and Mathilde Johansson will compete thereafter, with Océane Dodin and then Fiona Ferro closing the day.
Today’s results
1st round of the main draw
Teliana PEREIRA (BRA) beats Tamira PASZEK (AUT): 6-1 6-0
Aliaksandra SASNOVICH (BLR) beats Julia GLUSHKO (ISR): 7-6 6-2
Sharon FICHMAN (CAN) beats Nigina ABDURAIMOVA (UZB): 6-3 6-4
Carina WITTHOEFT (GER) beats Nicole GIBBS (USA): 2-6 6-4 6-2
3rd and final round of qualifiers
Ysaline BONAVENTURE (BEL) beats Beatriz GARCIA VIDAGANY (ESP): 6-3 5-7 6-3
Nadiia KICHENOK (UKR) beats Tamara KORPATSCH (GER): 6-3 4-6 6-2
Olivia ROGOWSKA (AUS) beats Amandine HESSE (FRA): 4-6 6-1 6-0
Renata ZARAZUA (MEX) beats Olga DOROSHINA (RUS): 6-4 4-6 6-2
