WTA roundup: Nikola Bartunkova bounces 3rd-seeded Anna Blinkova in Ostrava

Field Level Media|published: Mon 2nd February, 19:36 2026

Aug 27, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Anna Blinkova of Russia in action against Jessica Pegula of the United States in the second round of the womenís singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Local competitor Nikola Bartunkova delivered a pleasant surprise to the fans in attendance when she knocked off No. 3 seed Anna Blinkova of Russia 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round of the Ostrava Open in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Monday.

In a closely contested match, Bartunkova broke serve up 5-4 in each set to come away with the upset. Linda Fruhvirtova also won in her home country Monday, beating Germany's Mona Barthel 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Her older sister, Brenda Fruhvirtova, was not so lucky, falling 6-1, 6-1 to French qualifier Fiona Ferro. Another Czech competitor, Anna Siskova, also lost her opening-round match, 6-4, 6-4, to Germany's Tamara Korpatsch. American Alycia Parks defeated Austria's Julia Grabher 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Transylvania Open

Top-seeded Emma Raducanu started her tournament with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Belgium's Greet Minnen on the indoor hard courts in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The British competitor needed only 70 minutes to advance, facing no break points while converting four of the seven break opportunities she created. No. 3 seed Solana Cirstea also began her run in the home-country tournament with a straight-sets win, 6-4, 6-4, over Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan.

In the only three-set match of the day, Russia's Anastasia Zakharova came back to beat wild-card competitor Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan, was defeated in straight sets by Poland's Maja Chwalinska, 6-3, 6-2.

Abu Dhabi Open

Lucky-loser Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus pulled off a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 upset of eighth-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa in opening-round action on the outdoor hard courts in the United Arab Emirates.

That was hardly the only drama of the day, as No. 7 seed Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia saved a pair of match points and survived being broken six times in a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia in one of four three-set matches.

Indonesia's Janice Tjen defeated Australia's Maya Joint 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-3, and Simona Waltert of Switzerland outlasted Australia's Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4.

--Field Level Media