Errani sees off struggling Bouchard in Charleston

Former world No.5 Sara Errani moved through to the second round of the WTA claycourt tournament in Charleston with a straight-sets win over the slumping Eugenie Bouchard.

Later on Tuesday, defending champion Daria Kasatkina survived a three-set scare against Christina McHale before advancing to the third round.

Errani beat Bouchard – also a former No.5 – 6-4 6-4 to set up a second-round meeting with 15th seed Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania.

The Italian, a wildcard into the main draw, is currently ranked 95th as she continues to make her way back up the rankings following a two-month doping suspension incurred in August last year.

What a way to finish, @SaraErrani!

Defeats Bouchard 6-4, 6-4 #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/nPd5kMRiT7

— WTA (@WTA) April 3, 2018

The 2012 Roland Garros finalist began the season ranked No.132 and has been forced to battle through the qualifying rounds at WTA events, and also compete on the lower-tier 125K circuit, where she won a title at Indian Wells in late February.

Bouchard, a Wimbledon finalist in 2014, has slipped outside the top 100; at No.116, the Canadian was the last player directly accepted into the Charleston draw.

Despite receiving a number of wildcards at tournaments around the world, she has won just three tour-level main-draw matches in 2018 and admitted she would be targeting smaller events in a bid to rediscover form and confidence.

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“I just think more matches will help me out,” Bouchard said.

“It’s tough training for two weeks, playing a match, losing, training for two weeks, playing a match, losing. It’s a tough cycle, because then you just feel more nervous and feel extra pressure for that match, especially when you’re on centre court and it’s a big tournament and maybe you got a wildcard.

“I want to play some smaller tournaments and just get matches when no one’s there, no one cares, and just grind, just to get the rhythm back.”

Kasatkina picks up where she left off

Twelve months ago, Kasatkina broke through for her first WTA title in Charleston with a win in the final over Jelena Ostapenko, who would go on to win the French Open.

At times it looked as if her title defence would end at the first hurdle when she fell behind 2-0 in the third set against McHale.

But the young Russian, ranked 12th and seeded at No.3, powered through the final six games to record a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win.

.@DKasatkina battles into @VolvoCarOpen third round!

Defending champion escapes McHale, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2! #VolvoCarOpen pic.twitter.com/Xc2rUgtxxf

— WTA (@WTA) April 4, 2018

She next faces 13th seed Irina-Camelia Begu or American qualifier Claire Liu.

In other results, No.1 seed Caroline Garcia moved through to round three with a straight-sets win over Varvara Lepchenko.

Other seeds progressing to the second round were No.9 Ash Barty – a 6-3 6-2 winner over American teen Sofia Kenin – and Elena Vesnina, the 16th seed and a Charleston finalist in both 2011 and 2016, who triumphed in three sets over Madison Brengle.