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Kerber overcomes slow start for WTA win at Linz

Angelique Kerber, shown at the 2013 French Open, didn't win a game in the first set but still managed to win her first-round match Wednesday at the Generali Ladies Linz WTA tournament n Austria. UPI/David Silpa
Angelique Kerber, shown at the 2013 French Open, didn't win a game in the first set but still managed to win her first-round match Wednesday at the Generali Ladies Linz WTA tournament n Austria. UPI/David Silpa | License Photo

LINZ, Austria, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Top-seed Angelique Kerber rebounded from a first-set shutout in claiming a first-round win Wednesday at the Generali Ladies Linz WTA tournament in Austria.

Kerber won just 10 points in losing the first set before finding her game for a 0-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Monica Niculescu. After winning 29 percent of the points in the first set, Kerber won 63 percent of the second and third sets.

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She didn't managed a break chance in the first set but ended up converting four of her seven opportunities the rest of the way.

No. 3-seeded Ana Ivanovic handed a 6-3, 7-5 defeat to Francesca Schiavone in a second-round match. Ivanovic won more points (33-32) than Schiavone did when Schiavone served and finished with five breaks, including three in the second set. Ivanovic is 5-0 versus Schiavone.

Fourth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro won two-thirds of the points on serve in a 6-1, 6-4 win over Elina Svitolina and No. 5-seeded Kirsten Flipkens had five breaks in a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Camila Giorgi. Suarez Navarro and Flipkens are paired against each other in the quarterfinals.

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In addition to the Kerber-Niculescu result, the other first-round matches Wednesday saw Karin Knapp defeat eighth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) and Alexandra Cadantu get by Melanie Klaffner 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

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