San Diego Open: Vekic, Yastremska advance to second round

Croatia’s Donna Vekic and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska were among those moving into the second round of the Cymbiotika San Diego Open on Tuesday.

Donna Vekic of Croatia celebrates. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Croatia’s Donna Vekic and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska were among those moving into the second round of the Cymbiotika San Diego Open on Tuesday.

Vekic, a finalist here in 2022, beat local wildcard Katherine Hui, 7-5, 6-2, in her WTA Tour singles debut. A Santa Fe Christian School graduate now playing on the collegiate level at Stanford, Hui is the reigning US Open girls’ singles titlist.

A first-time major semifinalist last month at the Australian Open, Yastremska had to dig deep in outlasting American Caroline Dolehide, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. The 23-year-old was up a set and a break only to have her opponent force a decider. Yastremska overcame nine double faults in the two-hour, eight-minute matchup.

German veteran Tatjana Maria, 36, advanced when eighth seed Leylah Fernandez retired with a left shoulder injury trailing 0-4 in the second set. It marks the third consecutive year the 21-year-old Canadian, a US Open finalist in 2021, has failed to reach the second round in San Diego.

Czech Katerina Siniakova, a doubles titlist here last year with countrywoman Barbora Krejcikova, beat Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama 6-3, 6-1, in one hour and 13 minutes. Australian wild card Taylah Preston was a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 winner over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.