Daniela Hantuchova came to Tasmania hoping to test her remodelled game ahead of the Australian Open – but she surely didn’t expect such a stern examination on her Hobart International debut against qualifier Richel Hogenkamp in a two-hour, two-tiebreak victory.
The former world No.5, a wildcard entrant at the Domain Tennis Centre, has been trying to come to the net more often since working with Carlos Rodriguez, former mentor to Justine Henin and Li Na.
But Hogenkamp confined the Slovakian to a handful of forays forward with some gritty defensive work, Hantuchova finding no joy in search of a break in the opening set.
Having saved break point at 4-5 Hogenkamp truly earned a tiebreak, which brought the best out of both players. The 22-point epic saw both players handed chances to move out to a one-set lead, but it was Hantuchova who kept her cool when it mattered.
The momentum gradually shifted the 31-year-old’s way but Hogenkamp twice hit back immediately after being broken, the second time with Hantuchova serving for the match. The Dutch world No.137 even opened up a small lead early in the second-set tiebreak but Hatuchova saved her best for last, firing back-to-back winners off both wings as she closed in on a 7-6(10) 7-6(5) victory.
Former champion Mona Barthel found the going every bit as tough against American qualifier Madison Brengle, who sprang the upset with a 6-7(6) 7-5 7-6(2) victory in a match that ended well after midnight local time.
The German, who lifted the title in 2012, arrived in Hobart with her right ankle heavily strapped as her recovery from a torn ligament suffered in pre-season continues.
Brengle did what she could to keep Barthel on the move, but after trading breaks in the first set it took a tiebreak to separate them. Brengle had the set on her racket at 5-6 in the breaker but hooked a backhand wide, and Barthel seized her moment.
The German raced out to a 4-1 lead in the second set but Brengle refused to go quietly, saving a match point at 4-5 to take it into a decider.
Barthel hit the front again but simply couldn’t get the job done, and paid the price for failing to serve out the match four times in total when the American ran away with the tiebreak to seal victory after two hours 43 minutes.
Earlier in the day, Heather Watson surged into a second-round showdown with Sloane Stephens after taking nine of the last 10 games in a 7-5 6-1 win over Magdalena Rybarikova.
Both players gave up multiple breaks in the opening set but Watson tightened up her service game midway through the match to run away with the victory and set up a fourth career meeting with the American No.5 seed, who has never beaten the British No.1.
Ajla Tomljanovic, the Croatian who will represent Australia in Melbourne, traded some huge blows with Karin Knapp early in their first-round encounter, but the Italian proved too consistent over the course as she motored to a 7-5 6-2 win and a second-round showdown with top seed Casey Dellacqua.
Three players retired from singles action during the day session. Saisai Zheng’s troubles with her left thigh resurfaced while leading Johanna Larsson by a set, while Mirjana Lucic-Baroni pulled out of her first-round showdown with Bojana Jovanovski in the opener.
Christina McHale arrived in Hobart nursing a shoulder injury, which halted her all-American tie with Alison Riske after the first set.
No.2 seed Zarina Diyas posted a regulation 6-3 6-4 win over lucky loser Silvia Soler-Espinosa, but Kirsten Flipkens was bounced by Kateryna Kozlova 4-6 6-3 6-4. She will face fellow qualifier Brengle for a place in the quarters.
Annika Beck came close to rivalling Brengle’s efforts. The German edged out Jana Cepelova 6-7(4) 7-5 6-4 to book a showdown with Roberta Vinci in the last 16.