WTA roundup: Daria Kasatkina beats Liudmila Samsonova at Strasbourg

May 18 - Daria Kasatkina of Australia served four aces and saved 9 of 12 break points while recording a 7-5, 6-3 ​victory over sixth-seeded Liudmila Samsonova in the first ‌round of the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France. Kasatkina also converted 5 of 7 break points and will play American Peyton Stearns on ​Tuesday. No. 8 seed Marie Bouzkova posted a 7-6 (3), ​6-3 win over Katerina Siniakova in an all-Czech ⁠battle. Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova rallied for a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory ​over Alexandra Eala of the Philippines. Romania's Jaqueline Cristian routed ​McCartney Kessler 6-1, 6-1 and Poland's Magdalena Frech beat Australia's Talia Gibson 7-6 (0), 6-3. Lucky loser Diane Parry of France replaces injured Madison Keys (thigh) ​in the draw and will face Emma Raducanu of ​Great Britain on Tuesday. No. 8 seed ‌Alycia ⁠Parks saved 5 of 6 break points while registering a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Japan's Moyuka Uchijima in first-round play at Rabat, Morocco. The American will next face Switzerland's Jil ​Teichmann, who notched ​a 6-4, ⁠7-6 (5) victory over Austria's Julia Grabher. Fifth-seeded Anna Bondar of Hungary advanced after two games ​when Slovenia's Polona Hercog retired with back ​and hip ⁠injuries. No. 6 Petra Marcinko of Croatia beat Russia's Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-4 and No. 7 Panna Udvardy of Hungary cruised ⁠to ​a 6-4, 6-2 win over Belgium's ​Hanne Vandewinkel. Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina ousted Switzerland's Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-4 and France's ​Fiona Ferro defeated Montenegro's Danka Kovinic 6-2, 6-3. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab