Darya Astakhova vs Magda Linette — R32 — Korea Open

Darya Astakhova saved two match points and beat seventh seed Magda Linette on the opening day of the Korea Open, the WTA 250 in Seoul. A qualifier ranked WTA No. 200, Astakhova lost the first set 6-3 and needed two hours and 40 minutes to come through. The betting market had made Linette an 80% favorite. The second set ran the other way. Linette broke to open it and did not win another game, Astakhova breaking her four times to level the match. Six more breaks followed in the decider. Linette moved ahead with a break in game 2, Astakhova answered in game 3 and broke again in game 5, and Linette got back to 3-3 in game 6. Astakhova broke for 5-4, was broken back serving for the match, and won the tiebreak 7-2. Chances were plentiful and mostly wasted. Linette created 23 break points and converted six; Astakhova saved 17 of them and took seven of her own 13. Linette double-faulted eight times to Astakhova's four, and the winner's edge in total points was 104-99. Linette arrived in Seoul with one win in her last six matches on record, a stretch that included a first-round loss at the US Open. Astakhova, who began the season ranked WTA No. 427, moves into the second round.