Eugenie Bouchard picks up 1st win of 2020 at ASB Classic
Former world No. 5 looking to climb rankings this season from 262nd
Canada's Eugenie Bouchard opened the 2020 season with 7-5, 7-5 win over Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens in the first round of the ASB Classic on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand.
It was Bouchard's first victory above a 125K event (the lowest level on the WTA Tour) since last February in Dubai.
The 262nd-ranked Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., saved two of three break points and capitalized on three of six break-point opportunities against the world No. 72.
Flipkens, 33, has finished in the top 100 the past eight seasons.
WATCH | Eugenie Bouchard downs Kirsten Flipkens in straight sets:
Bouchard, 25, has experienced a big drop in the rankings since reaching No. 5 in 2014.
Serena Williams, Wozniacki prevail in doubles
Meanwhile, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki teamed to win a first-round doubles match.
Williams and Wozniacki overwhelmed Japan's Nao Hibino and Mikoto Ninomiya 6-2, 6-4 in a match which was both historic and poignant.
The pair jointly has won 24 Grand Slam titles and 102 WTA singles titles. Williams additionally has won 23 doubles titles, including 13 Grand Slam and three Olympic titles, mostly in partnership with her sister Venus.
Wozniacki hasn't played doubles at all in the last three years.
But the pair has long harboured a desire to take the court as a doubles pairing and on Monday they took what may be their last opportunity to do so.
Gauff makes quick work of opponent
Wozniacki is playing the Auckland tournament for the sixth-straight year as a prelude to the Australian Open after which she will retire from competitive tennis. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis shortly after winning at Melbourne Park in 2018 and has decided to make the Australian Open her last professional tournament before retirement.
"It was so much fun, I really enjoyed that," Wozniacki said. "I've been around for a long time and to get to play with Serena was amazing.
Earlier, American teenager Coco Gauff beat Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3, 6-1 in 61 minutes to stay on course for a quarter-final meeting with Williams.
Williams, the top seed, plays Camilia Giorgi of Italy in her first round singles on Tuesday while Wozniacki plays New Zealand wildcard Paige Hourigan.