TORONTO, CANADA — Qualifier Varvara Lepchenko shocked the reigning Roland Garros champion while 37-year-old Venus Williams got off to another shaky start in the opening round at the WTA hardcourt tournament in Toronto on Monday.
Lepchenko rallied to stun French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5). Ninth seeded Williams also needed three sets and close to two hours to eliminate qualifier Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
American veteran Lepchenko, 31 years old and ranked 68th in the world, trailed 6-1, 3-0 before turning things around against the 12th-ranked Latvian, who had followed up her French Open triumph by reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. — AFP
