Five days after suffering a defeat to Samantha Sharan, South Africa’s Chanel Simmonds turned the tables on the British top seed to win their rematch on Wednesday in the first round of the Ilana Kloss International II – a $25,000 Women’s ITF World Tour event.

The South African star exacted revenge on Sharan who denied her a semi-final spot last week in an emphatic fashion at the North-West University Potchefstroom Campus.

Photos: Wouter Pienaar

Simmonds, who enjoyed a great support from home crowd, staged a master-class performance to send the top seed packing with an impressive 5-7 6-4 6-3 victory.

Sharan began where she left off to take an early lead in the first set and eventually won it, but in the second set she met a very different Simmonds on the other side of the net.

The country’s leading women’s player immediately broke back and a further break to lead 5-3 was the start of eight games in a row without reply.

“Last week I had a quite close match with her, I think I got the best score off her last week. So, I knew what to expect going into this match and I changed my game plan a little bit today compared to last week.

“I am glad I managed to come through with a win, it wasn’t easy, it was tough. Samantha (Sharan) is a very good player and seeded number 1 again this week. I am very happy to have managed to pull through today.

“I am just going to stick to my game plan and concentrate on one match at the time,” said Simmonds.

Simmonds will next face unseeded British Katy Dunne who edged out Weronika Falkowska from Poland 6-3 6-2.

Russian second seed Marina Melnikova also booked her place in the second round following a 6-3 5-7 6-0 victory over Slovakian Viktoria Morvayova.

In the men’s event, top seed Benjamin Bonzi from France who is seeking a second title in Potchefstroom defeated countryman Matteo Martineau 7-5 6-2 to reach the second round of the Potch Open, an ATP Challenger 50 event.

Second seed Hugo Grenier overcame a first-set wobble to beat qualifier Mick Veldheer 2-6 6-4 6-2 to advance to the round of 16.

South African top junior Kholo Montsi gave his best against fifth seed Evgeny Karlovskiy, losing 6-2 5-7 6-2.

First Round Results:

Singles

Potch Open – ATP Challenger 50

[1] Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) bt Matteo Martineau (FRA) 7-5 6-2

[2] Hugo Grenier (FRA) bt [Q] Mick Veldheer (NED) 2-6 6-4 6-2

[Q] Mehluli Sibanda (ZIM) bt [3] Pedja Krstin (SRB) 6-1 4-2 (RET)

[5] Evgeny Karlovskiy (RUS) bt [WC] Kholo Montsi (RSA) 6-2 5-7 6-2

[6] Daniel Masur (GER) bt Yshai Oliel (ISR) 7-5 6-4

Jack Draper (GER) bt [7] Roberto Ortega-Olmedo (ESP) 7-5 6-3

Davis Pichler (AUT) bt [Q] Jean Thirouin (FRA) 6-2 6-3

Benjamin Lock (ZIM) bt [Q] Sebastian Prechtel (GER) 7-6(4) 6-1

[Q] Fabien Reboul (FRA) bt [WC] Gerhardt Becker (RSA) 6-3 6-3

Tobias Simon (GER) bt Adam Moundir (MAR) 7-5 6-3

Sadhardth Rawat (IND) bt Danylo Kalenichenko (UKR) 5-7 6-3 6-2

Edan Leshem (ISR) bt [Q] Fabrizio Ornago (ITA) 6-1 3-6 6-2

 Ilana Kloss International – Women’s $25,000 ITF World Tour

Kelia Le Bihan (FRA) bt Joanne Zuger (SUI) 6-4 Ret.

Caroline Romeo (FRA) bt Martyna Kubka (POL) 6-1 6-2

Laura Pigossi (BRA)   bt [6] Martina Caregaro (ITA) 5-7 6-4 6-2

[2] Marina Melnikova (RUS) bt Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) 6-3 5-7 6-0

Katy Dunne (GBR) bt Weronika Falkowska (POL) 6-3 6-2

Chanel Simmonds (RSA) bt [1] Samantha Sharan (GBR) 5-7 6-4 6-3

[5] Simona Waltert (SUI) bt Shelly Bereznyak (ISR) 6-0 6-2

Paula Kania (POL) bt Isabella Weatherhead (RSA) 6-1 6-1