Hantuchova struggles in Kotowice WTA loss

Daniela Hantuchova's tennis career continues to slide, the former world No.5 bounced out of the Katowice Open WTA event with a 6-1 6-1 loss to third-seeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.

Hantuchova, now a lowly No.183 in the world who finished 2015 as world No.81 and who had to qualify to make the main round in Poland, was no match for Ostapenko, who will now take on Kristyna Pliskova in the second round.

Fourth-seeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, the 2014 champion, struggled in the second set before defeating qualifier Isabella Shinikova 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 to set up a meeting with Francesca Schiavone after the Italian beat lucky loser Valeriya Strakhova 6-4 6-3.

Fifth-seeded Camila Giorgi of Italy also advanced courtesy of a 6-4 6-4 win over Aliaksandra Sasnovich, and will now face qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova after she defeated Klara Koukalova 6-0 7-6 (7-5).

There were also wins for eighth-seed Dominika Cibulkova, Brit Naomi Broady and Swiss qualifier Viktorija Golubic.