The grass season has gotten underway with three tournaments this week, with the biggest of them being the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, where the women are playing. The men are camped in Stuttgart for the Boss Open, while the Libema Open in Rosmalen plays host to both the tours.
The second day across all tournaments brought an end to the first round. Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter were among the winners at Queen’s Club, while Bianca Andreescu got off to a winning start at the Libema Open. Rising young star Learner Tien advanced to the next round in Stuttgart.
However, not all big names managed to clear the opening hurdle. On that note, here’s a look at the four surprising losses from Day 2 of the three tournaments taking place this week:
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#1. Alex Michelsen def. Gael Monfils (Stuttgart, Boss Open)
Michelsen was the higher-ranked player in this match-up. He has also proven himself quite capable of grass with a couple of runner-up finishes in Newport. However, Monfils, who has close to two decades of experience on the surface, was still expected to win.
Michelsen took control of the match by capturing the first set. However, Monfils stormed back to take the second set after overcoming a break deficit. His fighting spirit waned in the deciding set, while the young American kept his focus to score a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win.
Monfils' serve was quite inconsistent, which let him down in key moments. While he rained down 14 aces, he also exposed himself to 12 break point chances, while having three on his opponent's serve. The disparity in their serve, coupled with Michelsen's solid play from the baseline, led to his victory.
#2. Rebecca Sramkova def. Barbora Krejcikova (Queen's Club, HSBC Championships)
Reigning Wimbledon champion Krejcikova's comeback took another hit with an early exit from the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club. She returned to action after an injury hiatus in Strasbourg last month, a week prior to the start of the French Open. While she lost in the first round there, she did reach the second round in Paris.
Krejcikova faced a tricky opponent in the form of Sramkova. She didn't play too badly but her failure to capitalize on her chances eventually cost her. She rallied from a break down in the first set, stopping Sramkova from serving out the opener at 5-3. However, she got broken in the very next game, bringing an anti-climatic end to the set.
The Czech led by a break in the second set, though she squandered her lead and with it, her shot at victory. Sramkova scored a 6-4, 6-3 win, putting another dent in Krejcikova's comeback. With her upcoming title defense at Wimbledon, she will need to find her best form rather quickly or else risk a massive drop in the rankings.
#3. Greet Minnen def. Danielle Collins (Rosmalen, Libema Open)
Collins started off strong in her first-round match against Minnen at the Libema Open but couldn't sustain the momentum. The American got broken in the very first game of the match, though she got back on serve in the next game to level the proceedings.
They were on even terms for the rest of the set, until Collins made her move in the 10th game. With Minnen serving to stay in the set at 5-4, the American put pressure on her serve. The Belgian eventually wilted, thus ceding the first set to her opponent.
Collins lost the second set rather tamely, managing only one game for herself in it. She secured an early break in the decider to go 2-0 up, only for Minnen to stage a remarkable turnaround. The latter blunted her opponent's blistering groundstrokes to capture six games on the trot for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback win. The loss marked another disappointing outing for Collins, who hasn't been at her best this year.
#4. Ann Li def. Anastasia Potapova (Rosmalen, Libema Open)
Potapova initially looked to be in control of the proceedings during her first-round showdown against Li at the Libema Open. However, once she gave up her winning hand in the opening set, the fight within her vanished. The Russian was cruising along smoothly and built a cushy 5-2 lead for herself in the first set.
However, Li swept the next five games to snatch the set from Potapova. The American then sprinted to a 5-1 lead in the second set. While she let go of a match point on her opponent's serve in the seventh game, she served out the match herself in the next game for a 7-5, 6-2 win.
Li's ability to make inroads on Potapova's serve turned the tide in her favor. She ultimately went 4/11 on break points, while the Russian went 1/1 in the same metric.
