Qualifier Korpatsch advances as Mladenovic retires in Lugano

LUGANO, Switzerland - Top seed Kristina Mladenovic

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The 22-year-old German, ranked World No.176, was leading by a set and a break in her first career match against a Top 20 player, 7-6(5), 3-2, when Mladenovic made the decision to retire.

Korpatsch was also contesting her third-ever match against a player ranked in the Top 50, with her previous-best win coming against then-World No.94 Maria Sakkari

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"I don't like to win like this, that she retired. I don't know if she was already injured at the beginning, or if it happened in the match," Korpatsch said of the World No.19.

Korpatsch's best previous opponent in terms of ranking came last year as well, where she qualified for the main draw at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, before falling to Carla Suárez Navarro on home soil.

She added: "From the beginning, I was a bit nervous, and a bit excited, because I've only played one time against such a good player."

After saving a break point in the first game of the match, the German hung with Mladenovic on serve, despite there being over 150 spots in the rankings between them.

The German continued to apply pressure by winning her service games, despite a first-serve percentage of just 47 percent in the opener, and slowly worked her way into the French No.2's service games on return.

Korpatsck reaped reward in the 12th game of the match, as she created her first two break points - also set points - but ultimately needed her fifth chance overall, and third in the tiebreak, to move ahead by a set.

"I played well, but at the beginning...my serve was not the best, with too many mistakes, but I tried to play to her backhand because her forehand is so good," the German said of her strategy coming into the match.

"She always wants to run around and play the forehand, so I tried to put her on the backhand."

With the added confidence of a one-set lead, the German's groundstrokes continued to find their mark to begin the second set, as she secured a pair of breaks in between dropping serve before Mladenovic made the decision to retire. 

With play in Lugano ravaged by rain over the first three days of the tournament, the 22-year-old has been one of the few to get matches completed - though under different conditions.

Both of her qualifying victories, against Swiss wildcard Ylena In-Albon

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"The matches before were so difficult for me, because the day before yesterday [against Lottner] we played indoors but the match started outdoors," she said.

"Today, the weather was good, so I was happy! I don't like when it's raining, and I like when it's hot and sunny. Today is Thursday, and I've [only] played two matches in qualifying and first round of the main draw."

Korpatsch will next face another qualifier, Kathinka von Deichmann of Liechtenstein, who also advanced to the second round via a retirement. She was leading Laura Siegemund

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Other seeds to fall as first round action was completed on Thursday included No.4 seed Anett Kontaveit, who was upset from a set up by Vera Lapko, and No.5 seed and wildcard Svetlana Kuznetsova, who fell to another German in Mona Barthel

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Elsewhere, Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka

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