LINZ, Austria - No.4 seed Donna Vekic rolled through her first match at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz, dismissing Polona Hercog, 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Round of 16.
"It was certainly one of my quicker matches," Vekic said after the match. "I was playing well and just really feeling the ball."
A quarterfinalist at this year's US Open, Vekic dropped just two games to Hercog to win in 50 minutes flat on Centre Court.
The Croat is in the midst of a breakthrough season, reaching a career-high ranking of World No.21 after earning that impressive result at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but came to Linz after two tough losses at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open and China Open to Ons Jabeur and Kiki Bertens, respectively.
Looking for her first win since the Japan Hana-cupid Japan Women's Open, Vekic wasted little time against Hercog, who also narrowly lost to Bertens in Beijing.
"I always enjoy coming back here to Linz. The tournament always welcomes me very nicely, it’s close to home so my family come to watch me as well which is always an added bonus."
Racing out to big leads in both sets, Vekic broke serve five times without facing a break point on her own serve, winning 19 of 20 points behind her first serve.
Up next for the No.4 seed is former Top 10 star Kristina Mladenovic, who edged past Katerina Siniakova in straight sets earlier in the day.
"Matches with Kiki are always interesting. She’s playing really well and it’s going be a tough match and I’m looking forward to it."
