Kenin, Stephens roll; Ostapenko overcomes Alexandrova in San Diego

Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin

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2020 Australian Open champion Kenin pulled off a speedy 6-4, 6-4 upset of No.6 seed Veronika Kudermetova

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Former World No.4 Kenin, currently ranked No.93, garnered the 1-hour and 25-minute win to improve to 2-1 against 18th-ranked Kudermetova. The victory marks Kenin's 20th Top 20 win of her career.

Kenin used a fierce forehand to force an error from Kudermetova and earn the only break of the opening set, moving ahead 4-3. Three games later, the American cracked a backhand winner down the line to convert her second set point.

Kudermetova held the early lead in the second set, as she moved ahead by a break at 4-2. But Kenin fired a forehand crosscourt winner to immediately pull back on serve, kicking off a run of four straight games to take the win.

Wild card Kenin will face another American wild card in the second round: Katie Volynets

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Later on Tuesday, 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko came back from 5-2 down in the third set to outlast No.8 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova

View Profile 7-6(3), 6-7(6), 7-5 in 2 hours and 47 minutes. It is only Ostapenko's third win over Alexandrova in their eight career meetings.

World No.16 Ostapenko, who knocked out defending champion Iga Swiatek

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Alexandrova then built a commanding 5-2 lead in the third set and served for the match, but Ostapenko cracked a return winner to convert her fourth break point of that game and extend the affair.

That started another purple patch for Ostapenko, who eventually won 10 points in a row en route to a 6-5 lead. In the following game, Ostapenko slammed another forehand return winner to clinch her fifth straight game and close out the match. 

Ostapenko will now take on another powerful player in the second round: 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins

View Profile , who picked up a first-round win over Louisa Chirico

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The third and final Grand Slam champion to play on Tuesday, 2017 US Open titlist Stephens cruised past Elise Mertens

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World No.38 Stephens was stellar on return in the evening first-round clash, winning 69 percent of 29th-ranked Mertens's second-serve points and converting six of eight break chances.

Stephens will now take on the second seed in the second round: World No.10 Caroline Garcia

View Profile , who had a first-round bye. Stephens and Garcia have faced off seven times, with Garcia holding a slim 4-3 edge in their rivalry.