(Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
No. 2 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium needed just 55 minutes to beat Taylor Townsend 6-1, 6-0 in first-round action at the Singapore Tennis Open on Tuesday.
Mertens faced six break points but saved them all, while converting 5 of 8 opportunities to break Townsend’s serve. Mertens moves on to face Germany’s Tatjana Maria, who was a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ukrainian foe Yuliia Staro