–

No. 2 seed Elise Mertens was a late withdrawal from Strasbourg.

And that means Cana-Qiwi Erin Routliffe got in as a lucky loser, to and played qualifier Hsieh Su-Wei in the first round of the main draw.

Now 28, and a graduate of the Univ. of Alabama where she was a standout player, Routliffe has not played much singles in the pros; she’s currently ranked No. 863, and these days plays mostly when there are spots in the qualifying at the WTA tournaments in which she plays doubles. She played just once in 2022, in Granby (where she defeated Leylah Fernandez’s little sister Bianca in the first round)

Routliffe got a wild card into the main draw of the Auckland WTA this year because she now represents that country, where she was born.

So this was only her second career WTA main draw singles appearance. And her first win.

ATP Tour – Monday, May 22, 2023 final results

Rabat is five hours ahead of EDT; Strasbourg is six hours ahead.

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Internationaux de Strasbourg
Location: Strasbourg, France
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Red Clay
Dates: May 21 – 27, 2023
Prize money: $259,303
Draws: S32 – D16

Monday, May 22, 2023
Final results

Singles, first round

~~[2] Elise Mertens (BEL)~~ [LL] Erin Routliffe (NZL) def [Q] Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) 76 (2) 16 61

Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) def [3] Zhang Shuai (CHN) 60 60
Clara Burel (FRA) def [5] Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 75 75

[4] Bernarda Pera (USA) def [Q] Sophie Chang (USA) 64 46 61
[6] Varvara Gracheva (RUS) def ~~Katie Volynets (USA)~~ [LL] Bai Zhuoxuan (CHN) 63 36 76 (3)
[7] Lauren Davis (USA) def. [Q] Sarah Iliev (FRA) 75 60

Kimberly Birrell (AUS) def. [Q] Elena Malygina (EST) 62 63
Emma Navarro (USA) def. Tereza Martincova (CZE) 62 63
[WC] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) def. [Q] Angelina Gabueva (RUS) 63 61
Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) def Alizé Cornet (FRA) 36 64 75

Doubles, first round

Hao-Ching Chan / Latisha Chan (TPE) def [1] Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) / Ellen Perez (AUS) 64 36 [10-7]

Sophie Chang / Angela Kulikov (USA) def. Cristina Bucsa (ESP) / Alicja Rosolska (POL) 46 63 [10-6]

*****************************

Grand Prix Sar la Princesse Lalla Meryem
Location: Rabat, Morocco
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Red Clay
Dates: May 15 – 21, 2023
Prize money: $259,303
Draws: S32 – D16

Monday, May 22, 2023
Final results

Singles, first round

[1] Martina Trevisan (ITA) def. Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) 62 retd
[2] Sloane Stephens (USA) def. [WC] Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 75 64
[6] Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) def. [WC] Aya El Aouni (MAR) 61 64

[Q] Jana Fett (CRO) def Sada Nahimana (BDI) 60 64
Julia Riera (ARG) def Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 63 60
Peyton Stearns (USA) def Panna Udvardy (HUN) 61 61

[7] Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE) vs. Cagla Buyukakcay (TUR) – postponed
Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) vs. Julia Grabher (AUT) – postponed

Doubles, first round

[1] Miyu Kato (JPN) / Aldila Sutjiadi (INA) def. [WC] Aya El Aouni / Yasmine Kabbaj (MAR) 62 61
[2] Monica Niculescu (ROU) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) def. [WC] M El Allami (MAR) / L Udvardy (HUN) 61 62
[3] Timea Babos (HUN) / Anna Danilina (KAZ) def. Anastasia Detiuc (CZE) / Andrez Gamiz (VEN) 76 (3) 60

Irina Khromacheva (RUS) / Valeriya Strakhova (UKR) def Natela Dzalamidze (GEO) / Mayar Sherif (EGY) 75 57 [10-5]