BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) " Monica Niculescu won her opening match for only the second time in five tournaments when she overpowered fellow Romanian Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-4 at the Bucharest Open on Tuesday. She beat Mitu in the quarterfinals last year, and has her next match against Polana Hercog of Slovenia, whom Niculescu beat in the 2014 quarterfinals, too. 7 Anastasija Sevastova of Lativa, and wild card Francesca Schiavone. Coming home seems to inspire Niculescu, who has reached the semifinals in Bucharest in the last two years, both times being stopped by the No. Patricia Maria Tig won another all-Romanian match against wild card Ioana Minca 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 12, 2016 17:48 UTC