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By Adrianna Outlaw | Sunday, May 1, 2016

 
Garbine Muguruza

"I'm discovering how to handle (pressure) the best possible way," said Garbine Muguruza after her Madrid opening-round win.

Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open

Hall of Famer Billie Jean King says pressure is a privilege.

Pressure was both empowering and exhausting some seeds in Madrid today.

Barbora Strycova stunned second-seeded Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 6-2, a week after Kerber successfully defended her Stuttgart championship.

Nadal: Tennis is Clean, Publish Drug-Test Results

German qualifier Laura Siegemund surprised ninth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.

The 42nd-ranked Siegemund, who was runner-up to Kerber in last week's first all-German Stuttgart final, has won 13 of her last 15 matches. She will face fellow qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni next.

The day after Lucie Safarova smacked 14 aces defeating Samantha Stosur in the Prague final, both women won their openers setting up a Madrid second-round rematch. The 11th-seeded Czech beat CoCo Vandeweghe, 7-6 (4), 6-1. Stosur stopped Spanish wild card Sara Sorribes Tormo6-1, 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka defeated Laura Robson, 6-4, 6-2. The red-hot Belarusian scored her 15th straight win. Launching her quest for her first Madrid Open title, Azarenka will face Alize Cornet in round two.

Reigning Madrid champion Petra Kvitova dismissed Spanish wild card Laura Arruabarrena, 6-3, 6-2. Kvitova will play Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina next.

Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza broke serve six times and exploited seven double faults from her opponent defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, 6-2, 7-5.

The third-seeded Spaniard, who fell to Kuznetsova in the Madrid second round last year, has yet to surpass the second round in Madrid. Muguruza said there is added pressure playing at home, but tries to use it as a positive force.

"Well, I manage as I can. Of course I think it's difficult," Muguruza said. "It's something that requires you to play very well, not only tennistically talking, but in everything you do. You have to put everything in.

"I think that I'm very happy to be up there and very fortunate to be there. I'm discovering how to handle it the best possible way. To feel more confident, comfortable. Right now I'm feeling well."


 

Ajde @anaivanovic 💪🏻 #MMOPEN

A photo posted by Mutua Madrid Open (@mutuamadridopen) on



No. 6-seeded Simona Halep won nine consecutive games to open a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Misaki Doi.

New York native Louisa Chirico surprised Monica Niculescu, 7-5, 6-1. The American qualifier broke serve six times in a 95-minute victory. Chirico faces 2008 Roland Garros champion Ana Ivanovic next. The 14th-seeded Serbian stopped qualifier Katerina Siniakova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, in two hours.

In an all-American match-up, Madison Keys rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alison Riske. Next up for Keys is a second-round date with the 33rd-ranked Strycova.


 

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