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By Chris Oddo | Tuesday September 20, 2016

 
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova won for just the fourth time in 2016, reaching the second round of the Korean Open.

Photo Source: Korean Open

After a breakout season in 2015 that saw her win two titles and climb to a career-high ranking of 26, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia has undergone a complete crisis of confidence in 2016. She went five months without winning a set this winter and spring, and lost 16 tour-level matches in a row (she did have two Fed Cup wins sprinkled in amongst that streak).

More: Wozniacki Downs Bencic in Tokyo

It’s been a tough season for Schmiedlova, a very talented player with a gorgeous backhand, but she’s hoping to use the Asian swing as a springboard back to better tennis. The 21-year-old actually started an uptick in form this summer with a win at the Olympics over Roberta Vinci and a pair of close, three-set losses to Ekaterina Makarova and Jelena Ostapenko. Anything helps when you are desperate for form.

On Tuesday in Seoul, Schmiedlova took advantage of a nice draw by easing past Polish qualifier Katarzyna Piter, 6-3, 6-2, to book her spot in the second round.

Schmiedlova, who went 37-21 last season at the tour-level, improves her record to a dismal 4-21, and will face Monica Niculescu in round two. The No. 5 seed defeated Japanese qualifier Eri Hozumi, 6-3, 6-0.

In other action at the Korea Open, top-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu eased past wild card Su Jeong Jang, 6-2, 6-1. The defending champion took the title last year at Seoul, dropping just one set in five matches.

Third-seeded Zhang Shuai, fourth-seeded Kristina Mladenovic and sixth-seeded Kirsten Flipkens were also winners on Tuesday in Seoul, along with Bethanie Mattek-Sands Lara Arruabarrena.

 

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