British duo Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage made it through to last 16 of the Eastbourne International on Monday as Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw through illness.
Dart fought back against China’s Zhang Shuai to win 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 6-1, while Burrage lost the opening set before eding out Lauren Davis 4-6 6-4 6-3.
“That was a rollercoaster and I’m happy to close it out,” said world No 142, Dart who reached the third round of Wimbledon in 2019.
“I was not just playing my opponent, but playing myself at times. The conditions were really tough, the wind was going everywhere and it took a while to adapt to it.”
Burrage, who reached the final of the Nottingham Open earlier this month, entered Eastbourne as a lucky loser, and she capitalised with a win over American qualifier Davis.
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw from the tournament with a viral illness.
The No 1 seed in Eastbourne fell to defeat in the second round of Berlin to Donna Vekic, and a month ago, she also withdrew ahead of her third-round match at the French Open, also citing a viral illness.
“Unfortunately, I have to withdraw here in Eastbourne today,” she said. “I am still recovering from the virus I had in Paris and after Roland Garros it was really tough.
“I also picked up another small issue in Berlin, so my team and I decided it would be better to recover this week and prepare for Wimbledon.”
Daria Kasatkina replaced Rybakina and she enjoyed a comfortable 6-3 6-1 victory over Anhelina Kalinina, with Karolina Pliskova awaiting her in the second round.
Pliskova, who won the Eastbourne title in 2017 and 2019, has won two of her three meetings with Kasatkina.
On the men’s side, sixth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry lost his opener to JJ Wolf 6-2 6-4. The American earned his first tour win on grass.