Romania's Cirstea through to BNP Paribas Open second qualifying round

Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea defeated US's Danielle Lao 6-3 6-4 in the first qualifying round of the women's singles event at the 9,035,428-USD BNP Paribas Open tournament in Indian Wells (California). The 28-year-old Cirstea, world number 98, prevailed in one hour and 15 minutes over 27-year-old Lao, world number 153. For her performance so far, the Romanian won 6,790 US dollars and 20 WTA singles points. In the last qualifying round, she will play Nao Hibino, aged 24, world number 117. Their only meet, in the first round of the 2016 Western & Southern Open, was won by Cirstea 2-6 6-3 6-2. In another qualifier, Romania's Monica Niculescu, aged 31, world number 127, lost to Russian Ana Blinkova, aged 20, world number 104 7-5 6-4. She gets 3,395 US dollars and 2 WTA singles points for participation. On the main draw of this Premier Mandatory tournaments are three more Romanians: second-seed Simona Halep, who advances straight to the second round and play the winner between Czech Barbora Strycova and a qualifying; Mihaela Buzarnescu, 29th seeded, to face off Australian Daria Gavrilova or Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and Irina Begu, who plays Canadian Bianca Andreescu. AGERPRES (RO - author: Mihai Tenea, editor: Mihai Dragomir; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)