 "Maria Sakkari, Sloane Stephens win openers at Parma Ladies Tennis Open")
Top-seeded Maria Sakkari rallied past Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Baindl 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3 in the opening round of the Parma Ladies Open.
Sakkari, who accepted a late wild card to the red clay court tournament, was playing her first event since losing to Wang Xiyu in the second round of the U.S. Open.
Also, 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens defeated 121st-ranked Magdalena Frech 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; sixth-seeded Ana Bogdan beat Laura Pigossi 6-1, 6-2 and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova eliminated Reka-Luka Jani 6-2, 6-4.
Stephens reached the semifinals last year when the inaugural edition was held in May.
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