Big upsets in opening round of EVES Open

New Zealand’s Valentina Ivanov has had the biggest win of her career in the opening round of the EVES Open in Pāpāmoa.

Ivanov is working her way back after two knee surgeries and was a wildcard entry into this ITF World Tennis Tour W25 event.

On Tuesday the 22-year-old beat the tournament's top seed, world number 182 Himeno Sakatsume from Japan, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to progress to the second round of the women’s singles.

The EVES Open – ITF World Tennis Tour: Tauranga is a professional event for women (W25) and men (M15) with official WTA and ATP world ranking points and a total prize pool of US$40,000.

In another first round upset, Kiwi Jade Otway came back from a set down to beat Australia's Alana Parnaby 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

And Elyse Tse, who was also a New Zealand wildcard entry, is through to the second round after beating compatriot Maria Galatescu 7-5, 6-2. 

Meanwhile, in the men’s singles, Tauranga local Corban Crowther had a big opening round win over the higher-ranked Jayden Court from Australia.

Crowther, cheered on by an enthusiastic and supportive home crowd, fought his way back from a set down to beat Court 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

There were three all-NZ opening round matches in the men’s singles. 

Isaac Becroft beat George Stoupe 6-4, 6-1. Reece Falck beat Daniel Hammond 6-4, 6-4. And Anton Shepp beat Finn Reynolds 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

New Zealand's Jack Loutit also had a good win in the first round of the men's singles, beating American Matt Kuhar 6-4, 6-4.

In the men’s doubles, there are four New Zealand pairings through to the next round –Reece Falck and George Stoupe, Isaac Becroft and James Watt, Daniel Hammond and James Sim, and Marcus Daniell and Finn Reynolds.

All four won their opening round matches in straight sets.

Jack Loutit, who won the men's doubles title at the EVES Open last year, is also through to the next round with Australian partner Jesse Delaney.

In the women’s doubles, defending champion Paige Hourigan is through to the next round with her Australian partner Petra Hule.

And Valentina Ivanov also won her first round doubles match with Japan's Mao Mushika.

The EVES Open is being held from 17-23 December at Pāpāmoa Tennis Club, which is located at the Venture Developments WBOP Tennis Centre in Gordon Spratt Reserve.

Play begins at 11am each day, with free spectator entry.