Françoise Abanda (Montreal, QC) played her first round match on Wednesday at the $50,000 Saguenay National Bank Challenger against Austria’s Pia Konig. It was her first match since losing to Venus Williams in Quebec City.
Konig, ranked no. 429 in the world, upset Abanda 6-3, 7-5. The 21-year-old Austrian broke the Canadian’s serve eight times in the match. Konig won her first professional title earlier this year at a Futures event in her home country. She will next face Belgium’s Klaartje Liebens who defeated Justyna Jogiolka of Poland.
Ayan Broomfield, the other Canadian in action Wednesday, had her run in Saguenay ended by second-seeded Serbian Jovana Jaksic. Broomfield won four consecutive matches, including three in qualifying, to reach the second round of the main draw.
Sonja Molnar is the last Canadian remaining in the draw. She will take on Julie Coin of France on Thursday. Coin upset the tournament’s top seed, American Taylor Townsend, in the opening round.
