Kontaveit closing in on Kanepi
Kaia Kanepi's over a decade long spell as Estonia's top female tennis player is under threat from Anett Kontaveit as the latter beat the world's 60th best tennis player in the first round of the US Open.
Kanepi too won her match against Anna-Lena Friedsam (WTA 80), but it is a matter of time when Kontaveit (WTA 152), aged 19, passes Kanepi (WTA 89), 30.
Kanepi's best ranking came in 2012, when she was 15th in the world, while Kontaveit was then 436th in the world.
Both won their matches in the first round of the US Open in two sets, Kanepi beating Friedsam 6-1, 6-1, and Kontaveit beating Casey Dellacqua 7-5, 6-2.
Kanepi will now face Elina Svitolina (WTA 17), while Kontaveit takes on Anastasia Pavlychenkova (WTA 31).
Editor: J.M. Laats