Gavrilova off to a flying start in Morocco

Daria Gavrilova has built on her Fed Cup success for Australia last month, making light work of her first-round clash at the Morocco Open.

The third seed, who was victorious in three rubbers in Australia’s 4-0 Fed Cup win over Serbia, easily accounted for Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska 6-2 6-2 on Tuesday.

Gavrilova, the world No.26, won 73 per cent of her first-service games and converted two of three break points to set up a clash with Elise Mertens, who beat France’s Pauline Parmentier in three sets.

The only seed to fall in the first round was Romania’s Irina Begu. The sixth seed succumbed to Germany’s Tatjana Maria in straight sets.

Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko was too good for Spain’s Silvia Soler 6-1 6-4, while second seed Timea Bacsinszky, American pair Catherine Bellis and Lauren Davis, Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and top seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova all advanced.

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