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Elina Svitolina Needs Bounce Back Tournament In Hong Kong

By Harry Floyd

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 31: Elina Svitolina of Ukraine returns the ball during her women's singles third round match against Qiang Wang of China on Day Five of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 31: Elina Svitolina of Ukraine returns the ball during her women's singles third round match against Qiang Wang of China on Day Five of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Elina Svitolina enters the 2018 Hong Kong Open as the tournament’s top seed. The tennis star is in need of a strong performance this week.

Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina is the player to beat at this year’s Hong Kong Open. She defeats Priscilla Hon of Australia during her opening round match. Winning in straight sets, Svitolina takes the meeting 6-2 6-3.

The opening round win might normally be considered a given for a player of Svitolina’s caliber, but the Ukrainian has struggled in recent tournaments.

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Svitolina is coming off of back to back opening round losses at both the China Open and before that at the Wuhan Open. She falls to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Wuhan Open and Aleksandra Krunić at the China Open.

Caroline Wozniacki would take the title last week at the 2018 China Open. Wozniacki puts on a stellar performance, not even dropping a single set in her second title-run at the event.

Elina Svitolina is off to the exact start that she needs at the 2018 Hong Kong Open. The world number five on the WTA Tour enters the action in Hong Kong as the top seed and favorite. She has, however, struggled in her last two events.

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Up next for top seed Elina Svitolina is Nao Hibino of Japan. Cruising through qualifying, Hibino also wins her round of 32 match in straight sets. She could pose a threat to the tournament’s top seed but Svitolina must be considered the heavy favorite in their upcoming match. Also in action this week at the Hong Kong Open is Garbine Muguruza. She is the fourth seed at the event.

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