Quebec City, QC – American Christina McHale was a mild second-round upset winner and fifth-seeded Eugenie Bouchard handled her business Wednesday at the $235,000 Bell Challenge tennis tournament.
McHale, a 21-year-old New Jersey native, took out eighth-seeded promising 19- year-old Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 on the indoor carpet at PEPS on the campus of Laval University to advance to the tournament's third round.
Bouchard survived a scare from Swede Sofia Arvidsson, who took her to a tiebreak on match point before folding to the 19-year old Canadian 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-0). Arvidsson earned a runner-up in Quebec City in 2005 while Bouchard is looking to advance past the second round at the Bell Challenge for the first time in her young career.
Sixth-seeded New Zealander Marina Erakovic dropped just three games en route to a second round triumph over Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 6-1. The two veteran right-handers met in the final here two years ago with Zahlavova Strycova emerging victorious.
Slovenian Polona Hercog also advanced to the third round by disposing of Frenchwoman Julie Coin 6-0, 6-2. Hercog is looking for her first career singles title on carpet.
In other opening-round play on Day 3, Croat Petra Martic doused last year's Quebec runner-up Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) and Czech Andrea Hlavackova held off Aussie Anastasia Rodionova 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-1. Hlavackova was a mixed doubles champion last week at the U.S. Open. The Czech Hradecka gave way to Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in last year's Quebec final. The top-seeded Flipkens lost here on Tuesday.
The 2013 Bell Challenge champion will earn $40,000.
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