Siniakova won 6-3, 6-1 to win her first WTA match since mid February; with 23 winners en route to an impressive win in just over an hour.

Kerber was let down time and time again by her forehand finding the net on multiple occasions. A double fault saw Siniakova move into a 4-2 lead; she would not face a break point throughout the opening set.

She closed it out on the second point with a winner straight down the line; and it was similar in the second set - the Czech ace showed some vulnerable aspects to her play but Kerber couldn't take advantage and she moved into a 4-0 lead.

This also showed as she served for an emphatic bagel with a triple match point; but Kerber claimed a break as a result of Siniakova's inability to finish the match off. A backhand into the net which summed up the German's game saw Siniakova claim victory.

Anett Kontaveit also began her Internazionali BNL d'Italia campaign with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Caroline Garcia sealing it in a tiebreak. A Quarter-Final and fourth round from the Western & Southern Open and US Open saw the Palermo runner-up on form heading into the clay.

She claimed a winning start with a one hour, 38 minute victory over the former top 10 player; and despite not reaching match point at 5-4 or 6-5 in the second set; seven straight points in the tiebreak sealed it.

There were also victories for the likes of Marketa Vondrousova who saw off Misaki Doi in three sets 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and also Yulia Putintseva who eased past Rebecca Peterson who is fresh off losing to Patricia Maria Tig at Istanbul; but that action on the clay wasn't a catalyst as she went down 6-2, 6-4.

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