Barbora Krejčíková defeated Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of WTA Athens, riding a dominant return performance to prevail in two tight sets. The Czech broke Tomova six times across seven return games, while saving 4 of 8 break points she faced, to take control of a match that featured 10 breaks of serve total.
The first set saw five breaks: Tomova broke first at 1-2, but Krejčíková immediately replied at 2-2 and broke again at 4-2. Tomova pulled one back at 4-3, only for Krejčíková to break decisively at 5-3. The second set was similar: Krejčíková broke in the opening game, lost it immediately, then broke twice more for 4-1. Tomova broke back at 4-2, but Krejčíková held her nerve and broke at 6-3 to close out the match.
Krejčíková's return was the key weapon: she won 61% of first-serve return points (21/34) and 66% of second-serve returns (12/18), while hitting three aces and winning all four of her service games in the second set. Tomova, who didn't manage a single ace, won only 38% of her first-serve points and held serve just once.