.JPG)
MANILA -- German No. 1 seed Tatjana Maria praised the organizers of the Philippine Women's Open on Tuesday night, expressing satisfaction at how the inaugural tournament was being conducted.
"It (the Philippine Women's Open) is super nice. I think that everybody agrees with me that the tournament seems to have existed for years. It is so well-organized," said Maria after dispatching Frenchwoman Leolia Jeanjean 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in the first round at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
"It is super, super good here. Everyone is super kind," she added.
The 38-year-old received a warm welcome from the Filipino fans at the venue, which Maria also appreciated.
"Of course, the crowd has been amazing from the first day. It (the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center) is completely full, which is why I think players like me find it nice to play here," the world No. 42 said.
Maria had to dig deep against Jeanjean, though this did not surprise the veteran.
READ: No. 1 seed Tatjana Maria narrowly escapes Leolia Jeanjean to advance
"I knew it was going to be a tough match because I have played her already a few times. She is a strong player, too," she said after the two-hour, 23-minute showdown.
"The conditions were also challenging because it was also humid so we were both sweating a lot."
A semifinalist in Wimbledon in 2022, Maria is hopeful of a deep run in the competition. As of posting, she is facing Tatiana Prozorova of Russia for a place in the quarterfinals.
Prozorova eliminated Filipina wild card bet Kaye Ann Emana 6-1, 6-0 also Tuesday night.