Tennis: Monica Niculescu and Gabriela Ruse advance to second round of qualifications in Luxembourg (WTA)

Romanian tennis players Monica Niculescu and Gabriela Ruse won on Saturday in the first round of qualifications for the main board of the Luxembourg WTA tournament, with a total prizes worth 250,000 US dollars. 

Niculescu (32 years, WTA's 105th), who won the title in Luxembourg in 2016, defeated French Amandine Hesse (26, years, WTA's 235th), 7-6 (2), 6-4, in one hour and 47 minutes. 

Ruse (21 years, WTA's 178th) prevailed in three sets, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-0, over German player Stephanie Wagner (25 years, WTA's 281th), in two hours and 14 minutes. 

In another match, Romanian Laura Ioana Paar (31 years, WTA's 223th) was defeated by the Polish Katarzyna Piter (28 years, WTA's 358th), 6-2, 6-4, in one hour and 17 minutes. 

Paar secured a cheque worth 427 euros and one WTA point, and Niculescu and Ruse have secured cheques worth 589 euros and 10 points each. 

Niculescu will play in the second round against the British Eden Silva (23 years, WTA's 439th), and Ruse will square off against Dutch player Bibiane Schoofs (31 years, WTA's150th). If they win, the two Romanians will be opponents in the last round of the qualifications.