Niculescu seeking another form turnaround in Bucharest

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Monica Niculescu won her opening match for only the second time in five tournaments when she overpowered fellow Romanian Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-4 at the Bucharest Open on Tuesday.

Coming home seems to inspire Niculescu, who has reached the semifinals in Bucharest in the last two years, both times being stopped by the No. 1 seed. She beat Mitu in the quarterfinals last year, and has her next match against Polana Hercog of Slovenia, whom Niculescu beat in the 2014 quarterfinals, too.

Patricia Maria Tig won another all-Romanian match against wild card Ioana Minca 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Other winners in straight sets included second-seeded Sara Errani, No. 4 Laura Siegemund of Germany, No. 6 Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, No. 7 Anastasija Sevastova of Lativa, and wild card Francesca Schiavone.