Daria Kasatkina picked up in San Diego where she left off in San Jose, beating Leylah Fernandez 6-2 6-2 in just under an hour. Speaking with the press after the swift first-round victory, Kasatkina was still a bit dazed from the travel, having just arrived from Ostrava. After her match, she was eager to get back to her hotel and order Chinese food for dinner.
The world No.11 Kasatkina is currently sixth in the Race to the Finals and the points in San Diego could be a huge boost. Asked why players care so much about qualifying, Kasatkina struggled to articulate the meaning.