LINZ, Austria -- Top-seeded Angelique Kerber overcame a poor start to beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 0-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the Generali Ladies on Wednesday. Hugo Lloris Jersey . The 10th-ranked German struggled for rhythm and won just five points on her own serve as she lost the opening set in 22 minutes. Kerber settled after an early break in the second and conceded just three games in the remainder of the match. "I just wasnt there in the first set. I was too nervous." Kerber said. "I am happy that I managed to turn the match around." Kerber was given a late wildcard entry to replace Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic after the former Wimbledon champion pulled out with a back injury. Kerber leads the competition for the eighth and final spot at the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul. She needs a semifinal place this week or a quarterfinal in Moscow next week to secure it. "I try not to think about that," Kerber said. "I want to focus on my next match and have fun on the court without added pressure." In the second round, Kerber faces another player from Romania, Alexandra Cadantu, who beat Melanie Klaffner of Austria 7-6 (4), 6-2. Two-time former champion Ana Ivanovic reached her fourth quarterfinal of the season by defeating Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 7-5. In a match between two former French Open champions, the third-seeded Ivanovic was more consistent in her ground strokes, while Schiavone double-faulted nine times. "Francesca is a great player and it was a tough match," Ivanovic said. The 2008 and 10 champion next plays seventh-seeded Dominika Cibulkova or Katarzyna Piter of Poland. Earlier, seeded players Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain and Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium also advanced to the quarterfinals. No. 4 Suarez Navarro defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-4 to reach the last eight for the first time since her 6-0, 6-0 defeat by Serena Williams at the U.S. Open five weeks ago. In her seventh quarterfinal of the season, Suarez Navarro will play No. 5 Flipkens, who routed Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-2, 6-1. In first-round play, Karin Knapp of Italy overcame six double faults to defeat 2007 champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 7-6 (6). Michel Vorm Jersey .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. Eric Dier Hotspur Jersey . - Andrew McCutchen went 4 for 5 and finished a home run short of a cycle, and Jordy Mercer drove in a career-high four runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-2 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. http://www.footballhotspurstore.com/Women-Juan-Foyth-Tottenham-Hotspur-Jersey/ . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way.Michael van Gerwen will begin the defence of his Players Championship Finals title against Andy Hamilton on Friday. The field has doubled in size this year, and 64 players will convene in Minehead in pursuit of the £400,000 prize.Qualification depends on results in the 20 Players Championship events throughout 2016 - Van Gerwen won five so will be No 1 seed. His upcoming opponent Hamilton has been drafted in as 64th seed because Kyle Anderson has withdrawn with visa issues. Benito van de Pas and Ian White are seeded second and third, respectively, after winning three Players Championship events each this year.The World Championship is live on Sky Sports between December 15 - January 2.Players Championship Finals first-round drawMichael van Gerwen (1) v Andy Hamilton (64)Vincent van der Voort (32) v Andrew Gilding (33)Josh Payne (16) v Mark Walsh (49)Cristo Reyes (17) v Berry van Peer (48)Mensur Suljovic (8) v Raymond van Barneveld (57)Adrian Lewis (25) v Robert Thornton (40)Joe Cullen (9) v Steve Brown (56)Ronny Huybrechts (24) v Rowby-John Rodriguez (41)Gerwyn Price (5) v Dimitri Van den Bergh (60)Christian Kist (28) v Ricky Evans (37)Steve West (12) v Jan Dekker (53)Justin Pipe (21) v Andy Jenkins (44)Simon Whitlock (4) v Matthew Edgar (61)Darren Webster (29) v Jonny Clayton (36)Chris Dobey (13) v Mick McGowan (52)Alan Norris (20) v Michael Smith (45)Benito van de Pas (2) v Brendan Dolan (63)Joe Murnan (31) v Jermaine Wattimena (34)Kim Huybrechts (15) v Mickey Mansell (50)Daryl Gurney (18) v Ronnie Baxter (47)Peter Wright (7) v Jason Wilson (58)James Wade (26) v Mervyn King (39)Stephen Bunting (10) v Ron Meulenkamp (55)Gary Anderson (23) v John Henderson (42)Dave Chisnall (6) v Kevin Painter (59)Jamie Caven (27) v Jamie Lewis (38)James Wilson (11) v Vincent Kamphuis (54)Jelle Klaasen (22) v Simon Stevenson (43)Ian White (3) v Keegan Brown (62)Mark Webster (30) v Terry Jenkins (35)Steve Beaton (14) v Jeffrey de Graaf (51)Robbie Green (19) v Devon Petersen (46) Also See: Sky Bets darts odds On Sky TV Schedule Features Get Sky Sports ' ' '