Lina Gjoreska falls in first round of WTA 125 in Ankara
Gjoreska won the opening set but was beaten 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 by Ksenija Zajceva in a 2h08 contest
Lina Gjoreska was eliminated in the opening round of the WTA 125 tournament in Ankara on September 21, 2026, falling 2-1 in sets to Ksenija Zajceva (5-7, 6-3, 6-4) after a contest that lasted 2 hours and 8 minutes.
Gjoreska took the initiative early by winning the first set 7-5. She had moved ahead 4-2 after a break, lost her next service game, then recovered by breaking again in the 12th game to close out the set.
Momentum shifts decided the match
Zajceva bounced back in the second set. After Gjoreska dropped the opening game, she fought back to level at 3-3, but Zajceva then won the final three games of the set to force a decider.
The deciding set saw Zajceva open a 3-0 lead before Gjoreska again rallied to make it 3-3. Zajceva regained the advantage at 4-3 and successive breaks in the later games gave her the match.
The Ankara event carries a total prize fund of $115,000. Gjoreska earned one ranking point for her participation in the tournament.
Photo: press material from the event
