Davis shocks Bouchard in Charleston

Charleston - Canadian Eugenie Bouchard slumped to yet another early exit on Wednesday, beaten in her first match in the WTA Charleston tournament by American Lauren Davis.

Davis, ranked 66th in the world, needed just 67 minutes to subdue the world number seven 6-3, 6-1 and reach the third round.

Bouchard is the top seed in the $731 000 tournament on green clay, accepting a late wild card invitation in hopes of honing her game after falling in her first match at Miami.

Instead she endured yet a third opening-match defeat of the season, after also dropping her first match in Antwerp.

She also pulled out of Dubai and Monterrey with a right forearm injury.

"I obviously hate losing, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself," Bouchard said.

"I know I've not been feeling like myself on the court, so it's just a matter of taking some time now, not playing a tournament, and just taking some time to train and get back to feeling like myself on the court.

"I definitely felt a little bit slow today, overpowered, which is never usually the case. Usually I'm the one who's dominating. So it was definitely just not good -- whatever happened was just not good."

Bouchard's status for Canada's upcoming FedCup World Group playoff tie with Romania was unclear after Tennis Canada on Wednesday named just three players, Francoise Abanda, Sharon Fichman and Gabriela Dabrowski to the squad.

Bouchard could still be added, but even though she would bring some star power to the tie it doesn't seem Bouchard would bring the form that saw her reach at least the semi-finals of the first three Grand Slams of 2014 -- becoming Canada's first Grand Slam singles finalist at Wimbledon with her runner-up finish to Petra Kvitova.

The tournament also lost second-seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova on Wednesday. Makarova held on for a gritty 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win over China's Zhang Shuai. Hours later, however, she pulled out of the tournament complaining of a gastro-intestinal illness.

It was a disappointing end to her first tournament since rising from ninth to eighth in the world rankings on Monday.

Bouchard and Makarova were the only top-10 players in the draw.

Davis, 21, had lost her only prior meeting with Bouchard, but was quick to take control. She won the last 11 games of the contest, breaking Bouchard twice in the final set for the victory.

The American used 18 winners with just five unforced errors to secure the second victory of her career over a top 10 player.

"I knew to beat her I'd have to be fearless," Davis said. "I saw this as a great opportunity."

2nd round

Lauren Davis (USA) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN x1) 6-3, 6-1

Mona Barthel (GER x15) bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2)

Andreea Mitu (ROM) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) 6-2, 6-2

Madison Keys (USA x7) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 6-2, 6-1

Sara Errani (ITA x4) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)

Sara Sorribes (ESP) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 7-5, 6-1

Danka Kovinic (MNE) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x12) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Madison Brengle (USA) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-1, 6-3

Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS x9) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4

Irina Begu (ROM x13) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-0, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4

Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x2) bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2