Mertens, Ostapenko bow out of Stuttgart Open in first round

FILE PHOTO: Qatar Open - Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha, Qatar - February 16, 2019 Belgium's Elise Mertens in action during the Final REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari

(Reuters) - Belgium's Elise Mertens and Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko were among Tuesday's first round exits at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on a day where other high-profile players withdrew without playing a single match.

The tournament draw had to be restructured after world number two Simona Halep pulled out with a hip injury, while two-times Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza also withdrew due to illness.