Barbora Krejcikova, the one former girls’s Grand Slam winner taking part in within the opening day session of the Australian Open, posted a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over wild card Mai Hontama on Margaret Court docket Area on Sunday.
Krejcikova, the No. 9 seed, was rapidly in hassle towards Hontama, who was taking part in her first main-draw match at Melbourne Park. After dropping the primary set, Krejcikova, the previous French Open champion, wanted loads of sideline teaching and a medical timeout for a foot damage earlier than rallying for the powerful victory.
“It was a very troublesome match,” Krejcikova mentioned. “She was taking part in very well and it was powerful, however I at all times believed that I might get again into it.
“I am actually blissful I gained. I believe first rounds are troublesome basically.”
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
Defending girls’s champion Aryna Sabalenka did not waste a lot time within the night time session till proper close to the tip, ousting 18-year-old Ella Seidel 6-0, 6-1 in 53 minutes on her seventh match level.
No. 8 seed Maria Sakkari admitted her aid after she beat Nao Hibino of Japan 6-4, 6-1 for her first Grand Slam win since final yr’s Australian Open.
“I misplaced three first rounds in my final three Grand Slams,” Sakkari mentioned. “For me, it was a really troublesome match at this time emotionally. I am blissful I managed to do the job proper and play a great second set.”
Leylah Fernandez, nonetheless revered for her fairy-tale run to the ultimate of the 2021 US Open, was one other participant who made a sizzling begin by breaking her opponent to like within the first sport on John Cain Area. Sara Bejlek fought her method again into the competition, nevertheless, and Fernandez, the ladies’s thirty second seed, needed to dig deep to expire a 7-6 (5), 6-2 winner.
Elsewhere, Lucia Bronzetti misplaced 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Lesia Tsurenko. And Russian qualifier Maria Timofeeva ousted veteran Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-4. Cornet was showing in her 68th consecutive Grand Slam occasion, a girls’s report.
Timofeeva’s subsequent opponent might be Caroline Wozniacki, who superior to the second spherical in her first Australian Open since changing into a mother when Twentieth-seeded Magda Linette retired within the second set of their Sunday night time match.
Wozniacki was main 6-2, 2-0 on Margaret Court docket Area when Linette, a 2023 semifinalist, was handled by the coach and determined she couldn’t proceed.
Wozniacki gained the 2018 Australian Open for her breakthrough main title. She retired in 2020 and had two youngsters earlier than returning to the tour final yr in time for the US Open.
Two 16-year-old gamers superior to the second spherical: Brenda Fruhvirtova recorded her first Grand Slam win, overcoming Ana Bogdan 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, and Alina Korneeva — the Australian Open junior champion final yr — rallied to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Additionally, Amanda Anisimova, 22, who left the tour in Might citing burnout and psychological well being, downed No. 13 Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-4. And Kamilla Rakhimova, ranked No. 93 on the earth, took the honour of being the primary participant to advance to Spherical 2, defeating Emina Bektas 6-4, 6-4 in windy circumstances on Court docket 6.
Info from The Related Press and Reuters was used on this report.
