The Greek Maria Sakkari (6), the Canadian Leylah Fernandez (32) and the Czech Barbora Krejcikova (9) were the favorites in the first round of the Australian Open and beat Japan’s Nao Hibino, Czech qualifier Sara Bejlek and Japanese guest Mai Hontama.
Sakkari only needed one hour and eleven minutes to defeat the competitor he defeated in the 2020 edition.
Her next obstacle is Russian Elina Avanesyan, who for her part defeated Chinese Zhuoxuan Bai, and will have the chance to equal her record on the banks of the Yarra River, in the third round in 2023 after falling to the Chinese that is Zhu Lin.
For her part, the Czech Krejcikova defeated Hontama in a tight 2-6, 6-4 and 6-3 in a match played at the Margaret Court Arena that lasted two and a half hours.
The double Australian Open doubles champion prevailed against Hontama playing in his second final draw of a ‘slam’ competition, despite starting with an unfavorable break in the tiebreaker set.
“I’m very happy with the way I came back in the second set. I’m also happy with the way I changed my game,” commented the Czech, who will face Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch in the next round.
Young Canadian Fernandez also fulfilled his role as favourite, in a left-handed duel he won 7-6(5) 6-2 against Czech Bejlek.
“It was a good match. It wasn’t perfect but I’m happy because I knew how to fight through tough moments in the first set,” commented the Canadian who will face American Alycia Parks in the next round and where she will have of a chance to beat his best record in Melbourne.
The Russian did not fulfill his role as a favorite Lyudmila Samsonova (13), which fell against the American Amanda Anisimova by 6-3 and 6-4.
Anisimova, who has been out of the circuit since May due to mental health problems, will face Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska or Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in the next round.
Source: La Verdad
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