Aryna Sabelenka beats Ella Seidel 6-Zero, 6-1 as she begins Australian Open title protection in fashion; Serial head no. 2 will subsequent face Czech Brenda Fruhvirtová, aged 16 – We’ll be bringing you reside scores, reviews, evaluation and options from Melbourne over the following two weeks
13:49 UK Sunday 14 January 2024
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka stormed into the second spherical of the Australian Open with a straight-sets demolition of Ella Seidel in Melbourne.
Second seed Sabalenka, who beat Elena Rybakina a yr in the past to assert the Grand Slam title, dismissed her teenage opponent 6-Zero, 6-1 in 53 minutes throughout evening session.
The Belarusian turned solely the third defending girls’s champion within the Open Period to win her opening set 6-Zero on the Australian Open, following Margaret Courtroom in 1970 and Virginia Wade in 1973.
However she was denied a win as Seidel – the one German participant within the girls’s draw – scored her first sport 5-Zero within the second set to delay Sabalenka’s victory.
Sabelenka mentioned in her on-court interview: “I am very blissful to be again in Melbourne. I’ve unforgettable recollections and it was nice to really feel the environment.
“I nonetheless must work for my goals. It is wonderful that I have been capable of obtain so many targets in tennis and there is extra to come back. I hope I can keep right here till the final day.”
Sabalenka will subsequent face 16-year-old Czech Brenda Fruhvirtová, after the teen got here from a set right down to beat Romania’s Ana Bogdan 2-6 6-Four 6-Three.
Fruhvirtová is the youngest girl to win an Australian Open singles match since Coco Gauff in 2020.
Eighth Greek seed Maria Sakkariwhose greatest end at a serious final yr was within the third spherical right here, defeated Japan’s Nao Hibino 6-Four, 6-1 on Rod Laver Enviornment.
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez mentioned she hoped to calm down and unwind with some crochet after beating Czech Sara Bejlek 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 to succeed in the second spherical.
“First I’ll get well. Then after that I will most likely watch a present referred to as Reachers, it is a fairly good one. Possibly I will crochet a little bit. I like to crochet,” the 2021 US Open finalist mentioned.
Fernandez received the Hong Kong Open and reached the semifinals in Jiangxi, in addition to main Canada to the Billy Jean Cup title for the primary time.
Now ranked 36th on this planet, Fernandez mentioned he was attempting to not overanalyze his latest resurgence in kind.
“I am simply attempting to benefit from the second and never take into consideration what I did prior to now or what I ought to do sooner or later,” mentioned Fernandez, who faces American Alycia Parks within the second spherical on Wednesday. “I will simply attempt to benefit from the second right here with my group.”
World quantity 93 Kamilla Rakhimova she had the glory of being the primary participant into the second spherical at Melbourne Park after defeating American Emina Bektas 6-Four 6-Four in windy circumstances on courtroom six.
The 22-year-old Russian secured victory when the American went lengthy with a return of serve.
Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko she fought again to beat Italian Lucia Bronzetti Three-6 7-5 6-Three and attain the second spherical for the sixth time in her profession.
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