Australian Open, Day One: Women's Singles Round-up
The Women’s singles at the Australian Open got off to an expected start with Kerber, Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens advancing into the second round with comprehensive victories from their opening games.
Simona Halep, the current World No.1, would feature on Tuesday in her first round encounter and would look to begin the year on a high after exiting in the first round of the 2018 US Open. US Open Champion Osaka will embark on her campaign tomorrow against Magda Linette of Poland.
Margaret Court Arena Round One
Twenty-five-year-old Danielle Collins from the United States upstaged Germany’s Goerges in the first round.
Collins made a dream debut as she merely made 18 unforced errors to Goerges 44 as she came back strongly taking the second set on a tie-break after losing out tamely in the first. In the deciding set, both players lost their serves until Collins held on to her fourth service game to go 3-1 up.
She hung on to that slender break and won the match with a scorching ace at 104mph to take the match. Collins will face compatriot Sachia Vickery in the second round.
Danielle Collins (35) (USA) defeats Julia Goerges (14) (GER) 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Melbourne Arena Round One
Ostapenko‘s barren run at the Australian Open continued in 2019 after suffering a first-round exit at the hands of Maria Sakkari.
In a see-saw battle, Sakkari enforced the pace in the first set by converting two break-points in the first set to race off to a 4-0 lead. She broke yet again in the seventh game to take the first set 6-1.
The Latvian came back strongly in the second set to break the Greek in the fifth and ninth service games to take the second set 3-6.
Sakkari punched in eleven aces and 25 winners in the match as she broke the Latvian twice in the decider to close the match 6-2. Sakkari confronts Australian qualifier Astra Sharma in the second round.
Maria Sakkari (41) (GRE) defeats Jelena Ostapenko (22) (LAT) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Court 12 Round one
The giant youngster from Brazil notched her first victory over Bernarda Pera with an impressive conversion on points won on the first serve which stood at 82%.
Beatriz stamped her authority from the start racing off to a 3-0 lead before the American clawed her back into the game to lose the first set and take the second in an intense battle.
A crucial break of serve in the seventh game of the third set to the Brazilian sealed the tie in her favor. She now has to face the second-seeded German Angelique Kerber in her next game.
Beatriz Haddad Maia (176) (BRA) defeats Bernarda Pera (69) (USA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Court 13 Round one
After trading a couple of breaks in the first set, Bencic broke Siniakova‘s tenth service game which handed the set to Bencic.
Siniakova broke Bencic's serve in the fifth game and followed it up with yet another break of serve on love in the seventh game to win the second set 2-6.
Bencic headed into a 3-0 advantage after breaking Siniakova‘s second service game in the decider and closed out the match in less than two hours. She will play Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the second round.
Belinda Bencic (55) (SUI) defeats Katerina Siniakova (36) (CZE) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
Court 7 Round one
In the first meeting between the two Aussie women, qualifier Astra Sharma overcame a defiant wild card entrant Priscilla pumping in 12 aces and winning 53 points from her first serve.
A huge 12th game in the first set ended to Sharma who took it eventually at 7-5. Priscilla broke Sharma‘s serve in the seventh game of the second set to win it 4-6.
Sharma though was in no mood to play back up as she stormed back to win the second and sixth game to win the match 6-1. She booked a match against Maria Sakkari of Greece.
Astra Sharma (230) (AUS) defeats Priscilla Hon (161) (AUS) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
Wild card entrant Kimberly from Australia made most of her opportunity to dispose of qualifier Paula Gibert in straight sets to set up a meeting with Vekic of Croatia.
Kimberly reeled off nine forehand groundstrokes along with her 22 winners in total as she wrapped up the match in one hour and twenty-one minutes.
Kimberly Birrell (249) (AUS) defeats Paula Badosa Gibert (142) (ESP) 6-4, 6-2.
Court 12 Round one
Russia’s Makarova suffered her second consecutive first-round defeat at the Australian Open after losing her match against Boulter of Great Britain.
Boulter scorched 53 winners including seven return winners of which a massive 37 shots came from her forehand groundstrokes.
Makarova had no answer committing 36 unforced errors to go down in two hours and twenty-four minutes. Boulter would now meet Sabalenka of Belarus in her second-round match.
Katie Boulter (99) (GBR) defeats Ekaterina Makarova (57) (RUS) 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6).
Court 10 Round one
In a match decided on tie-breaks, Timea Babos came up trumps after winning the crucial points which tilted the match in her favour.
Tunisia’s Jabeur enjoyed no luck during the tie-breaks suffering crucial double faults during both the tie-breakers. Hungarian Babos will now face the number five seed Sloane Stephens in her second round encounter.
Timea Babos (65) (HUN) defeats Ons Jabeur (58) (TUN) 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3).
Court 5 Round one
Putintseva leveled the head-to-head record against Strycova after defeating her in straight sets in round one action on court five.
Strycova‘s 50 unforced errors turned out to be the savior for the Kazakh star in otherwise an even game.
Putintseva recorded six straight points in the second set tie-break to clinch the match and advance to the second round where she will meet Bencic of Switzerland.
Yulia Putintseva (44) (KAZ) defeats Barbora Strycova (32) (CZE) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
German’s Andrea Petkovic won a close first set on a tie-break against Begu of Romania and was looking good in the second set before disaster struck.
Petkovic collapsed behind the baseline while attempting to retrieve a ball and never recovered back from it. She had to retire after taking a long time to get back up on her feet as Begu advances into the second round to face Czech Republic’s Kvitova.
Irina-Camelia Begu (76) (ROM) defeats Andrea Petkovic (61) (GER) 6-7 (3-7), 4-3 retired
Court 20 Round One
Vera Lapko‘s debut at the Australian Open ended on a disastrous note after she was forced to retire from the game due to injury.
Larsson won a tense opening game on tie-breaks before racing off to a 3-0 lead in the second when Lapko decided to forfeit the game. Larsson will now meet the third seed Wozniacki in her second round.
Johanna Larsson (75) (SWE) defeats Vera Lapko (63) (BLR) 7-6 (7-5), 3-0 retired