Adelaide International 2022 Day 3 scores, winners and recap: Swiatek, Azarenka, Gauff win; Svitolina falls

(L-R): Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff & Victoria Azarenka were the stars of the show on Day 3 of Adelaide International

2020 French Open winner Iga Swiatek made a flying start to her Adelaide International title defense while some of the biggest names were in action on Day 3 of the WTA 500 tournament. Joining the Pole in the Round of 16 were two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and World No. 22 Coco Gauff.

But eighth seed Elina Svitolina didn't enjoy the same good fortune as she was shown the way out by World No. 130 Anastasia Gasanova.

Here are the major results from Day 3 of the Adelaide International:

Swiatek flies high

Daria Saville, who tied the knot with ATP pro Luke Saville during the off-season, was no match for defending champion Iga Swiatek. The World No. 9 didn't seem to put a foot wrong as she swatted aside the 421st-ranked Australian 6-3, 6-3.

Swiatek converted five out of the eight break points she had on her way to setting up a pre-quarterfinal showdown with US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.

@iga_swiatek is heading into round ✌️

The defending Adelaide International Champion has just taken out Daria Saville 6-3 6-3 😎

#AdelaideTennis https://t.co/1TdaM4FNV8

Sweet revenge for Azarenka

Ever since the Adelaide International draw was announced, all eyes have been on the tantalizing first-round encounter between Victoria Azarenka and Paula Badosa.

Badosa crushed the Belarusian's hopes of lifting her third Indian Wells title with a tight 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(2) win in the BNP Paribas Open final in October. However, this time Azarenka came prepared.

The fourth-seeded Spaniard went up by a break twice in their Adelaide face-off. However, the former World No. 1 always managed to get back on level terms. The complexion of the match changed with the two locked at 3-3. Azarenka earned a major break of serve to lead 5-3 and that was pretty much what sealed her fate.

The World No. 27 never looked back since then and had total control of the second set before earning a 6-3, 6-2 win.

Azarenka will next face World No. 263 Priscilla Hon, who toppled two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-2 a day earlier.

Gauff, Kenin cruise

World No. 22 Coco Gauff faced three break points in the first set of her opening-round tussle with Norwegian qualifier Ulrikke Eikeri. But the American teenager showed her resilience to save them all and then cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win without facing a break point in the second set.

Gauff will now face home favorite and World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty for a place in the quarterfinals.

Starting 2022 off with a bang in Adelaide 💥

🇺🇸 Sofia Kenin is heading into 2R after a 7-5 7-5 win over Lucia Bronzetti 🇮🇹

#AdelaideTennis

Meanwhile, 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin made a winning return to action six months after losing in the second round of Wimbledon.

The World No. 12 didn't have the most memorable season last year. She underwent an emergency appendectomy, tested positive for COVID-19 and split with her father in the coaching team. Kenin notably reunited with him towards the end of the year.

Bringing her father back into the team seems to have worked well for the American as she opened her Adelaide International title bid with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti. Kenin will next face Wimbledon quarterfinalist and local hope Ajla Tomljanovic.

Svitolina stunned

World No. 15 Elina Svitolina's first tournament of the year didn't turn out to be one to remember for the Ukrainian. Svitolina was the heavy favorite to come through the first-round contest against World No. 130 Anastasia Gasanova. She even began the match by grabbing the first set 7-5.

But the 27-year-old inexplicably lost her way since then, conceding three break points in each of the next two sets. Svitolina eventually fell 7-5, 4-6, 3-6 in two hours and 34 minutes.

That is a wrap 🤩

🇷🇺 Gasanova gets the win over Svitolina 5-7 6-4 6-3

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Adelaide International 2022: Day 3 Results at a glance

Singles

Victoria Azarenka def. (4) Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-2.

(5) Iga Swiatek def. Daria Saville (Q) 6-3, 6-3.

(6) Sofia Kenin def. Lucia Bronzetti (Q) 7-5, 7-5.

Coco Gauff def. Ulrikke Eikeri 6-2, 6-1.

Anastasia Gasanova def. (8) Elina Svitolina 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Marie Bouzkova (Q) def. Despina Papamichail (Q) 6-3, 6-0.

Misaki Doi def. Kristina Kucova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Doubles

Ashleigh Barty/Storm Sanders def. (4) Coco Gauff/Caty McNally 6-0, 7-6(4).

Sania Mirza/Nadiia Kichenok def. (2) Gabriela Dabrowski/Giuliana Olmos 1-6, 6-3, 10-8.