World No. 1 Inga Swiatek continued her stable type this yr, needing solely 55 minutes to defeat qualifier Kristina Buxa in straight units 6-0, 6-1. The Pole has but to drop a set within the opening three rounds of her marketing campaign, regardless of being on the harder facet of the ladies’s one-sided draw, which reveals itself on Sunday as she takes on reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina has gone underneath the radar since her win in London final yr, primarily on account of her decrease rating. Her 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 win over final yr’s finalist Danielle Collins within the third spherical was notably spectacular. The Kazakhstani did effectively within the first set and noticed her stage drop within the second, a lapse she can’t afford towards the world primary.
On the lads’s facet, third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is without doubt one of the favorites for the title this yr after so many prime seeds crashed out, continued his robust type with a 3rd consecutive straight-set win over Tallon Grixpur. . Next up is a extremely anticipated match towards promising Italian Jannik Sinner, who wanted an enormous comeback within the third spherical.
Sinner defeated Marton Fuksovics 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 after being outplayed for a very long time within the first two units. The Italian is the one participant, male or feminine, to succeed in at the least the fourth spherical of every of the final six Grand Slams, and is assured of best-five credibility throughout her comeback. Both the serve and the backhand type have been performed on the again finish of that match.
Medvedev crashes, Goff cruises
Seventh seed and final yr’s finalist Daniil Medvedev crashed out of the third spherical of the Australian Open towards American Sebastian Korda 6-7(7), 3-6, 6-7(4).
Medvedev didn’t seem calm throughout your complete encounter. He made a late comeback within the first to create a tiebreaker, and did the identical within the third, however did not play his greatest on each events. His absence, coupled with the early exit of Rafael Nadal, leaves his quarter of the draw vast open.
In the ladies’s part, Coco Gauff stored her marketing campaign for a maiden Grand Slam effectively and really on observe by defeating Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-2 in one other spectacular efficiency. This is eight consecutive wins in 2023 with out dropping a single set.
She will subsequent face 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, with both Swiatek or Rybakina drawn if she wins.
Bopanna out, Jeevan-Balaji in
Rohan Bopanna, together with Matthew Ebden of Australia, misplaced 6-3, 7-5 of their first spherical males’s doubles tie towards Austrian pair of Alexander Erler and Lukas Midler.
In the second set, each had a couple of probabilities to get again within the sport however did not capitalize. Bopanna’s journey is way from over in Melbourne as he’s set to pair up with Sania Mirza in his final Grand Slam in combined doubles.
While the Indian pair of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni, in addition to Ramkumar Ramanathan, all joined Bopanna of their first-round exits, the Sriram Balaji-Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan partnership, which reached the ultimate on the ATO 250 in Pune earlier this month, was among the many substitutes. Basically obtained a spot within the draw. They will face fifth seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek within the first spherical.
Other notable outcomes:
Men’s Singles:
(6) Felix Auger Aliasim def. Francis Serundolo defeated Karen Khachanov 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 (18). (16) Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9) (10) Hubert Hercz. (20) Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (3), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3
Women’s Singles:
(3) Jessica Pegula def. Marta Kostyuk 6-0, 6-2 (24) Victoria Azarenka def. (10) Madison Keys beat Zhu Li 1-6, 6-2, 6-1. (6) Maria Sakkari 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-4
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
