Former world number one Victoria Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(9) 7-6(5) in a grueling match at the Adelaide International 1 on Tuesday and reach the second round of the WTA 500 tournament.
Two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself struggling, trailing 5-1, but she used her fighting spirit to salvage five set points before outscoring a tense tiebreaker.
The Belarusian earned an early break in the second set but gave away the lead before winning another tiebreaker against her opponent Ukraine to seal victory on her fifth match point and set up a meeting with China. Zheng Qinwen.
“When you talk about first games that are never easy, this one was definitely at the top of the list,” Azarenka said. “I faced an opponent who played really well today.
“She already had two games under her belt so she had a bit of momentum, especially at the start of the game.
“I couldn’t find my place and transfer everything I worked on in the offseason into the game, it’s step by step and I hope to do a little better tomorrow.”
WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2022, Zheng saved match point to beat Anett Kontaveit 6-1 4-6 7-6(7), while former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova upset eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6 6-3 6-2.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko then beat former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-1 6-3 to reach the second round.
RADUCANU AT THE STARTING WINNER
Returning to action after a wrist injury, former US Open champion Emma Raducanu lost the first set in a rainy clash with Linda Fruhvirtova in her Auckland Classic WTA 250 opener before beating the Czech teenager 4-6 6-4 6-2.
“What a battle,” Raducanu said of the clash with his 17-year-old opponent. “Linda is such a good young player and it was a different dynamic for me because normally I’m the youngest.”
Top-seeded American Coco Gauff made short work of Tatjana Maria, beating Wimbledon semi-finalist 6-4 6-1 to end a five-game losing streak.
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens’ match against Rebeka Masarova was suspended due to downpours before being rescheduled for Wednesday.
Two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself struggling, trailing 5-1, but she used her fighting spirit to salvage five set points before outscoring a tense tiebreaker.
The Belarusian earned an early break in the second set but gave away the lead before winning another tiebreaker against her opponent Ukraine to seal victory on her fifth match point and set up a meeting with China. Zheng Qinwen.
“When you talk about first games that are never easy, this one was definitely at the top of the list,” Azarenka said. “I faced an opponent who played really well today.
“She already had two games under her belt so she had a bit of momentum, especially at the start of the game.
“I couldn’t find my place and transfer everything I worked on in the offseason into the game, it’s step by step and I hope to do a little better tomorrow.”
WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2022, Zheng saved match point to beat Anett Kontaveit 6-1 4-6 7-6(7), while former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova upset eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6 6-3 6-2.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko then beat former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-1 6-3 to reach the second round.
RADUCANU AT THE STARTING WINNER
Returning to action after a wrist injury, former US Open champion Emma Raducanu lost the first set in a rainy clash with Linda Fruhvirtova in her Auckland Classic WTA 250 opener before beating the Czech teenager 4-6 6-4 6-2.
“What a battle,” Raducanu said of the clash with his 17-year-old opponent. “Linda is such a good young player and it was a different dynamic for me because normally I’m the youngest.”
Top-seeded American Coco Gauff made short work of Tatjana Maria, beating Wimbledon semi-finalist 6-4 6-1 to end a five-game losing streak.
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens’ match against Rebeka Masarova was suspended due to downpours before being rescheduled for Wednesday.
