Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff secured a cushty 6-3 6-0 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova to safe a spot within the second spherical of the Australian Open however Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was an early casualty.
Gauff opened proceedings on Rod Laver Enviornment on the second day of the event for her first Grand Slam match since she lifted the title in New York in September.
And she or he brushed apart Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 in precisely an hour, successful 9 video games in a row to arrange a second-round conflict with countrywoman Caroline Dolehide.
“I felt good,” stated the 19-year-old, who was been engaged on her serve with former world No 1 Andy Roddick.
“I was a little bit nervous coming in today. Probably you could tell. I was able to just calm down and then play, not my best, but good tennis from that point.”
Gauff dropped only one level on her serve within the second set and stated that Roddick had just lately given her some serving suggestions.
“It was really cool,” she stated. “He’s a really chill guy. I met him before but never to that level. I went to Charlotte (North Carolina) for two days. It was a really good two days. I think that my serve has improved. He’s probably one of the best servers in history.”
Czech seventh seed Vondrousova, a shock winner on the All England Membership final summer time, received solely three video games in a 6-1 6-2 thumping by Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
The 23-year-old spoke afterwards concerning the inspiration she takes from the bravery of individuals in her war-torn homeland, saying: “I’m very proud of Ukraine, proud of the people, proud of the warriors and just the civilians.
“Once I was in Brisbane, earlier than my match the rocket arrived on my grandmother’s home so it was fairly onerous to play, however I believe we simply want to recollect about it and provides as a lot assist as attainable to Ukraine. I am proud to be Ukrainian.”
Vondrousova reached the quarter-finals of the US Open but has otherwise struggled since defeating Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon final.
She made 19 unforced errors while the big-hitting Yastremska racked up 26 winners.
There was extra success for Ukraine on the 1573 Enviornment, the place nineteenth seed Elina Svitolina, who missed final yr’s event following the delivery of daughter Skai, noticed off Australian wild card Taylah Preston 6-2 6-2.
Germany’s Laura Siegemund held off Russian seventeenth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to win 6-2 3-6 7-6 (11-9) and attain the second spherical, the place she’s going to face Australian Storm Hunter.
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