Australian Open: Sabalenka escapes surprise, Fernandez loses
Aryna Sabalenka qualified for the second round of the Australian Open with a three-set win over Storm Sanders.Leylah Fernandez , on the other hand, suffered a first-round defeat.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Jan 18, 2022, 11:22 am
World number two Aryna Sabalenka celebrated her first win in her third match of the current season: The 23-year-old defeated local hero Storm Sanders in the first round of the Australian Open 5: 7, 6: 3 and 6: 2. The Belarusian also had to struggle with her well-known service problem in the Rod Laver Arena, but despite twelve double faults she got her second-round ticket. Sabalenka meets Xinyu Wang on Thursday.
While Sanders was unable to use a set and break lead, her compatriot Maddison Inglis was able to celebrate a great success: The 24-year-old clearly beat US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 6: 4 and 6: 2.
Simona Halep is also in round two. The former world number one, who recently won the WTA 250 tournament in Melbourne, defeated Magdalena Frech 6: 4 and 6: 3. Elena Rybakina, who was twelfth, had significantly bigger problems, having to fend off a match point against Zarina Diyas in a 6: 7 (3), 7: 6 (3) and 6: 1 win.
Garbine Muguruza and Iga Swiatek, among others, had previously won their first-round games .
To the women's individual tableau
laver arena