MELBOURNE (Agencies): Aryna Sabalenka started her Australian Open title defence in dominant fashion with a rapid victory over Germany’s Ella Seidel in Melbourne.
The world number two overpowered the 18-year-old qualifier 6-0 6-1 in a ruthless 53 minutes on Sunday. She had the chance to win without dropping a game, missing two match points at 5-0 in the second before serving out the match in the next game.
She is joined in the second round by Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari. Sakkari’s 6-4 6-1 victory over Japan’s Nao Hibino was her first Grand Slam win in a year. “It was a difficult match emotionally but I’m happy,” said the 28-year-old, who went out in the first round of the last three Grand Slams.
Elsewhere, Danish wildcard and 2018 Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the second round after Polish 20th seed Magda Linette retired with injury.
Former world number one Wozniacki, appearing at the Melbourne Grand Slam for the first time since coming out of retirement last year, led Linette 5-2 in the opening set when the 31-year-old took a medical timeout and returned with strapping on her leg.
Clearly in discomfort, she attempted to continue but lost the opening set before Wozniacki ruthlessly broke in the first game of the second and Linette called time on her Australian Open campaign at 6-2 2-0 down.
Sabalenka wastes no time in late start
It was nearly midnight by the time Sabalenka and Seidel started their match after Novak Djokovic’s victory over qualifier Dino Prizmic ran to more than four hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Second seed Sabalenka, 25, seemed to be in no mood to make it a later night than necessary as she took immediate charge against the world number 173. She raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set and wrapped it up in just 22 minutes with a couple of backhand volleys at the net.
The dominance continued into the second set and it looked as though Seidel would not get on the board at all until the German saved two match points and held serve for the first time, earning huge cheers from the crowd.
Sabalenka squandered four more match points in the next game before regaining focus to seal the win. “I still have to work hard and work for my dreams,” Sabalenka said. “It’s amazing I was able to achieve so many goals in tennis. There’s more to come.”
She will take on 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova next after the Czech became the youngest woman to win an Australian Open main-draw singles match since American Coco Gauff in 2020 with a 2-6 6-4 6-3 win over Romanian Ana Bogdan.
Sakkari returns to winning ways
Sakkari, who will face Russian Elina Avanesyan in the second round, endured a difficult 2023 with early exits at all four majors, her best result at a Grand Slam coming in Melbourne where she reached the third round.
But she managed to squash any nerves with a dominant performance against Hibino, cruising to victory without dropping a point on her first serve in the second set.
“You’re always nervous, you want to perform well. When you’re a top seed you’re always going to play players who do well against you. It was a difficult match today emotionally but I’m happy I managed to do the job right and play a good second set,” she said.
Sakkari has now won her first four matches of the year for the first time since 2021 after she secured three victories for her country at the United Cup.
Meanwhile, American Amanda Anisimova earned an impressive 6-3 6-4 win over 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova in her first Grand Slam since taking a seven-month break for her mental health.
The 2019 French Open semi-finalist said she felt “a lot more refreshed” and was now enjoying her tennis again.
France’s Alize Cornet fell in the first round, losing 6-2 6-4 to qualifier Maria Timofeeva, while Czech ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova came from behind to beat Japan’s Mai Hontama 2-6 6-4 6-3 and will next face Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, who knocked out Briton Jodie Burrage on day one.
The Australian Open has been extended to 15 days this year in an attempt to avoid late finishes – with this its first Sunday start.
