IMAGE: Venus Williams celebrates profitable her match in opposition to Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands throughout Day 1 of the WTA 500 Yarra Valley Traditional at Melbourne Park, on Sunday. {Photograph}: Graham Denholm/Getty Photos
Former world primary Venus Williams produced a classic show to outclass Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus in straight units and storm into the second spherical of the Yarra Valley Traditional as a packed week of Australian Open warm-up occasions kicked off on Sunday.
The 40-year-old American broke serve twice in every set to canter to a 6-1, 6-3 victory in a bit over an hour and arrange a date with fourth seed Petra Kvitova within the subsequent spherical.
American thirteenth seed Danielle Collins additionally had a simple outing as she eased to a 6-3, 6-3 win in opposition to Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure. She was joined within the second spherical by compatriot Shelby Rogers, who upset twelfth seed Fiona Ferro 6-2, 7-5.
Australia’s Daria Gavrilova opted to skip karaoke evening with a buddy and as a substitute made Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova dance to her tunes, racing to a 6-2, 6-0 win in beneath simply 65 minutes.
“I missed an enormous occasion with my buddy Greg’s birthday and going to karaoke and I used to be fairly upset about that and thought I needed to lock it in at present,” stated the 26-year-old, who faces 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams subsequent after the American obtained a first-round bye.
Additionally advancing was Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova, who downed dwelling favorite and former US Open champion Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-0.
Unseeded Romanian Ana Bogdan crushed Russian teenager Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-2 to arrange a date with prime seed Ash Barty.
The event is one in every of six organized by Tennis Australia earlier than the beginning of the Australian Open to permit gamers an opportunity of some match motion after two weeks in quarantine motels.
Ostapenko battles again to undergo
IMAGE: Jelena Ostapenko rallied from a set all the way down to beat Italian Sara Errani to achieve the second spherical of the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne. {Photograph}: Mike Owen/Getty Photos
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko fought again from a set down to achieve the second spherical of the Gippsland Trophy as a raft of Australian Open warm-up tournaments received underway at Melbourne Park on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Latvian initially struggled together with her serve and posted six double faults within the opening set of her first match since October in opposition to skilled Italian Sara Errani.
The thirteenth seed, who like her opponent has simply accomplished two weeks of quarantine in Melbourne, discovered her rhythm within the second set and ran out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 winner after slightly below two hours on 1573 Area.
IMAGE: Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi survived a scare to beat Australian Astra Sharma in three units. {Photograph}: Graham Denholm/Getty Photos
Estonian Kaia Kanepi had a good greater scare on Margaret Courtroom Area in opposition to Australian Astra Sharma, who was two factors from victory within the second set earlier than slumping to a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 defeat.
French twelfth seed Caroline Garcia had a extra simple outing in opposition to native Arina Rodionova, profitable 6-3, 6-4 to arrange a second-round assembly with Timea Babos.
High seeds Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka got byes and can be part of the fray within the second spherical.
Anastasia Potapova thrashed fellow teenager Whitney Osuigwe 6-3, 6-0 to arrange a date with Halep, whereas France’s Alize Cornet will play Australian Ajla Tomljanovic on Monday to determine Osaka’s first opponent.
Zheng Saisai, seeded eleventh, was making her return to motion after 11 months however was knocked out by Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu who got here again from a set all the way down to upset the Chinese language 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Begu, who’s 99 rungs under Zheng within the rankings, transformed her third match level after a bodily contest that lasted practically three hours.
