Melbourne [Australia], January 22 : Defending champions Madison Keys made it to the third round of the ongoing Australian Open on Thursday, defeating world number 62 Ashlyn Krueger in a testing match-up.
Keys defeated Ashlyn 6-1, 7-5 in a match that lasted an hour and 13 minutes, as per WTA's official website.
The defending champion and a 10-time tour-level titlist came from a 4-0 first set deficit against Ukraine's Oleksandra Olyniykova in her campaign opener, and this time around as well, she had to face a tough set. During the second set against Ashlyn, Keys rallied from a deficit of 2-5, saved a set point in the ninth game, and finally defeated her opponent.
After the match, she said during the post-match proceedings, "I think I started really well and I think Ashlyn started a little bit slow. I was fully expecting her to raise her level, which she did. It got away from me quickly, and I just really wanted to -- even if I lost the set -- try to get back in the set, try to figure out where my game went," she said.
"Once I got that momentum, I tried to sink my teeth into the set and do whatever I could to get back into it," she continued.
Further speaking on the match, she reminisced on her triumph last year, when she had to play three sets during five of her seven wins.
"You have moments in your career where things just start going right, and that's just kind of how it felt for a couple of weeks ... I think it is easy to look back and romanticise it and think I played unbelievable tennis, but everyone likes to remind me ... that I lost the most games in history in winning a Grand Slam. Having that reminder that things can happen at any moment as long as you try to keep yourself in matches, and do the best that you can every single day," she said.
Also, the world number two and six-time Grand Slam winner took another step towards her bid to capture her maiden AO title, defeating Czech's Marie Bouzkova. Having captured four French Open titles (including a hat-trick) and a US Open and Wimbledon each, the Australian Open title has eluded the Polish star so far.
Also, among the trio of Americans, including Madison, was the number six seed Jessica Pegula, a former world number three and number four seed Amanda Anisimova, who also made it to the next round. Pegula beat world number 37 McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-2, while Anisimova outclassed Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4 after overcoming eight double faults and saving 12 of 13 break points.