Melbourne [Australia], January 18 : The world number one Aryna Sabalenka started off her Australian Open campaign with a fine win over Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah in a testing two-set game at Melbourne on Sunday.
Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion in 2023 and 2024, beat Tiantsoa by a 6-4, 6-1 victory at Rod Laver Arena. The win did not come easily for the four-time Grand Slam champion, being level at 4-4 in the first set at one point. However, Sabalenka's experience and stature were simply too much, cruising to an easy second set win and sealing the match.
As per WTA's official website, following her one-hour, 16-minute match, Sabalenka admitted her "struggling to find her rhythm" at the start against an opponent she had not played or watched much.
"I think I did not really start at my best and was struggling to find my rhythm. But then I feel like in the last two games of the first set I found my rhythm, and I was able to step in and play a little bit better tennis," she said.
"You are always kind of trying to figure out where you are. Also that opponent that I never played before. I have not really watched her games before and kind of lose her out of my radar. I did not really know much about her. I was just struggling to find the rhythm of her shots. I am happy that I could manage and I could get this win in straight sets," she added.
Also, Serbia's Olga Danilovic delivered an incredible comeback and denied a chance to legendary Venus Williams, 45 and a seven-time Grand Slam champion, a record of being the oldest woman to win a main draw singles match at the tournament.
The former world number one Venus fell short, losing by 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 to Olga in two hours and 17 minutes.
Williams, playing her 22nd Australian Open tournament, will return during the doubles, competing with Ekaterina Alexandrova. She is a four-time doubles champion in Australia, winning all titles with her sister Serena Williams.
"It was such a great game, such a great moment," Williams said. "The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much. She played a great game. Also some luck there, as well. That is just the sport. That is how it works sometimes," he added.
Also, the world number 29 and 2021 US Champion Emma Raducanu started off fine, coming down from 2-4 trail in the first set to down Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1 in 1 hour and 11 minutes.
Elsa Jacquemot stunned the number 20 seed Marta Kostyuk 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6[7] in the first triple-tie-break match of the Australian Open in the Open Era. The world number 60 came from a set, and 5-3 down, saving one match point and serving down 6-5 in the second set and pulled off a victory in three hours and 31 minutes. This was also her career's first win against a top-20-ranked talent.