Andrey Rublev, proper, of Russia is congratulated by Dominic Thiem of Austria following their first spherical match on the Australian Open tennis championship on January 17, 2023
| Photo Credit: AP
Andrey Rublev beat wild-card entry Dominic Thiem 6-Three 6-Four 6-2 on Tuesday to guide his place in the second spherical of the Australian Open.
Thiem, a runner-up on the Australian Open in 2020 and the U.S. Open winner the identical yr, missed a lot of 2021 as a consequence of accidents however has recovered from outdoors the highest 350 final yr to a spot simply inside the highest 100. He was given a wild-card entry by match organisers.
“When you see you have to play against Dominic you know it’s not going to be easy. I know he’s going through some not easy times so I wish him all the best to come back to the level he can be as fast as possible,” Rublev stated.
Rublev will now play both the Australian qualifier Max Purcell or Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland.
Sabalenka stays unbeaten
No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka maintained her unbeaten begin to the yr with a 6-1 6-Four win over Tereza Martincova. Sabalenka, who gained the Adelaide International title in the primary week of the yr, hit 29 winners to her opponent’s seven as she gained her fifth consecutive match.
“It wasn’t that easy, I’m super-happy to start with the win,” stated Sabalenka, who will play American Shelby Rogers in the second spherical.
“I have to work on my mindset and stay calm and not get too upset when I make mistakes. I really believe this is the only thing missing in my game.”
Sabalenka, who has but to win a Grand Slam singles title, hasn’t made it previous the fourth spherical on the Australian Open in 5 earlier visits.
Garbine Muguruza, the runner-up in Melbourne in 2020, misplaced her fifth consecutive match to begin the yr when she was crushed 3-6 6-7(3) 6-1 by Elise Mertens.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza served for the match at 6-5 in the second set.
Taylor Townsend gained her first Grand Slam match since changing into a mom, beating Diane Parry, a wild-card entry from France, 6-1 6-1. The American will subsequent meet Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Leylah Fernandez, the previous U.S. Open runner-up, beat Alize Cornet 7-5 6-2. Martina Trevisan, seeded 21st, was crushed 6-Three 6-2 by qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.