Melbourne: Coco Gauff had somewhat issue adjusting to the solar at one finish of Rod Laver Area and dropped an early service recreation however rapidly settled right into a rhythm to begin her Australian Open a 6-3, 6-Three win Monday over 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.
Third-seeded Gauff gained the title on the WTA Finals final November and began this season by serving to the US to victory on the United Cup final week, a run that provides her an opportunity to maneuver atop the rankings.
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The 2023 US Open champion is carrying a Marvel-inspired bodysuit and skirt at Melbourne Park and he or she’s radiating confidence and calm.
“I knew moving into it was going to be troublesome, however you realize I am pleased with how I performed,” she stated of the 1-hour, 20-minute win over Kenin, who at No. 81 is a a lot more durable opponent than her rating suggests.
“I imply (I) may serve higher, however like on that aspect I used to be struggling to see the ball,” Guaff stated, pointing to 1 baseline on the principle present courtroom that was bathed in solar. “So I am simply comfortable that I used to be in a position to handle by that.”
One other 20-year-old American, Alex Michelsen, produced the most important win of his younger profession with a 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-Four first-round upset of 2023 Australian runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Michelsen’s three booming service returns within the ninth recreation of the fourth set helped him earn a significant break towards the 11th-seeded Tsitsipas and, after shaking off jitters on his personal serve, he closed out for his first ever victory over a participant ranked within the high 20.
Gauff went into her opening spherical on a streak of successful 33 matches towards gamers ranked exterior the High 50, courting to a loss to Kenin at Wimbledon 2023.
It was powerful going early, with Gauff changing an early break earlier than Kenin bought again on serve at 2-2, hitting deep floor strokes and getting good bounce off the laborious courtroom.
However Gauff, who had 5 aces and 4 double-faults in her first two service video games, lifted her tempo, began taking the ball earlier and gained 4 of the following 5 video games. She completed the match with 12 aces and 9 double-faults, and saved seven of the eight breakpoints she confronted. She additionally had 28 winners, together with two rifling backhands on key factors within the second set, and 13 unforced errors.
The draw introduced one other powerful journey to Australia for Kenin. It was the third straight yr Kenin confronted a Grand Slam champion within the first spherical in Australia, and her fourth consecutive first-round exit right here.
Guaff will subsequent play Jodie Burrage of Britain. Additionally advancing from early matches had been No. 12 Diana Shnaider, No. 23 Magdalena Frech and No. 25 Liudmila Samsonova.
