Bianca Andreescu, who already showed worrying signs in her Australian Open debut, when she had to come back to beat the Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu, she was eliminated this Wednesday in the second round before the restless and always dangerous Su-Wei Hiseh: 6-3 and 6-2 in 83 minutes.
The 35-year-old Taiwanese, an excellent doubles player (she is number one in pairs in the tournament), can already be called giant killers. Of the 10 confrontations she has had with top-10 players, she has won eight. Among her most notorious victories are the one she achieved in Melbourne three years ago against Garbiñe Muguruza in the second round (the Spanish was number three at the time) and the one she obtained against then-ranking leader Simona Halep at Wimbledon that same year. In 2019, she landed another number one, Naomi Osaka, in Miami.
Andreescu, who had not played since October two years ago, when he retired against Pliskova in the group stage of the WTA Finals after having won the US Open shortly before, he could not find a good feeling in time to continue in competition. The 20-year-old Canadian, eighth seed, couldn't figure out the strange tennis of Hsieh, who takes all the two-handed shots and is a very good defender. Also, he delivered in a pitiful way, with a double fault. They will face Sara Errani in the third round, who beat Venus Williams 6-1 and 6-0. The American played impaired by a problem in her left knee due to poor support, but at 40 he wanted to finish the game despite having obvious mobility problems.
Sabalenka does not fail; Kvitova, yeah
Another of the seeds, Aryna Sabalenka (7th) fought well to avoid defeat against a difficult rival, the Russian Daria Kasatkina, whom she beat 7-6 (5), 6-3 in 1h: 29. The Belarusian, who already won in the last duel between the two, last September at Roland Garros, displayed all her offensive potential with 37 winners and won despite committing 40 unforced errors. Kasatkina has not won two straight Grand Slams matches since Wimbledon 2018. Sabalenka will face the surprising American Ann Li on Friday, who beat the French Cornet 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Marketa Vondrousova, finalist in Paris two years ago and the 19th favorite, beat the Canadian Rebecca Marino 6-1 and 7-5 and her rival will be the Romanian Sorana Cirstea, who gave another surprise of the day when she eliminated the Czech Petra Kvitova (9th) by 6-4, 1-6 and 6-1 in 2h: 03. Kvitova had only lost four games in the previous meeting between the two, five years ago at Wimbledon, and met the good form of Cirstea, who leads with this 34 victory against top-20 in her career. Kazakh Elena Rybakina (17th) did not pass, who fell to the powerful French Fiona Ferro, who increasingly takes the role of Caroline García in her country and won by a double 6-4 to face the Polish Iga Swiatek in the third round, who beat the Italian in two sets Giorgi by 6-2 and 6-4.
Osaka runs over Garcia
Also moving forward in Australia Naomi Osaka. The Japanese, current US Open champion and third favorite for the title, is already in the third round after defeating French Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-3 in one hour of play. Osaka was a real gale for the Frenchwoman thanks to her 23 winning shots and at no time did she give Garcia a chance, showing herself very solid with her serve. Now in the third round she will face the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who defeated the Slovak Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova (6-3 and 6-2).
Tomljanovic let Halep escape
Simona Halep went through more trouble to seal her ticket to the third round. The Rumanian suffered to defeat a very brave Ajla Tomljanovic who put her on the ropes but finally fell 4-6, 6-4 and 7-5 after almost two and a half hours of battle. The Australian was very solid and in the first set she already gave a warning of what Halep had to face, who in the second set managed to react to force the third set. However, Tomljanovic came to leave Halep on the edge of the abyss with 5-2 in favor and serve to win, but nerves gripped the Australian, who saw how Halep appealed to the heroic to overcome the sleeve and seal her pass to the third round , where the rude Veronika Kudermetova will be measured, who defeated her compatriot Varvara Gracheva (5-7, 6-2 and 6-2).
Schedule and results.