Lauren Davis was a little hungry after edging Maria Sharapova in a tight, second-set tiebreaker on Rod Laver Arena, so she made a decision to have a little snack in her courtside chair.
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Williams arrived in Melbourne without having had a competitive outing since last year’s US Open. Maria Sharapova lost to Serena Williams in Australian Open final and Wimbledon semi-final previous year.
All Offers and Promotions posted in this article excludes NSW residents. I remember seeded even myself would you get to third, fourth round without dropping too many games.
“But there’s always a danger, you know”.
Allertova has put up a good fight so far, taken to three sets to beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands and another three setter to dispatch a seed of her own in Sabine Lisicki, so she will feel she has put in some solid court time ahead of this match.
– Margarita Gasparyan wins the battle of Russians: The 21-year-old with a one-handed backhand held off Russian-born Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4 in a feisty battle that was long delayed by rain.
She said: “There were definitely some nerves at the end”. Today, as she notched up the 600 win of her career, I noticed the contradictions in her game again – but this time, it was easier to understand how she makes it all work.
She was an unusually long time coming into her press conference after beating Kasatkina and did not appear thrilled to be there at all (her sister Venus left the tournament without a word, after losing to Johanna Konta) but perked up when asked some inane questions about her dress.
No. 7-seeded Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open finalist, advanced to the third round in the men’s draw with a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Austin Krajicek of the United States.
Russian Daria Kasatkina is just 18 years old and is ranked number 69 in the world. “This is where I played my first Grand Slam right on this court and I’m still going, it’s such an honor”, said Williams, a six-time champion who has a 70-9 record at Melbourne Park.
For Serena Williams, this is a familiar court and this match is just the next step in her hopes of defending her Australian Open crown, and overall, winning her 22nd major title.
Lleyton Hewitt bowed out of the Australian Open this morning in what was his last ever match as a professional tennis player. “I want to play more relaxed”.
John Isner is back in the third round at Melbourne Park for the fifth time in seven years following a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (2) win over Marcel Granollers of Spain.
The outcome was never in question, either – Williams had 27 winners, just eight unforced errors and outpointed Kasatkina 55-18.
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“The story that was supposed to be big is not really big”, said Djokovic, who on Wednesday angrily denied throwing a match early in his career.
