The favorites had no trouble with their lesser-ranked opponents on Melbourne Park’s main court on Wednesday, as No. 5-seed Maria Sharapova started the day with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich to notch her 50th career Australian Open victory.
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“I haven’t played many matches in many weeks, it was great to come out here and start my season”, said Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam victor who could face a rematch against Williams this year but in the quarterfinals.
Venus Williams refused to discuss her Australian Open first round defeat against Britain’s Johanna Konta and for the second time in four Grand Slam events, is expected to be fined the statutory amount of US$ 3,000 for maintaining her silence.
The fifth-seeded Sharapova won the 2008 Australian title and has lost three finals at Melbourne Park, including last year’s decider against Williams.
The 17-time grand slam champion was never in trouble against the 35th-ranked Ukrainian and strolled to a regulation 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 win in one hour 33 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Chris Eaton, director of integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security in Doha, was speaking after a report said several players suspected of being serial match-fixers had never been punished.
Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori was another early victor on day three as he beat American Austin Krajicek 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, and Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych beat Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Mirza Basic 6-4 6-0 6-3.
“I retired because I had a baby and I didn’t really think to come back”, the Ukrainian said after the match.
“I’m still going and it’s really an honour”.
“I really gave a big effort there”.
Williams is the reigning champion of the Australian Open and after Wednesday, remains the favorite to repeat. “I feel pretty good, I felt I was more confident with my left hand today”, Sharapova said after her second-round win.
She was taking a liking to Williams’ serve as well and got her first break in the third game to lead 2-1 and then was grateful for a raft of unforced errors as she got a second break to lead 5-2.
Hsieh, the only Taiwanese player in either the men’s or women’s singles draw at the Australian Open this year, lost her second round singles match to Williams 6-1, 6-2 in exactly an hour.
Also, Ana Ivanovic advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over qualifier Anastasija Sevastova in a match that was suspended when a spectator fell on the stairs at Rod Laver Arena.
“I don’t know. If you want to, you can ask her. Yeah, I don’t know”.
Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open finalist, is working with 1989 French Open victor Michael Chang as coach and said the extra attention to detail is good for his game.
No. 13 Vinci beat Irina Falconi 6-2, 6-3 to advance in the opposite quarter of the same half of the draw.
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Lauren Davis, United States, def. Magdalena Rybarikova, Slovakia, 7-6 (7), retired.
