Kasatkina, Ostapenko crash out of Sydney International

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 10 in WTA rankings Daria Kasatkina, 21, Russia, and former French Open Champion Jelena Ostapenko, 21, Latvia, suffered shock defeat in the first round at Sydney International, a WTA premier tournament, at Sydney, Australia, on January 8, 2019.

World No 33 Aliaksandra Sasnovic, 24, Belarus, beat Kasatkina in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 to move into the Round of 16 of the tournament. Sasnovic served 3 Aces in the match to 1 by Kasatkina. Sasnovic won 5 break points compared to 2 by Kasatkina. She also 6 games in a row in the match to 3 by Kasatkina. Sasnovic’s winning percentage on both her first and second serve was also much better than that of Kasatkina.

World No 15 Ashleigh Barty, 22, Australia, beat 2017 French Open Champion Ostapenko, the World No 22,  in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to enter the Round of 16. Barty served 5 Aces in the match to 2 by Ostapenko. She also won 5 break points to 2 by Ostapenko. Ostapenko committed 9 double faults too compared to 4 by Barty, who also won 3 games in a row in the match.

World No 5 Sloane Stephens, 25, USA, the 2017 US Open Champion, beat World No 72 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 24, Russia, in a three- set thriller 0-6, 7-6, 7-6 to enter the Round of 16. Alexandrova fired 6 Aces in the match to just 1 by Stephens. But, she committed 10 double faults to 4 by Stephens. Alexandrova, however, won 7 break points to 4 by Stephens. She also won 6 games in a row in the match to 3 by Stephens.

World No 8 and two-times former Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitová, 28, Czech Republic, beat World No 11 Aryna Sabalenka, 20, Belarus, 6-1, 7-5 to advance to the Round of 16. Kvitová fired 5 Aces in the match to 2 by Sabalenka.Kvitova committed 4 double faults to 5 by Sabalenka. Kvitová, however, won 5 break points to 2 by her rival. She also won 5 games in a row to 2 b y her rival.