Halep, Serena, Osaka, Venus, Svitolina, Pliskova enter 3rd round of AO 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 1 in WTA rankings Simona Halep, 27, Romania, seven-time champion Serena Williams, 37, USA, twice finalist Venus Williams, 38, USA, reigning US Open Champion Naomi Osaka, 21, Japan, World No 7 Elina Svitolina, 24, Ukraine, entered the 3rd round of Australian Open (AO) at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, on January 17, 2019.

Halep beat World No 37 Sofia Kenin, 20, USA, in a three-set contest 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 in the second round. Halep fired 8 Aces in the match to 1 by Kenin. She also won 5 break points to 2 by Kenin. Halep won 5 games in a row too in the match to 3 by Kenin. But, Kenin won 74 service points to 60 by Halep.

Serena, who last won the AO title in 2017, crushed World No 79 Eugenie Bouchard, 24, Canada, 6-2, 6-2 in the second round. Serena won 6 break points to 2 by Bouchard. Serena also won 5 games in a row in the match. Serena’s winning percentage on both her first and second serve was much higher than that of Bouchard. Serena served 2 Aces in the match to 1 by Bouchard. Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles title.

Venus defeated World No 46 Alize Cornet, 28, France, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 in the second round serving 2 Aces in the match. Venus won 6 break points to 3 by Cornet. Venus also won 6 games in a row to 2 by Cornet, who had reached 4th round of AO in 2009.

Osaka beat World No 78 Tamara Zidansek, 21, Slovenia, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round. She served 6 Aces in the match to 2 by Zidansek. She won 5 break points to 2 by Zidansek. Osaka won 34 service points to 28 by Zidansek.

Svitolina beat World No 48 Viktoria Kuzmova, 20, Slovakia, 6-4, 6-1 in the second round. Svitolina fired 8 Aces in the match to just 1 by Kuzmova. Svitolina also won 3 break points besides winning 5 games in a row in the match.

World No 8 Karolina Pliskova, 26, Czech Republic, beat World No 88 Madison Brengle, 28, USA, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 in the second round firing 7 Aces in the match. Pliskova also won 6 break points to 2 by Brengle, who had reached the 4th round of AO in 2015. Pliskova won 7 games in a row in the match to 3 by Brengle. Pliskova had reached the quarter-finals of AO in 2017 and 2018.