Australian Open: Coco Gauff makes electrifying start in Melbourne but Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova crashes out | Tennis News
Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff secured a comfortable 6-3 6-0 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova to secure a spot in the second round of the Australian Open but Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was an early casualty.
Gauff opened proceedings on Rod Laver Arena on the second day of the tournament for her first Grand Slam match since she lifted the title in New York in September.
And she brushed aside Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 in exactly an hour, winning nine games in a row to set up a second-round clash with countrywoman Caroline Dolehide.
“I felt good,” said the 19-year-old, who was been working on her serve with former world No 1 Andy Roddick.
“I was a little bit nervous coming in today. Probably you could tell. I was able to just calm down and then play, not my best, but good tennis from that point.”
Gauff has been working on her serve with former world No 1 Andy Roddick
Gauff dropped just one point on her serve in the second set and said that Roddick had recently given her some serving tips.
“It was really cool,” she said. “He’s a really chill guy. I met him before but never to that level. I went to Charlotte (North Carolina) for two days. It was a really good two days. I think that my serve has improved. He’s probably one of the best servers in history.”
Czech seventh seed Vondrousova, a surprise winner at the All England Club last summer, won only three games in a 6-1 6-2 thumping by Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
The 23-year-old spoke afterwards about the inspiration she takes from the bravery of people in her war-torn homeland, saying: “I’m very proud of Ukraine, proud of the people, proud of the warriors and just the civilians.
“When I was in Brisbane, before my match the rocket arrived on my grandmother’s house so it was pretty hard to play, but I think we just need to remember about it and give as much support as possible to Ukraine. I’m proud to be Ukrainian.”
Vondrousova reached the quarter-finals of the US Open but has otherwise struggled since defeating Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon final.
She made 19 unforced errors while the big-hitting Yastremska racked up 26 winners.
There was more success for Ukraine on the 1573 Arena, where 19th seed Elina Svitolina, who missed last year’s tournament following the birth of daughter Skai, saw off Australian wild card Taylah Preston 6-2 6-2.
Germany’s Laura Siegemund held off Russian 17th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to win 6-2 3-6 7-6 (11-9) and reach the second round, where she will face Australian Storm Hunter.
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