Taiwan’s Chang Kai-chen cruised into the second round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday, crushing China’s Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-2.
Chang, who has been ranked as high as 82nd in the WTA Tour rankings, but who has fallen to world No. 402 following a long break from the game due to illness and injury, reached the second round at Melbourne Park for the second time in her career.
The Taiwanese mixed three aces with two double faults, saving six of seven break-point chances and converting five of 13 to complete the one-sided victory over world No. 100 Zheng in 1 hour, 19 minutes.
Photo: AFP
Chang next faces No. 25 seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic after the world No. 23 defeated Timea Babos of Hungary 6-4, 6-4 in their first-round match, while Zheng can concentrate on the women’s doubles, in which she is partnering Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan.
“We always have good teamwork. Yung-jan and I trained together a couple of times and our cooperation is good,” Zheng told Xinhua news agency.
“Actually, I have higher expectations in the doubles as it is not so straining as the singles competition. I hope we play well,” she added.
Photo: EPA
Zheng and Chan, seeded 14th, face Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic and Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland in the first round.
In the first round of the men’s singles, Taiwanese qualifier Jimmy Wang put up a brave fight against 19th seed John Isner of the US, but was ultimately overpowered in straight sets.
World No. 21 Isner fired down 31 aces in the 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 7 minutes, converting two of seven break-points and saving the only one world No. 118 Wang managed to create.
Isner next faces Andreas Haider-Maurer after the Austrian defeated France’s Laurent Lokoli 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in their first-round match.
Serena Williams won her first set in 21 minutes on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 win over Alison Van Uytvanck.
The 18-time major winner has only lost once in the opening round at a Grand Slam tournament, and this is her 58th. One more Grand Slam title and she will pass Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on the all-time list of champions.
Four-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic returned to the Rod Laver Arena for the first time as a husband and father, shrugging off the effects of a cold to beat No. 116-ranked Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in his first-round match.
Stan Wawrinka began the defense of a major crown for the first time with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 100-ranked Marsel Ilhan, taking less than 1 hour, 30 minutes to breeze through the first round.
Two other men widely considered to be in the next generation of major winners advanced in straight sets, with No. 5 Kei Nishikori beating Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-2 and No. 8 Milos Raonic firing 30 aces in a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3 win against qualifier Illya Marchenko.
The 33-year-old Lleyton Hewitt started his 19th consecutive Australian Open by beating Zhang Ze 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4.
World No. 9 David Ferrer beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-0, 6-3, No. 12 Feliciano Lopez struggled past US wild-card entry Denis Kudla 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8, while No. 13 Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 18 Gilles Simon and No. 19 John Isner also advanced. No. 16 Fabio Fognini, No. 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov, No. 25 Julien Benneteau and No. 27 Pablo Cuevas were all ousted.
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska needed only 1 hour, 3 minutes for their straight-sets wins over Richel Hogenkamp and Kurumi Nara respectively, and No. 18 Venus Williams beat Maria Teresa Torro 6-2, 6-2. World No. 12 Flavia Pennetta, No. 13 Andrea Petkovic and No. 15 Jelena Jankovic were all eliminated, joining the eight seeded players in the women’s draw who were beaten on day one.
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka continued her comeback from a foot injury with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Sloane Stephens — her third in three years at the Australian Open — and now faces US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki, who beat 18-year-old American Taylor Townsend 7-6 (1), 6-2.
No. 11 Dominika Cibulkova, a finalist last year, opened with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 comeback win against Kirsten Flipkens, while 2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur also advanced.
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