Svitolina and Yastremska sensationally advance to second round of Australian Open
Diana Yastremska shocked viewers and bookmakers (Getty Images)
Ukrainian tennis players Elina Svitolina, Dayana Yastremska, and Marta Kostyuk have successfully navigated the first round of competition at the Australian Open, according to match results.
Australian Open, 1st round, women's singles
Svitolina – Preston – 2:0 (6:2, 6:2)
Yastremska – Vondrousova – 2:0 (6:1, 6:2)
Kostyuk – Liu – 2:1 (6:3, 4:6, 6:1)
Ukraine's top-ranked player, Svitolina, only spent an hour on the court. Wildcard entrant Tayla Preston, the Australian opponent, conceded just four games. Although the match started with a double exchange of breaks, Svitolina took full control afterward.
In the first set, the Ukrainian earned two breaks on the Australian's serves. In the second set, she gained confidence on her own serves, securing victory with just two additional breaks. The final point of the match turned out to be a match point. Svitolina's next opponent will be Bulgaria's Victoria Tomova on January 17.
Meanwhile, Yastremska delivered a pleasant surprise by defeating last year's Wimbledon champion, Czech player Marketa Vondrousova. The Ukrainian's victory was extremely dominant, allowing her opponent to only take one game in the first set and two in the second.
Yastremska stunned the seven seed player by claiming five consecutive points from the start, including two breaks. Vondrousova finally managed to break the streak, but Yastremska capitalized on a set point. In the second set, the Ukrainian started impressively again, leading 3-0. Another break allowed her to serve for the match in the seventh game, which she concluded in the eighth.
Finally, Kostyuk overcame American Claire Liu. After an initial struggle, the Ukrainian surged ahead with a 4-2 lead, securing a set point soon after. She converted it on Liu's serve. However, Liu bounced back in the second set, successfully completing the final stretch of the set.
A third set was required, where Kostyuk showcased her full potential. She secured two breaks, winning both the first and last games to blank the American and concede only one point. In the next round, Kostyuk will face Belgium's Elise Mertens, while Yastremska's second opponent will be France's Varvara Gracheva.
