Who is Aryna Sabalenka playing against in her first match?

Aryna Sabalenka is playing against Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah in her opening match.

Which seeded players were upset in the Grand Slam opening?

Marta Kostyuk (No. 20) and Ekaterina Alexandrova (No. 11) were among the seeded players upset on the opening day.

Why did Marketa Vondrousova withdraw from the tournament?

Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from the tournament due to a shoulder injury.

Home / Sports / Sabalenka Survives Scare, Advances in Grand Slam Opener

Sabalenka Survives Scare, Advances in Grand Slam Opener

18 Jan

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Summary

Top seed Sabalenka overcame a slow start to win her opening match.
Two seeded players, Kostyuk and Alexandrova, were surprisingly eliminated.
Vondrousova withdrew due to injury, impacting the women's draw.

Sabalenka Survives Scare, Advances in Grand Slam Opener

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her campaign with a hard-fought win, overcoming an initial deficit to defeat French wild-card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, acknowledged a slow start before finding her rhythm, drawing inspiration from watching tennis legends Rod Laver and Roger Federer in the stands.

Sunday's opening day also witnessed significant upsets, with unseeded Elsa Jacquemot ousting 20th seed Marta Kostyuk and Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez defeating 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in thrilling three-set matches. Sonmez briefly paused her match to assist a ball kid struggling with the heat.

In other notable events, seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and 12th seed Elina Svitolina advanced smoothly. However, former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew before her match due to a shoulder injury, granting American Taylor Townsend entry as a lucky loser, who then secured her own victory.