The Australian Open has kicked off with a bang as top tennis stars Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff secured decisive victories in their opening matches.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka outplayed Caroline Garcia of France with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. This win marks a sweet revenge for Osaka, who was defeated by Garcia in last year's first round at Melbourne Park. Osaka is now set to face 20th-seeded Karolina Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up, who recently made a strong comeback by defeating Argentina's Nadia Podoroska 6-1, 6-1 after recovering from wrist surgery.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek also made a strong statement by defeating the world's top-ranked doubles player, Katerina Siniakova, with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Despite returning from a one-month suspension for testing positive for trimetazidine, Swiatek is determined to focus on her game and aims for her first Australian Open title.
Meanwhile, third-seeded Coco Gauff continued to showcase her talent by overpowering former champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3 in just 80 minutes. Gauff, who recently led the USA to victory in the United Cup and won the season-ending WTA Finals last November, is emerging as a leading contender for the title.
As the tournament progresses, fans can look forward to exciting matchups and the potential for new champions to rise in Melbourne.
Reference(s):
Osaka, Swiatek, Gauff begin Australian Open campaigns with wins
cgtn.com
