Serena Williams sparkles with Stan Wawrinka poor – and more Australian Open observations
express– Serena Williams raced into the third round of the Australian Open in her FloJo-inspired catsuit today. But fellow Grand Slam champions Stan Wawrinka, Bianca Andreescu and Petra Kvitova all made sharp exits from Melbourne.
And US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who finished runner-up last year, showed he is also a contender for the title this year with a rapid win to set up a potential clash with Nick Kyrgios.
Serena avoids any wardrobe malfunction
The seven-time champion saw off world No.99 Nina Stojanovic from Serbia 6-3 6-0 but the post-match chat was all about her one-legged catsuit.
The American explained: “This outfit was last minute, to be honest. So it’s light. It’s actually, if you look up close, it’s actually breathable and it’s perforated, so it’s actually super light and to a point where I need to make sure I’m wearing underwear. Nude color, though.”
Asked to name the person she would most like to meet, Williams said Jesus – and Robert Downey Jr.
Stan is not the Man
The 2014 champion failed to take three match points in a dramatic final-set tiebreak against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.
Wawrinka fought back from two sets down and then led 9-6 in the tiebreak only to fail to close out the match and lose 7-5 6-1 4-6 2-6 7-6.
The Swiss No.17 seed said: “Tough match. Not the best level for me, but again, I was fighting, I had some chance to finish the match, I didn’t finish, I hesitated a little bit when I had the match point and I lost it.”
Andreescu’s comeback is over but she doesn’t blame hard lockdown
The 2019 US Open champion had been out injured for 15 months and then spent two weeks confined in her room. And her coach Sylvain Bruneau tested positive for COVID-19 after landing in Australia last month.
But after the Canadian No.8 seed lost 6-3 6-2 to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei, she said: “I know that my preparation was the best preparation that I think I’ve ever had. I feel really good. After my first round, I thought I would feel more exhausted, but I felt amazing.”
Kvitova Czechs out
The double Wimbledon champion reached the Melbourne final in 2019 and the quarter-finals last year. But this year’s tournament is over for the No.9 seed as she lost 6-4 1-6 6-1 defeat by Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
Kvitova said: “It was quite a roller coaster, for sure. Of course, it’s a little painful and I’m really disappointed about my loss. I didn’t really bring the best tennis today. It’s really hurting. But I can’t really do anything right now.”
Thiem in quick time – and remains on collision course with Kyrgios
The US Open conserved energy in the Melbourne heat by taking only 93 minutes to beat German Dominik Koepfer 6-4 6-0 6-2.
Last year’s finalist will now play the winner of the later match between home favourite Nick Kyrgios and Frenchman Ugo Humbert – a potential highlight of the third round.
