BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — World No. 1-ranked and two-time Australian Open defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has started her Brisbane International singles campaign with a 6-4, 6-0 win Tuesday over Renata Zarazua of Mexico.
After a first-round bye, Sabalenka took just 63 minutes to reach the third round with form that shows a three-peat in Melbourne Park beginning Jan. 12 was a strong possibility.
“First match always a tricky one to see where your tennis is at,” Sabalenka said. “I’m glad I closed that first set and in the second it felt like whatever I would do would work.”
She’ll play 15th-seeded Yulia Putintseva in the third round, the Kazakhstan player beating American Kessler McCartney 6-2, 7-5.
The Sabalenka match was a prelude on Pat Rafter Arena for later men’s matches involving Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic. Kyrgios was playing up-and-coming French talent Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, while Djokovic began his singles tournament against Australian wild-card entry Rinky Hijikata.
On Monday, Djokovic and Kyrgios won their first-round doubles match.
In an early men’s singles match Tuesday, Frances Tiafoe beat Australian wild-card entry Adam Walton 7-5 (5), 6-3.
Earlier Tuesday, tournament No. 5 seed and world No. 22 Sebastian Korda withdrew with a lower back injury.
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