MELBOURNE, Australia — An early begin and warmth have been no worries for defending champion Madison Keys and fellow American Jessica Pegula on the Australian Open on Saturday.
Ninth-seeded Keys defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in her first match at Rod Laver Enviornment, and sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selekmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in her first match at Margaret Court docket Enviornment.
The subsequent match between the 2 People will probably be within the fourth spherical.
There was additionally an All-American matchup on Saturday, with fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova defeating Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the spherical of 16.
With temperatures forecast to achieve 40 levels Celsius (104 levels Fahrenheit), the video games on the seventh day started an hour sooner than initially scheduled. Temperatures throughout the opening race had not but reached that stage, at simply 32 levels Celsius (89 levels Celsius).
Keys stated of the win, “My serve was good. Total, I wish to offer you full reward for that.” “If yow will discover your greatest tennis, belief your recreation, and attempt to do the fitting factor, you give your self braveness.”
Pegula stated she wasn’t apprehensive concerning the hotter temperatures, saying, “I am a Floridian so I used to be ready for it.”
Keys stated he expects a tricky match towards Pegula within the fourth spherical.
“Jess is an excellent participant and constantly performs effectively in each match,” Keyes stated. “She’s at each recreation. It is onerous to be associates along with her.”
“I feel now we have to do (one factor) earlier than the sport, so we’ll see the way it goes,” Keys stated with a smile.
Of the People who performed in Saturday’s early recreation, Elliot Spizzilli had the hardest job. The 24-year-old Spizzilli, who spent a part of his Friday off enjoying desk tennis at a communal desk on Melbourne Park’s Backyard Court docket, confronted two-time defending champion and second seed Jannik Sinner within the second match of the day at Rod Laver Enviornment.
Within the ultimate match on the principle courtroom, a sold-out crowd could also be left guessing what sort of vogue assertion Naomi Osaka will make in her third-round match towards Australian qualifier Madison Inglis.
Osaka, who has received two of the 4 majors on the Australian Open, entered the courtroom within the first spherical carrying a wide-brimmed hat and veil, and a white parasol. For the second time, Osaka forgoed the high fashion hat, veil and parasol in a jellyfish-inspired costume and matching warm-up jacket.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
