Coco Gauff eased into the second round of the Australian Open but Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was an early casualty.
The Czech seventh seed, a surprise winner at the All England Club last summer, won only three games in a 6-1 6-2 thumping by Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
The 23-year-old spoke afterwards about the inspiration she takes from the bravery of people in her war-torn homeland, saying: “I’m very proud of Ukraine, proud of the people, proud of the warriors and just the civilians.
Playing for something bigger than herself 🇺🇦❤️@D_Yastremska • #AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/A3USfG2ShA
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2024
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“When I was in Brisbane, before my match the rocket arrived on my grandmother’s house so it was pretty hard to play, but I think we just need to remember about it and give as much support as possible to Ukraine. I’m proud to be Ukrainian.”
Vondrousova reached the quarter-finals of the US Open but has otherwise struggled since defeating Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon final.
She made 19 unforced errors while the big-hitting Yastremska racked up 26 winners.
Gauff opened proceedings on Rod Laver Arena on the second day of the tournament for her first grand slam match since she lifted the US Open trophy in September.
And she brushed aside Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 in exactly an hour, winning nine games in a row to set up a second-round clash with countrywoman Caroline Dolehide.
“I felt good,” said the 19-year-old, who was been working on her serve with former world number one Andy Roddick.
“I was a little bit nervous coming in today. Probably you could tell. I was able to just calm down and then play, not my best, but good tennis from that point.”
There was more success for Ukraine on the 1573 Arena, where 19th seed Elina Svitolina, who missed last year’s tournament following the birth of daughter Skai, saw off Australian wild card Taylah Preston 6-2 6-2.
