Fernandez finds groove, bounces France’s Cornet in 1st round of Australian Open | CBC Sports
Leylah Fernandez shook off some rust and early jitters earlier than she settled down and bounced Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-2 in first-round ladies’s single motion on the Australian Open on Monday night time.
It took much less time for Fernandez to win the second set, as she appeared to get stronger in the course of the match whereas her competitor stalled after a powerful first set.
Fernandez had 24 service winners, one ace, no double faults and 19 unforced errors, most of them within the first half of the primary set. Cornet had two aces, 26 unforced errors and 6 double faults.
Twenty-four-year-old Katherine Sebov of Toronto, making her Grand Slam debut, in at present on the courtroom at Melbourne Park going through 29-year-old Caroline Garcia of France, who’s the 2022 WTA singles champion and No. 4-ranked participant within the Australian Open.
WATCH | Fernandez advances to 2nd spherical of Australian Open for 1st time:
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Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., wins her first profession Australian Open important draw match by defeating Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-2.
Australian Open bans flags from Russia, Belarus on web site
Flags from Russia and Belarus had been banned from the positioning of the Australian Open on Tuesday after a couple of was introduced into the stands by spectators on Day 1 of the 12 months’s first Grand Slam match.
Normally, flags may be displayed throughout matches at Melbourne Park. But Tennis Australia reversed that coverage for the 2 international locations concerned within the invasion of Ukraine that started almost a 12 months in the past.
“Our initial policy was that fans could bring [flags] in but could not use them to cause disruption,” Tennis Australia stated in a press release on Tuesday. “Yesterday we had an incident where a flag was placed courtside. We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure that this is the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”
I strongly condemn the general public show of the Russian flag in the course of the sport of the Ukrainian tennis participant Kateryna Baindl on the Australian Open at this time. I name on Tennis Australia to right away implement its “neutral flag” coverage. <a href=”https://twitter.com/TennisAustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@TennisAustralia</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@AustralianOpen</a> <a href=”https://t.co/zw8pLN4FIF”>pic.twitter.com/zw8pLN4FIF</a>
—@AmbVasyl
One Russian flag was displayed throughout Ukrainian participant Kateryna Baindl’s 7-5, 6-7 (8), 6-1 victory over Russian participant Kamilla Rakhimova on Court 14 within the first spherical on Monday.
Another was supplied to Russian participant Daniil Medvedev to autograph after his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 win over Marcos Giron in Rod Laver Arena.
“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its ‘neutral flag’ policy.”
Athletes from Russia and Belarus had been barred from competing at Wimbledon and group occasions such because the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup final 12 months due to the battle in Ukraine. Russia invaded, with assist from Belarus, in February.
Russian and Belarusian gamers have been allowed to enter the opposite three Grand Slam tournaments however as “neutral” athletes, so their nationalities are usually not acknowledged on any official schedules or outcomes for the occasion and their international locations’ flags are usually not displayed on TV graphics.
