Autralské okénko: Successful debut for Linda Fruhvirtová, Karolina Pliskova also advances

The second day of play at the Australian Open began tonight and the remaining five Czech representatives are in action. Seventeen-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova made her debut among the adults in Australia, advancing to the second round. Karolina Pliskova also made it through.

Linda Fruhvirt’s debut

Seventeen-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova (82nd) managed her first-round match of the Australian Open against the home wild card, Jamiee Fourlis (160th).

The second set was more balanced mainly because the older of the Fruhvirt sisters lost her serve three times. However, she managed to answer each time and after an hour and 14 minutes ended the duel in the tenth game of the second set – 6-4.

Fate was very merciful to the winner of the Junior Australian Open last year. In the second round she will face another home wild card, Kimberly Birrell (160th). In the first round, she took on the world No. 29, Estonia’s Kanei Kanepi.

Linda Fruhvirt (82nd) – Jaimee Fourlis (160th, Australia) 6-0, 6-4

Pliskova advanced with ease

Karolina Pliskova (31st) didn’t give her opponent a chance. Her match had to be played under the cloudy roof of the Margaret Court arena, because in Australia most of the courts were not played outside due to high temperatures.

China’s Wang Si-yu (53rd) didn’t get much into the match. Pliskova relied on her serve, which was excellent, and went on to win the first set after two breaks – 6-1.

After resuming her cooperation with coach Bajin, the thirty-one-year-old Pliskova is getting back to her old form. And for once, she didn’t lose her serve in the match. In the second game, she managed to convert two break points again and saw off the Chinese with a 6-3 score.

Xiu Wang (53rd, China) – Karolina Pliskova (31st) 1-6, 3-6

Martincova couldn’t keep up with the favourite

In the first round, Tereza Martincova (74th) faced a very strong opponent in the form of world number five Aryna Sabalenka (5th) from Belarus. The latter also won the preliminary tournament in Adelaide and came to the Australian Open in a great game.

And the Belarusian didn’t lose that in her match against the Czech player. She had to face four break points in the first set, but she fought off all of them and took Martincova’s serve in the fourth and sixth game – 6-1.

In the second set, both players held their serve, but the third game was decided by the 28-year-old Martincova, who failed and the experienced Belarusian tennis player finished the match without any problems – 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka (5th, Belarus) – Tereza Martincova (74th) 6-1, 6-4

Machac and Vondrousova will still be in action

Thanks to the delays caused by the heat, Tomas Machac (110th) and Marketa Vondrousova (86th) will finish their matches later.

Machac will face a big challenge in the form of the world number three, Nora Casper Ruud. He does not enter the first round in the best form, and will take the day off after the tournament. The Beroun native is even more motivated after seeing the results of his compatriots Lehecka and Svrcina.

Vondroušová will face the better-ranked American Riske (49th). The Czech managed to reach the quarter-finals in Adelaide and will be the favourite in the match. The American has not had a good start to the season at all.

10:30 Tomas Machac ( 110th) – Casper Ruud (3rd, Norway)

10::00 Alison Riske-Amritrajová (49th, USA) – Markéta Vondroušová (86th)

Sources: Australian Open, Twitter