A handful of big names were in action on day two in Brisbane, including a pair of former Grand Slam winners and a battle between US Open runner-ups. Here is what happened on day two at the Brisbane International.
Results
The big match of the day saw 2015 US Open runner-up and eighth seed Roberta Vinci take on 2008 US Open runner-up and former world number one Jelena Jankovic. It was the Serbian getting off to the quicker start, claiming the opening set. But Vinci roared back to break Jankovic twice in the second set to force a decider. Jankovic recovered slightly in the third set, but in the end, Vinci would claim the decisive break and held on for the 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory in two hours and fifteen minutes. Jankovic won fifty-four percent of points on Vinci’s second serve, but it would not be enough as she was broken four times in the match.
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka set a blockbuster second round match with top seed Simona Halep by blowing out Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-0. Azarenka won all but one of Vesnina’s service games in the entire match, breaking the Russian six times in seven games. Vesnina recovered one of the breaks in the first set, but it was nowhere near enough to stop Azarenka, who won more than fifty percent of points on both first and second serve return points.
The other Grand Slam winner in action on Monday was home favorite Sam Stosur, who survived a wild affair with qualifier Jana Cepelova. Both women broken each other seven times in the match, but it would be Stosur who timed her breaks well, holding on for the 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory. Both women won seven of eleven break points, but Stosur grabbed the all important break in the third set to reach the second round in two hours and thirteen minutes.
Fourth seed Angelique Kerber and American Madison Brengle both came through three set battles. Brengle won a close 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 decision against qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko, while Kerber roared back after dropping the opening set to Camilla Giorgi, only dropping three games over the finals two sets as she advanced with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 victory, breaking Giorgi six times.
The remaining seeds got through with ease. Both six seed Carla Suarez Navarro and seventh seed Belinda Bencic both scored 6-1, 6-2 victories. Bencic beat former French Open runner-up Sara Errani, while Suarez Navarro took out Ajla Tomljanovic. Rounding out the action on day one was American qualifier Samantha Crawford, who beat Australian wild card Priscilla Ho 6-4, 6-4.
The second round will start tomorrow, and will include a clash between two of today’s winners along with the defending champions debut.