Sorana Cirstea moved on to the second round of the Australian Open with an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 win over Irina Khromacheva.

Cirstea runs away with first set

It was a bright start for the server, losing just one point in the first three service games combined. It was in the fourth game at 30-30 that Khromacheva double-faulted and on break point she missed an easy crosscourt backhand into the net to hand Cirstea the break and a 3-1 lead. The defining game of the match came next with the Romanian saving six break points in a 32 point epic for a 4-1 lead.

Deflated, Khromacheva held on temporarily, but in the eighth game she surrendered her serve again at the second time of asking. After saving set point courtesy of a Cirstea error, the Russian sprayed a forehand just wide, giving Cirstea the opening set.

Cirstea continues fine play, breezes into second round

After both players took a bathroom break, it was more of the same as the second set got underway when Cirstea broke immediately. at 30-40, Khromacheva hit a swinging backhand volley over the baseline to give away her serve, the Romanian taking a 2-0 lead. She was taken to deuce in her next service game, but held, Khromacheva seemingly starting to play better.

Again, Cirstea was taken to deuce on her serve, but again she was able to hold. Those missed half-chances cost Khromacheva as she was broken to 30 in the next game, the Romanian playing some outstanding tennis to take a 5-1 lead. She would close it out in the next game, holding to 15, finishing off a fine performance to set up a second round clash with 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro.

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John Lupo
I am a writer and photographer. I have two Instagrams: @lupojohn1 is my personal account while @dslr_transit_photos is my photography account as I do transit photography in my hometown of New York City.