PA Media/dpa
Melbourne
Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini wasted little time in racing through to the second round of the Australian Open.
Former finalist Rybakina was ruthless against 16-year-old Australian wild card Emerson Jones, wrapping up a 6-1, 6-1 victory in just 53 minutes.
The focus on Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion in 2022, at this tournament has centred on her rehiring of coach Stefano Vukov despite the Croatian being provisionally suspended by the WTA for potentially breaching its code of conduct.
That means Vukov is unable to obtain an accreditation for the tournament and, while Rybakina is in contact with him, she said he was not in the stands, with Goran Ivanisevic currently taking the lead role.
“I speak with him (Vukov), of course and same with Goran,” said Rybakina.
The Kazakh will face another teen next in 17-year-old American wild card Iva Jovic, who was an impressive 6-2, 6-1 winner against Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz.
Elsewhere, Italian fourth seed Paolini - who reached the French Open and Wimbledon finals in 2024 - began her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title with a 6-0 6-4 victory over Chinese qualifier Wei Sijia in an hour and 13 minutes.
American eighth seed Emma Navarro, winner of the WTA’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award last year, had to come from a set down to beat compatriot Peyton Stearns 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.
“One of the more unique matches I’ve played in a while,” said Navarro.
“Definitely did not have my best stuff today. It was just relying a lot, I guess, on my grit and toughness and fight.”
Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina booked her second-round spot with a 6-1 6-3 victory against Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova on John Cain Arena, while Tunisia’s former world number two Ons Jabeur eased past Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina in a 6-3 6-3 win.
Fourth seed Paolini was not quite as rapid but breezed to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Chinese qualifier Wei Sijia in an hour and 13 minutes.
