Australia’s leading charge Ashleigh Barty was forced to withstand a barrage of blistering shots from Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to prevail 6-7(2) 6-4 6-4 and ignite her title pursuit at Australian Open 2018 on Tuesday night.
“I think last year set me up perfectly for this kind of match,” added the Australian, who soared up the rankings in 2017. “I probably should have closed out that first set, but I knew if I hung about long enough, I would give myself a chance.
“I’m very happy to get through that match and to have another chance on Thursday.”
The world No.17, seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time, sauntered to a 3-0 lead, but was dragged into a tiebreak by her teenage opponent’s unwavering firepower.
Sabalenka, who finished with 41 winners, was pressing Barty in the second set, but the home favourite managed to level the contest with an ace.
It was the third set which saw the match truly spark into life. Sabalenka was relentless in targeting the lines, whilst Barty combined exemplary defence with well-timed forays to the net.
A miraculous lob, backpedalling towards the baseline, enabled Barty to hold for 1-1. At 1-2, the 21-year-old was required to curl a sumptuous forehand passing shot down the line to remain in touch.
Those two winners seemed to crack Sabalenka’s resolve, with her bullet shots beginning to miss the mark. A composed Barty stole the vital break at 3-2, roaring in victory following another sweetly-struck ace.
“There were times in the match when I wasn’t going to have a say,” said Barty, having booked a second round against Italian Camila Giorgi. “Once I got my slice going, I was able to dink a few in to gain more points.
“I knew what was coming, but I just had to worry about myself.”
Earlier, Thanasi Kokkinakis put in a pulsating performance, but Sydney International champion Daniil Medvedev continued his scintillating form to edge past the Australian into the second round of AO2018 with a 6-2 6-7(6) 7-6(8) 6-4 victory on Tuesday.
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The 21-year-old South Australian, back at his home Grand Slam for the first time since 2015, looked to inflict a maiden defeat against the Russian, following two grass-court losses last year.
"Credit to him, he was better than me," admitted Kokkinakis. "He played the big points better, he took his chances. I didn't. That's how it goes.
"I have to stay on the court, keep working, play some more matches, more tournaments, keep trying to play week after week. Hopefully by then, by the next sort of Slam that rolls around, I'm in better shape."
Kokkinakis has laboured through two injury-blighted seasons, but the world No.216 showed his burgeoning potential in a three-and-a-half-hour clash.
Medvedev struck his shots with conviction to break twice in an efficient opening set. In the second, the world No.53 claimed a 25-shot rally to chalk up a 4-2 lead, before Kokkinakis converted a tricky overhead to earn the break back.
A tiebreak was required, and a brace of blistering forehands from the home charge set up a 4-1 boost. Two chances went begging, but the ardent green and gold fans were in full voice after an ace and fizzing forehand pass levelled the match.
The third set was punishing for the 21-year-old duo, with both returners unable to inflict damage. Another enthralling tiebreak ensued, as Medvedev snatched the initiative with six consecutive points.
Kokkinakis went for broke off the forehand wing, arrowing two winners down the line to save set point and secure his own. Medvedev completed a devastating backhand one-two to reinstate his set lead with three successive points.
"As soon as I lost that third set, I knew I was in a bit of strife. I didn't feel great physically. Obviously he had a lot of matches," added Kokkinakis.
"He's obviously played a lot more matches the past couple years. He's playing some good tennis right now. Good luck to him."
In the fourth, Kokkinakis surrendered serve immediately, whilst Medvedev maintained the pressure to fend off any danger of a decider.
It was a promising return for the Australian, but Medvedev motors on.
In other Aussie action on Day 2, Nicolas Kicker inflicted a cruel 6-3 6-1 4-6 3-6 6-3 defeat on a gallant Jordan Thompson in a turbulent battle on Court 8.
The Kicker backhand was in full flight, and a series of crisp volleys helped catapult the world No.93 Argentine to a comprehensive 6-3 opener.
Kicker, who has never featured in the main draw at Melbourne Park, doubled his advantage with 10 winners.
Thompson managed to haul himself back from a 0-2 deficit last year in a first-round triumph over Joao Sousa.
It looked an impossible task down an immediate break in the third set, but Thompson, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, rattled through three breaks to extend the encounter.
Once again the 23-year-old was down 0-2, but canvassed the court to claim back the initiative. Thompson struck a hold to love to force a decider, and marched back to his seat with a steely look in his eye.
The match hinged on a gladiatorial 12-minute Kicker service game at 2-2. Six break points were surrendered as the Argentine escaped to power over the first hurdle.
Lucie Safarova, the women’s 29th seed, had too much firepower in a 7-5 6-3 passage past Ajla Tomljanovic.
Safarova, the reigning doubles champion at Melbourne Park, stole an early break, before the Aussie restored parity with a fizzing forehand return winner for 4-4 on the scoreboard.
Three games in a row had the world No.29 a set up, but the left-hander met more stern resistance in the second set. Locked at 3-3, Safarova hooked a curving forehand passing shot just out of Tomljanovic’s reach to clinch the pivotal break.
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Lizette Cabrera defied her ranking to push world No.70 Beatriz Haddad Maia in a finely poised match.
The Brazilian had cruised past Cabrera at Hobart last week to the loss of just five games, but the 20-year-old Australian sauntered to an early 3-0 advantage.
However, the world No.70 soon found her groove and took the first set into a tiebreak, which she dominated, ahead of building on that momentum for a 4-1 second set lead.
World No.161 Cabrera fought on valiantly and was able to chalk up 4-4. The Aussie youngster fended off break point with a sublime, disguised drop shot, but the Brazilian soon booked a second-round ticket in straight sets.
French Open boys’ champion Alexei Popyrin demonstrated his promise in an absorbing first-round meeting with fellow wildcard Tim Smyczek, with the American posting a 6-3 6-7(14) 6-3 6-3 triumph.