Muguruza is still perfect in Australia, passing the first round

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Garbiñe Muguruza maintained her perfect streak on Tuesday at the Australian Open, winning her first-round match at her first Grand Slam of the year for the 10th consecutive time.

The Spanish-Venezuelan player, who finished 2021 by dedicating herself in the last WTA tournament, beat Clara Borrell, 20-year-old Frenchwoman who was ranked 77th in the standings, 6-3, 6-4, starting activities at Rod Laver Arena. On the second day of the tournament.

Muguruza, a two-time runner-up in Australia in 2020, when she defeated Sofia Kenin, who had lost the day before, said she had been very cautious at the start of a major tournament.

“I’m aware of it,” Muguruza said, laughing when asked if she knew of his Melbourne Park line. “It’s so complicated. You’re always nervous when you play here on Rod Laver, which I love, and you start doing a Grand Slam. I always got through the first round.”

“I’m so happy with the way you played, of course, controlling my nerves,” she said.

Muguruza, the 13th seed, will meet France’s Alize Cornet, who beat Victoria Tomova 6-3, 6-3.

The 17th seed, Roland Garros 2020 champion, Iga Sweetek, started her participation with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Britain’s Harriet Dart, who qualified for the tournament and is ranked 123rd in the world rankings.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova lost to Romania’s Sorana Kirstia for the second year in a row, this time 6-2 6-2 in the first round.

Others who also advanced were Elise Mertens, who defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-5, and former US Open champion Sam Stosur, who recovered to defeat Robin Anderson 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3.

In the first results of the men’s championship, Argentine Diego Schwartzman defeated Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, while Marin Cilic defeated Ecuadorean Emilio Gomez 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.