Australian Open: Varvara Lepchenko vs Duan Ying-Ying
Varvara Lepchenko takes on Duan Ying-Ying in the second round of the Australian Open.
Varvara Lepchenko takes on Duan Ying-Ying in the second round of the Australian Open.
SYDNEY, Australia – Sara Errani looked on course for a three-setter during her second round encounter with Jelena Jankovic; the Italian managed to up her game at the right moment at the Apia International Sydney, saving a whopping seven set points to take out the former No.1, 7-6(3), 7-6(8), in two hours and 30 minutes.
The 2012 French Open finalist, Errani had eked out the opening set against an opponent she had beaten in three of their last four meetings. But Jankovic won their last match at the Huajin Securities WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai and appeared poised to extend the match to a decider when the Serb raced out to a 5-1 lead.
“Yeah, it was 5-1, but I had many games with 40-Love, 40-15, and advantage, and so it didn’t really feel like 5-1,” Errani said.
“I was just thinking that I was near my best level, and to just try to keep going, play all the points, and finally was 5-All, and 5-5, 6-All, and really tough the tiebreaker.”
Undaunted, Errani saved her best tennis for when her back was against the wall, breaking the 2008 US Open runner-up twice in a row to level the set and overcome the loss of multiple match points to eventually earn the win in straight sets. Speaking to press after the match, Errani admitted that she was expecting a battle from the outset.
“It was very tough, physically. With her all of our matches is like this. We play always long matches, long points.”
Errani next plays the winner of the second round match between a pair of former Top 5 players, Sam Stosur and Daniela Hantuchova.
MELBOURNE, Australia – The bottom half of the draw is back in action led by Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska and Karolina Pliskova. We preview all the day’s matchups right here at wtatennis.com.
Thursday, Second Round
[2] Serena Williams (USA #2) vs Lucie Safarova (CZE #61)
Head-to-head: Serena leads 9-0
Key Stat: Serena is contesting the Australian Open for the 17th time – the joint-most along with sister Venus Williams
Lucie Safarova saved an astonishing nine match points in her opening match against Yanina Wickmayer, a two-hour three-set marathon. But unfortunately for the Czech, it doesn’t get any easier in the second round, where she’ll need all that grit against six-time champion Serena Williams.
The last time these two met was at the final of the French Open back in 2015, with this early encounter a testament to the pair’s diverging career paths. Serena is now seeking her record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title in Melbourne and Safarova, a former World No.5, plummeting out of the Top 50 after struggling with injury and illness.
“I didn’t come here to lose in the first round, or the second round, or at all,” Serena told press earlier in the tournament. “I’m just here to play and to win obviously, but just to play.”

[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #3) vs Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO #79)
Head-to-head: Radwanska leads 2-0
Key Stat: Lucic-Baroni is 3-14 against Top 5 players
The last time Mirjana Lucic-Baroni won a match in Melbourne it was 1998 – Martina Hingis was the WTA World No.1 and Serena Williams hadn’t yet won her first career title.
But there’s not much time for the former Wimbledon semifinal to revel in the three-set comeback win over Wang Qiang, because up next is World No.3 Agnieszka Radwanska.
A two-time semifinalist here, Radwanska faced a battle in her opener against Tsvetana Pironkova but saved her best for last to move into the second round for the ninth time in her career. The Pole is hoping to continue that run and bring her signature mix of skill and creativity to the second week of this Slam.
“I really feel good on this center court,” Radwanska said in press. “I like to play here, I like Australia. I’ve been always playing good tennis here, two semis.
“Of course, that’s always very close till the end. Hopefully I can do one step forward and play seven matches here.”

[5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE #5) vs [Q] Anna Blinkova (RUS #189)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: This is Blinkova’s first ever match against a Top 10 opponent
No.5 seed Karolina Pliskova barely broke a sweat in her Melbourne opener, making quick work of Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo and needing just one hour and dropping two games en route to the second round.
But she still wasn’t completely satisfied after the 6-2, 6-0 victory:
“I think there are more things which I want to improve. First round, it’s always tricky, and I didn’t feel that good in the first set there.
“I was a little bit nervous in the beginning, made a lot of mistakes on my forehand, especially no first serves. So this I want to improve high percentage of the first serve, definitely.”
It’s a scary prospect that the WTA’s undisputed ace leader still wants to improve her serve. But that’s what Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova will be up against in her first ever match against a Top 10 opponent.
Blinkova might be slightly out of her depths against big-hitting Pliskova, but don’t count her out just yet: she started her Australian Open main draw campaign with a statement win over the No.32-ranked Monica Niculescu.
Around the grounds…
No.6 seed Dominika Cibulkova continues her quest for a maiden Slam in her second round clash against Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei. Cibulkova leads their head-to-head 1-0, but they haven’t played in almost three years. Also in action, Naomi Osaka will look for Grand Slam revenge against No.9 seed Johanna Konta. The Brit won the pair’s only previous encounter, which came in the second round of qualifying at the 2015 US Open. No.17 seed Caroline Wozniacki is hoping for another comfortable win in her rematch against Donna Vekic, who’s into the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2015 French Open. Meanwhile, No.22 seed Daria Gavrilova carries home hopes in her second round clash against 19-year-old Ana Konjuh. Gavrilova is one of two Aussies remaining in the draw.
Defending champion Serena Williams is among three former Australian Open champions in this year’s field.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The tennis Olympians are making their way to Rio for next week’s Summer Olympic Games. While first ball won’t be hit until Saturday, the WTA stars are arriving early to acclimate to their new and exciting surroundings and have the chance to explore the city.
Check out what some of your favorite players have to say about their Rio arrival on Twitter:
On my way to #Rio2016 ! ?? Happy national day Switzerland ?? ! #proud #hoppsuisse #riocalling #Olympics2016 pic.twitter.com/iydIg3iXCK
— Timea Bacsinszky (@TimeaOfficial) August 1, 2016
So proud to be part of #czechteam in Rio ?? Go to my Facebook Fanpage for daily info #riofotodenik #riophotodiary pic.twitter.com/UOuSAcNdVA
— Andrea Hlavackova (@AndreaHlavackov) August 1, 2016
Off to Rio!!!! ✈️??☀️????? pic.twitter.com/fqH7B8bCJt
— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) August 1, 2016
This feeling ???? Rio bound .. #TeamIndia #Olympics https://t.co/wEzJ5CsWHc
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 31, 2016
.@anabelmedina cumple años en la Villa Olímpica en vísperas de competir en sus cuartos Juegos. ¡Muchas felicidades! pic.twitter.com/IWtRFguaic
— COE (@COE_es) July 31, 2016
Crece el equipo en @rio2016_es @CarlaSuarezNava @MedinaParraRio @conchitamartinz pic.twitter.com/drPUsOXvSl
— Pedro Hernandez (@PedroRFET) August 1, 2016
Le trio débarque bientôt à Rio ??????? @alizecornet @CaroGarcia @FranceOlympique #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/o4YTfO0FQl
— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) July 31, 2016
The village? the shuttle ? the ball? in Rio! ? pic.twitter.com/r9o4ksuXz0
— Zheng Saisai (@Zheng_Saisai) July 31, 2016
Hello Rio! So honored and happy to be here.. #TeamBelgium #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/r9XngTTyDQ
— Yanina Wickmayer (@wickytennis) July 31, 2016
Kiki Bertens earned her spot onto her country’s Olympic team after her inspiring run to the French Open semifinals, but the Dutch powerhouse still has some packing to do…
Packing for a trip for 6 weeks… What should I bring??? #rio #Usa #myhouseisamess pic.twitter.com/JDw7JxGgG7
— Kiki Bertens (@kikibertens) July 30, 2016
Galina Voskoboeva will headline the Kazakh team in both singles and doubles, and is giving fans an in-depth – and bilingual! – look into the Rio experience on her official Facebook page:
The Olympics won’t be complete without Svetlana Kuznetsova, but the Russian admitted to having some difficulty securing a flight from the Rogers Cup – where the two-time Grand Slam champion reached the quarterfinals – but appears to have sorted out her travel issues after a short stay in New York City:
Deammm please one seat to Rio from NY for meeeee????????
— Svetlana Kuznetsova (@SvetlanaK27) July 31, 2016
UPDATE: Kuznetsova is on the ground with Team Russia in Rio!
MELBOURNE, Australia – No.17 seed Caroline Wozniacki had little trouble in her straight-sets win against Donna Vekic, playing solid tennis to ease through 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the Australian Open.
But Wozniacki will be happy with wrapping up the comfortable victory in just under an hour and twenty minutes, because awaiting in Round Three is the very in-form Johanna Konta.
The former No.1 got off to a strong start against Vekic, ruthlessly punishing any weak serve that came her way to rocket up to a double break lead. The Croat did her best to hang in there, occasionally foraying to the net and peppering her game with drop shots.
“I feel really good body-wise and mentally, which is huge for me,” Wozniacki said in her post-match press conference. “Patches of my matches have been really good. I thought I started off pretty well today. In the end, maybe a little bit too passive. But generally, I think it was steady and played pretty decent.”

Wozniacki struggled with her ball toss throughout the match under the bright midday sun on Rod Laver Arena, and a pair of double faults in the same game gave Vekic a chance to break back at 4-1, wrong-footing Wozniacki with her inside-out forehand winners. The momentary lapse did nothing to halt the Dane’s momentum and she got right back on track in the next game, breaking back and serving out the set comfortably.
She broke three more times in the final set, absorbing Vekic’s pace and rhythm to force the errors, which came fast and thick towards the end of the match. After just an hour and 18 minutes she made her way to the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2014.
The former No.1 was just too solid, hitting 21 winners to 9 unforced errors against Vekic’s 23 winners and 32 unforced errors. The Dane was also a force at the net, winning 80% of her 15 forays to the net.
She’ll look to continue that form against Konta, her opponent in the third round.
“She plays really well, you know, big forehand, big serve,” Wozniacki said. “But I’m ready. I’m playing well. I’m excited for the challenge.
“She’s obviously won last week in Sydney. She had a good last year. I’m here to fight. I’m here to do my best, and try and win the match.”
Caroline #Wozniacki is through to 3R #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/kJ0BoDLFFo
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 19 de enero de 2017
Sara Errani takes on Jelena Jankovic in the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
No.5 seed Karolina Pliskova put on another emphatic performance to dismiss Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova in straight sets at the Australian Open.
World No.2 Simona Halep held off the big-serving Karolina Pliskova to move through to the semifinals of the Apia International Sydney. A former World No.2 is up next.