2011 Australian Open: Li Na, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova sail through to the second round
Seeds Li Na and Caroline Wozniacki got off to a strong start at the first Grand Slam of the year with the hopes of securing their career first Grand Slam title at this event.
Seeded ninth in the event, Li Na started her title run at the event against Swede Sofia Arvidsson. The Chinese comes into the event fresh from a title win at the 2011 Medibank
International in Sydney last week. Having made it to the finals with only two set losses, Li Na defeated world number three Kim Clijsters to clinch her third title on the WTA Tour.
Opening serve in the first set, Li rushed into the lead. Allowing a loss of only one set, Li secured a breadstick win over the Swede. Coming into the second set, the world
number nine met with some resistance, though she was eventually able to dismiss her opponent 7-5.
Enjoying a straight set victory over her opponent, Li moves into the second round where she will face Evgeniya Rodina.
Rodina moved ahead after defeating local wild card entrant Olivia Rogowska, 6-3, 6-1.
Joining them in the second round is top seed Wozniacki. Although she hasn’t held a Grand Slam title yet, Wozniacki’s superb performance last year with six titles has put
her on top.
Having faced much criticism over securing the top seed position from critics, Wozniacki hopes to shoot down all criticism by securing a title win at this event.
Although the start in 2011 was not what she expected, it seems the top Dane has bounced back in this event. Wozniacki started 2011 at the Medibank International last week.
Seeded first in the event, she had received a bye into the second round however; she was dismissed by Dominika Cilbulkova in straight sets.
Wozniacki started her title run at the event having drawn against Argentinean Gisela Dulko. Opening serve in the first set, Wozniacki continued to win games on her service
before catching a break in the seventh game, eventually clinching a 6-3 victory. Maintaining her form in the second set, the Dane secured a 6-4 victory to enjoy a 2-0 set score.
Wozniacki moves ahead into the second round to meet either Tamira Paszek or Vania King.
Joining these women in the second round is top Russian and former world number one Maria Sharapova in her attempt to return to the top. Seeded fourteenth in the event, Sharapova
kicked off the event playing Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Although Sharapova lost the first game, she bounced back to win six successive games securing a breadstick victory in the first set. Maintaining her form, Sharapova was
quick to dismiss the Thai clinching a 6-3 victory. Sharapova moves ahead to play Virginie Razzano.
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