Angelique Kerber undeterred after hitting Grand Slam comeback roadblock in Australian Open
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Germany's Angelique Kerber hits a return against American Danielle Collins during the first round of the Australia Open in Melbourne, on Jan 16.
PHOTO: AFP
MELBOURNE – Angelique Kerber’s Grand Slam comeback ended with a whimper in the first round of the Australian Open on Jan 16, but the new mum said she was determined to keep going.
In her first Slam following an 18-month hiatus to give birth, the 35-year-old German fought hard but succumbed to 2022 Melbourne Park finalist Danielle Collins 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
The unseeded Collins will now play world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Reunited with long-time coach Torben Beltz, Kerber’s return from pregnancy leave has been rocky – she lost four of five matches at the United Cup before her latest defeat at the tournament she won in 2016.
“For sure it is a long way to be back and to play on a high level again. But on the other side, I have the experience, I know how it is,” she said.
“I played so many Grand Slams over the years. So I’m more trying to find my rhythm on court and feeling good again.
“I played here, won the tournament, and you want to get far in the draw. But it is my first real tournament (after giving birth), and I know that it needs time. It’s a completely new situation off court, so I have to get used to that.”
Swiatek, meanwhile, survived a tough test against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
The Polish world No. 1 came through 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 against the player she beat to win her first Grand Slam title, at the French Open in 2020.
The in-form 22-year-old twice came back from a break down in a gruelling first set lasting 68 minutes but stepped on the gas in the second, winning the final five games to finish with a flourish.
“It wasn’t the easiest first round,” admitted Swiatek, who is now on a 17-match winning run after triumphs in Beijing and the 2023 WTA Finals as well as her United Cup heroics.
“I tried to find my rhythm, play the important points well in the opening set. But I felt off in terms of the timing. For sure the temperature was higher than any match I’ve played here and I needed to adjust as the balls were flying.”
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu posted an impressive 6-3, 6-2 win over Shelby Rogers as she looks to get her career back on track.
Now ranked 296th after an eight-month layoff with ankle and wrist injuries, the 21-year-old showed glimpses of her best against the 161st-ranked Rogers, converting three of five break points.
It earned her a second-round clash with China’s unseeded Wang Yafan.
World No. 3 Elena Rybakina, like Swiatek, also overcame a slow start and saved a clutch of set points to beat Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion, who won the Brisbane International warm-up tournament, broke in the third game of the second set to establish a firm grip and suffered few scares after that.
She will face unseeded Russian Anna Blinkova in the second round. AFP, REUTERS