“As the heat rose at Melbourne Park, so did the level of tennis from the sport’s biggest performers.”
Melbourne, Australia — Jannik Sinner, Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka all moved into the next round of the Australian Open with strong performances at Melbourne Park.
Men’s champion Jannik Sinner started his title defence in confident style. He took control early and was leading 6-2, 6-1 when his opponent Hugo Gaston was forced to retire due to injury. Sinner looked sharp and focused as he continues his push for another Australian Open crown.
Defending women’s champion Madison Keys also progressed, though she had to work harder. After a nervous start, Keys found her rhythm and defeated Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-6(8-6), 6-1. She saved set points in the first set and dominated the match after that.
Former world No.1 Naomi Osaka battled through a tough three-set match. She beat Antonia Ruzic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the next round. Osaka showed good fighting spirit and impressed fans with both her tennis and her confident presence on court.
With big names moving on, excitement continues to build at the Australian Open as the tournament heads into the next stage.