Hot weather, early start, no worries for Keys and Pegula at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — Defending champion Madison Keys and her fellow American Jessica Pegula weren’t worried about an early start and hot weather at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Ninth-seeded Keys defeated Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in her first match at Rod Laver Arena, while sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selehmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in her first match at Margaret Court Arena.
Next, the two American players will face off in the fourth round.
With temperatures expected to reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the race started an hour earlier than planned on Day 7. Temperatures during the opener haven’t reached that level yet – just 32 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit).
“I served well and overall I give myself a lot of credit for my performance,” Keys said of her win. “It gives you a boost when you find your best tennis, trust your game and try to do the right things.”
Pegula said she doesn’t mind the warmer temperatures — “As a Floridian, I’m prepared for it.”
Case said she expects a tough fourth-round matchup with Pegula.
“Jess is a really good player and she plays great in every game,” Case said. “She was at every game. It also made it difficult for us to be friends.”
Keys and Pegula, along with several other WTA players, create a podcast called Player Box that documents daily life on tour.
“I think we have to do (one) before the game, so we’ll see how it goes,” Keys said with a smile.
The U.S. also features in several other early games on Saturday, with Eliot Spizzirri having the toughest task. The 24-year-old Spitzri, who spent part of Friday’s rest day playing table tennis on a public table at Melbourne Park Gardens, will face two-time defending champion and second seed Jannik Sinner in the day’s second match at Rod Laver Arena.
Spitzri competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments but only reached the main draw at the U.S. Open and Australian Open, with the third round being his furthest finish and career-best finish.
Following Pegula, Margaret Court Arena hosted a battle between the nation’s No. 4 Amanda Anisimova and Peyton Stearns. Then another American, eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, will face Valentin Vaccello.
Ten-time champion Novak Djokovic will continue his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title in the evening’s match at Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic plays Botic van der Zandschulp in the first match of the evening.
The final match on the home court will likely leave spectators speculating about what kind of fashion statement Osaka will make in her third-round clash with Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.
Osaka, a winner of two Australian Open titles out of four Grand Slams, entered her first-round match wearing a sombrero, veil and white parasol. For the second time, Osaka ditched the couture hat, veil and parasol, but still wore a jellyfish-style dress and matching warm-up jacket.
