Bianca Andreescu knocks out seeded player in first round of 2023 Australian Open

Bianca Andreescu (MGLovesTennis, Wikimedia Commons)

Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario is one of four Canadian singles players to reach the second round of the 2023 Australian Open. On Sunday, Andreescu beat Marie Bouzkova of Czechia 6-2, 6-4. The win was significant because Bouzkova is a seeded player, ranked 25th in the draw. Andreescu won 93% of her points on her second serve and broke Bouzkova thrice.

This was the second time Andreescu has beaten Bouzkova in a grand slam tournament. She was also victorious in the first round of the 2019 French Open, as Andreescu won 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Andreescu will now face Cristina Bucsa of Spain in the second round. This will be their first ever meeting head-to-head.

Andreescu is one of two Canadian women to reach round two. The other is Leylah Annie Fernandez of Montreal, Quebec, who beat France’s Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-2 in round one. Fernandez next plays another Frenchwoman in Caroline Garcia in round two. Garcia, who won the 2022 Cincinnati Masters title, beat Canadian Katherine Sebov of Toronto, Ontario, 6-3, 6-0 in the first round, and is seeded fourth.

In men’s action, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal, Quebec, the sixth seed, beat fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, British Columbia, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6. 6-3. Meanwhile, Denis Shapovalov of Toronto, Ontario, the 20th seed, beat Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. Auger-Aliassime faces Alex Molcan of Slovakia in round two. Molcan won their only prior meeting, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 in the second round of Morocco in 2022. Shapovalov faces Taro Daniel of Japan in round two. Shapovalov previously beat Daniel 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the second round of the 2019 Australian Open, and 6-4, 6-3 in the second round of Dubai in 2022.

Written by