World No. 2 Ons Jabeur was ousted from the Australian Open after Marketa Vondrousova pulled off a 6-1 5-7 6-1 upset within the second spherical. Jabeur had arrived to Melbourne with excessive expectations as she was a finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open final 12 months.
The Tunisian star made 50 unforced errors and had her serve damaged eight instances via the 102-minute match. After her loss, Jabeur delivered a written assertion to the media saying she was having bother respiratory through the match.
“I had a troublesome time respiratory. Not positive what’s taking place,” learn the assertion. “Marketa performed a superb match and deserved to win. I’ll do my greatest to return again stronger.”
Jabeur had already proven some struggles on this event with an upset scare within the first spherical in opposition to Tamara Zidansek whereas registering 49 unforced errors. She managed to tug off that win, however her errors have been most expensive on Thursday.
Vondrousova — 2019 French Open runner-up — was unseeded. However, that by no means meant she wasn’t going to be a troublesome opponent. The 23-year-old Czech participant has been coping with accidents in recent times and was sidelined for a major period of time final season whereas she recovered from wrist surgical procedure. She began reminding everybody of how harmful she could be late final 12 months with a win over world No. 11 Danielle Collins on the Billie Jean King Cup.
“It’s wonderful. After the surgical procedure, coming again into the large tournaments. You by no means understand how you are going to do. I felt good, however the draw was tremendous, tremendous powerful,” she advised the media.
“Then additionally the late matches and all the pieces, it was form of loopy. So I’m simply very comfortable to get the win.”
Next up, Vondrousova will likely be taking up 17-year-old fellow Czech Linda Fruhvirtova — the youngest participant left within the draw.
Jabeur was not the one high-seeded participant to fall within the second spherical. Casper Ruud, the No. 2 seed on the lads’s facet, who reached the finals of the French Open and US Open in 2022, was bounced early at this 12 months’s Australian Open when he was overwhelmed 6-3 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 by American Jenson Brooksby.
For all the pieces you should know in regards to the 2023 Australian Open, together with find out how to watch, schedule and match outcomes, click on right here.
