Paolini eases into Australian Open Round 2; Lys takes second chance

2m read 3mo ago

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This time last year, Jasmine Paolini

was ranked No.31, and her run to the fourth round marked the first time she had been to the second week of a major. Twelve months on, the 29-year-old is the No.4 seed, having reached her first two Grand Slam finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

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The Italian lived up to her new status, racing past Chinese qualifier Wei Sijia 6-0, 6-4 in 1 hour and 13 minutes. Wei, who was playing her first Grand Slam main-draw match, contributed 16 unforced errors in a nervy first set, but settled in the second to show off some fine drop shots and flat strikes. However, Paolini kept a lid on the contest and prevented Wei from gaining any momentum, saving both break points she faced and finding a series of brilliant forehand winners when she needed them.

Paolini will next face Mexican No.1 Renata Zarazua

, who bounced back after squandering a 5-1 lead in the first-set tiebreak to defeat 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-2. The result was Zarazua's first win over Townsend in four meetings, and her first main-draw victory in Melbourne.

Former No.2 Ons Jabeur

also advanced 6-3, 6-3 over . However, No.31 seed was taken out 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 by in a late-night barnburner. Osorio and Jabeur will next face each other.

No.13 seed Anna Kalinskaya

, who defeated Paolini to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal here last year, was forced to withdraw ahead of her first round. Kalinskaya, who also retired due to illness from Adelaide last week, was replaced by lucky loser .

Lys made good on her second chance, racing past Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrel 6-2, 6-2 in just 70 minutes despite the short notice.

"I found out about it ten minutes before the match, so I didn't have time to get nervous," said the 22-year-old German afterwards. "I think that was the thing that really helped me. I had a pretty loose arm."

Lys had been aware there was a strong possibility of getting a lucky loser spot, so despite her final-round qualifying loss to Destanee Aiava

, she switched her flight plans, stuck around and was on site from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday. But once the news of Kalinskaya's withdrawal came through, she still had to move fast.

"I was on the physio table," she told press with a laugh. "I was getting treatment. So I actually had to just get up and get dressed first. [The supervisor] told me that I'm next match on. I thought maybe they're in first or second set, but it was [Matteo] Berrettini. It was 5-3. She's, like, 'Yeah, you're playing next match.'

"I was panicking a little bit because I didn't really prepare my drinks. I didn't have match clothes on. So I went to the locker room, got changed straight away, and then they called my name. So no warmup, no anything. Maybe that's the key for next match!"

Lys will next face France's Varvara Gracheva

, who advanced 6-3, 6-4 over Caty McNally.

WTA Staff