Victoria Azarenka wins strong in first round of Australian Open

Victoria Azarenka set up for a backhander during her first-round match against Panna Udvardy at the Australian Open. 

Victoria Azarenka had an easy start to her Australian Open that snapped a low point Monday. The Belorussian handled her new opponent in Panna Udvardy 6-3, 6-1 on Court Three on the grounds of Melbourne Park. It was a much-needed win for the former world number one in Australia that ended a two-year first-round losing streak. 

The former two-time champion made her 14^th appearance to the major down under and faced a new opponent in the Hungarian, who made her debut. The 23-year-old managed to qualify with an ITF title victory in Brasilia but faced a massive obstacle. The 32-year-old wanted nothing more than avoid back-to-back exits in the first round in Melbourne and dig in for a run like no other. Her swing was cut short in Adelaide, but despite losing to Iga Swiatek, Azarenka’s strength is in fine form. 

Udvardy opened service facing heavy opposition from Azarenka but managed to lock a hold in her favor. The 24^th seed answered by keeping the Hungarian back on just a point before winning her service game. She went on to break Udvardy to love in the third and create a 3-1 lead with another hold. Udvardy secured another service game and made it a challenge from Azarenka on her following service. 

Gaining a breakpoint chance in the sixth forced the Belorussian to force deuce and fight for the AD point on three occasions. After the 32-year-old stopped Udvardy on the third break, she got it put down to lead 4-3. The Hungarian was not going quietly and proved her worth with a hold to love. Azarenka reciprocated with a shutout in the eighth and followed it up with a break to love that secured her the first set. 

Despite having had three double faults that gave Udvardy life midway through, Azarenka did very well on the first serve winning 80 percent of points and having just five winners. Udvardy committed 18 unforced errors that did the trick for the 24^th seed. 

In the second, a surprising start for Udvardy occurred when she erred twice before scoring a winner. She made another one that set up the Hungarian for the break. Azarenka refused to let that happen and responded with a break back to love. The Belorussian turned her offense around to hold the third and went back to work splitting her opponent’s gameplay. 

With a double break in hand, Azarenka pressed on and locked down another hold for a 4-1 lead. She had Udvardy on the ropes when she kept her to a point before gaining her third break of the set. Despite having to work for it, the 32-year-old overcame a breakpoint on serve, forced deuce, and scored the AD point that gave her the win in one hour and six minutes. While her first serve stats were lower than the first, Azarenka’s consistency gave her the path she wanted to return to the second round after three years. 

It is there that she’ll take on Jill Teichmann of Switzerland, who similarly dispatched Petra Martic. The two will face off on Wednesday.