Spoiler:
Swiss and Canadian on track for third-round clash
Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka didn’t face a break point as he made a confident start to his 2021 Australian Open campaign against Pedro Sousa, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to make his way into the second round.
Wawrinka, the No. 17 seed, was in full flight at Melbourne Park, the site of his first Grand Slam triumph in 2014. He controlled the rallies against Sousa, and kept the Portuguese player under pressure with 12 break opportunities across three sets. The Swiss player needed an hour and 36 minutes to take down Sousa and extend his unbeaten record in the first round of the Australian Open to 16 victories.
“I think it was a great first round win today. It’s never easy to play your first match here,” Wawrinka said. “It’s been three weeks that we’ve been here getting ready for this tournament, and I’m happy that I was playing well today. playing really aggressive, playing some good balls, so I’m really happy to be through to the second round.”
You May Also Like: Djokovic Ready To Continue Australian Open ‘Love Affair’
Wawrinka will face Marton Fucsovics in his next match. The Hungarian, who has reached the fourth round in Melbourne on two occasions (2018, '20), overcame Aussie wild card Marc Polmans 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3 in four hours and 12 minutes.
Victory would keep Wawrinka on track for an intriguing third-round clash against former World No. 3 Milos Raonic. Their section is headlined by defending champion and World No.1 Novak Djokovic, a potential fourth-round opponent.
Big-serving Raonic was in strong form in his opening match at the Australian Open, cruising past Federico Coria 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to book his place in the second round.
“It's good to be efficient early on,” Raonic said. “A lot goes on throughout two weeks. There can be really difficult moments. There's bound to be. So I think to be efficient early on, especially after competing just last week, that kind of efficiency, hopefully it can pay off down the line.”
Raonic, the No. 14 seed, returned to Melbourne after representing Canada at the ATP Cup, winning one of two singles matches as his team bowed out in the group stage. A former semi-finalist here, Raonic has reached the quarter-finals in his most recent two visits in 2019 and 2020.
He looked right at home against Coria in 1573 Arena, racking up 51 winners and firing 17 aces against the No. 91-ranked Argentine. The gulf in experience was evident as Coria was unable to break the Raonic serve during three sets. The Canadian crowded the baseline and kept his opponent on the move, dragging Coria out wide with a cross and then finding the winners down the line.
Raonic needed an hour and 33 minutes to close out Coria and move into the second round, where he will face Corentin Moutet of France. The 21-year-old recovered from two-sets-to-one down to beat home favourite John Millman 6-4, 6-7(4), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in three hours and 45 minutes.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/raonic- ... 021-monday