Safina, ranked 108th in the world now, never lost her serve in a 6-3 6-3 victory over Spaniard Arantxa Parra Santonja to book her spot in the second round.
Safina, who occupied the no.1 ranking in the world for half the year in 2009, had a shocking 2010 and did not start her 2011 too much better with first-round losses in Auckland and Hobart.
She then became the first ever former world No.1 to lose a Grand Slam fixture without winning a game, after Kim Clijsters knocked her out of the 2011 Australian Open 6-0 6-0, but after her victory, Safina said she is getting more positive all the time.
"I'm getting more and more positive," Safina said.
"I'm working day by day and trying to get better, and with the hard work I believe I will get better. Nobody forgets how to play."
Other first-round matches saw British no.1 Elena Baltacha surprise world No. 37 Roberta Vinci, 2-6 7-5 6-2.
Baltacha saved four match points in the second set to record the win while Urszula Radwanska saved one, as she defeated Bojana Jovanovski 3-6 6-4 7-6 (8-6).
Romanian Simona Halep also displayed fighting qualities, to defeat Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives 0-6 6-2 6-4 and China's Shuai Peng defeated the Czech Republic's Renata Voracova 7-5 6-1.
Wildcard Sloane Stephens defeated qualifier Jamie Hampton while in a battle of two qualifiers, Lucie Hradecka triumphed 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 against Kirsten Flipkens.
Hungary's Agnes Szavay beat American Jill Craybas 6-3 6-3, the Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova toppled Varvara Lepchenko 6-1 6-2 and Swede Sofia Arvidsson dumped Jie Zheng out of the tournament, 6-3 6-2.
Russian Anna Chakvetadze was too good for Japan's Misaki Doi 7-6 (7-0) 6-1 while Spaniard Laura Pous-Tio surprised German Angelique Kerber 6-2 6-1.
Ursula Radwanska, sister of Poland's Agnieska, won a thriller against Serbian Bojana Jovanovski 3-6 6-4 7-6 (10-8), the pair had played twice before, both being dramaic three setters! Last week in Kuala Lumpur; Jovanovski prevailed 1-6 7-5 6-4 and the week before that, in Doha Jovanovski again won in dramatic style 4-6 6-1 7-6 (13-11) I think it would be fairly safe to assume that these two could have an amazing rivlalry unfolding.
Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues defeated Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-1 6-1 and American Christina McHale also easily won, toppling Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3 6-1
1 comment:
The question is which Radwanska sister is better? At this point I'll say Aggie, but I don't know how far Urszula can go. Urszula is playing better after coming back from the injury.
Post a Comment