At the Brisbane International, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic kicked off his season in style, effortlessly advancing to the second round after defeating Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday.
A day earlier, Djokovic delighted fans by teaming up with former rival turned friend Nick Kyrgios in doubles play at the ATP 250 event. Continuing his momentum in singles, the 24-time Grand Slam champion secured the first set with a commanding ace.
Despite the support of the home crowd, wild-card entrant Hijikata fought valiantly but couldn’t overcome Djokovic’s experience and skill. The Serbian maestro broke Hijikata’s serve to lead 4-3 in the second set, eventually sealing the match. Djokovic is set to face France’s Gael Monfils in the next round, aiming to extend his perfect record against Monfils, having won all 19 of their previous encounters.
In the women’s draw, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka commenced her campaign with a dominant performance against Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, winning in straight sets.
Sabalenka, the reigning two-time Australian Open champion, took an early 2-0 lead in the first set. Despite Zarazua holding serve to level at 4-4, Sabalenka broke back to claim the set 6-4. The Belarusian superstar showcased her prowess in the second set, delivering a flawless 6-0 “bagel” to advance to the last 16, where she will meet Kazakhstan’s 15th seed Yulia Putintseva.
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Djokovic eases past Hijikata, Sabalenka beats Zarazua in Brisbane
cgtn.com
