By Chris Oddo | Monday, January 18, 2016
Garbine Muguruza got her first Grand Slam of 2016 win under her belt on Day 2. Madison Keys advanced as well.
Photo Source: Ryan Pierce: Getty
Garbine Muguruza made big waves on the WTA Tour in 2015, and on Tuesday in Melbourne she sent a message to the rest of the tour—the best could be yet to come.
Wordplay: The best quotes from Day 1 of the Aussie Open
The third seed blanked Estonia’s Anett Kontaviet in the first set and hung on as her opponent raised her level in the second to notch a 6-0, 6-4 win.
“I was really nervous,” said Muguruza. “Always the first rounds are really tough. But I’m really excited to be here again and to be in the second round.”
Muguruza dropped only two first-serve points, didn’t face a break point and fired home 22 winners against 10 unforced errors to keep her 20-year-old opponent at bay. The Spaniard, who has never been past the round of 16 at Melbourne, also picked apart Kontaveit’s second serve, winning 14 of 21 points against it in the pair’s first ever meeting.
Additionally, Muguruza says the foot that bothered her in the lead-up to Melbourne is all good. “I had a few problems on my foot, but well, I think I’m recovered now, so very good.”
In other early action on Tuesday in Melbourne, 15th-seeded American Madison Keys eased past Zarina Diyas, 7-6(5), 6-1. Keys, a semifinalist last year at Melbourne, struck 25 winners to just five for Diyas to reach the second round. 21st-seeded Ekaterina Makarova also advanced.