Leylah Fernandez shook off some rust and early jitters before she settled down and bounced Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-2 in first-round women’s single action at the Australian Open on Monday night.
It took less time for Fernandez to win the second set, as she appeared to get stronger during the match while her competitor stalled after a strong first set.
Fernandez had 24 service winners, one ace, no double faults and 19 unforced errors, most of them in the first half of the first set. Cornet had two aces, 26 unforced errors and six double faults.
Twenty-four-year-old Katherine Sebov of Toronto, making her Grand Slam debut, in currently on the court at Melbourne Park facing 29-year-old Caroline Garcia of France, who is the 2022 WTA singles champion and No. 4-ranked player in the Australian Open.
Russian, Belarusian flags banned after complaint
Russian and Belarusian flags have been banned from the Melbourne Park precinct during the Australian Open after a complaint from the Ukraine ambassador to the country.
Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, posted a picture showing a Russian flag hanging from a bush beside the court where his compatriot Kateryna Baindl was playing her first-round match on Monday.
“I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today,” he wrote on Twitter.
I strongly condemn the public display of the Russian flag during the game of the Ukrainian tennis player Kateryna Baindl at the Australian Open today. I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its “neutral flag” policy. <a href=”https://twitter.com/TennisAustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@TennisAustralia</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@AustralianOpen</a> <a href=”https://t.co/zw8pLN4FIF”>pic.twitter.com/zw8pLN4FIF</a>
—@AmbVasyl
“I call on Tennis Australia to immediately enforce its ‘neutral flag’ policy.”
Tennis Australia responded on Tuesday by banning the flags of the two countries.
“Flags from Russia and Belarus are banned onsite at the Australian Open,” Tennis Australia said in a statement.
“The ban is effective immediately. We will continue to work with the players and our fans to ensure the best possible environment to enjoy the tennis.”
Russian and Belarusian players were banned from Wimbledon last year but are able to compete as individual athletes without national affiliation at the Australian Open.
Belarus is being used as a key staging ground for Russia’s war in Ukraine, which Moscow terms a “special operation.”
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