Anastasia Potapova has easily defeated Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the Girls' Juniors at the Australian Open.
Potapova grabs early lead, rolls through first set
The match started with Potapova holding her serve to 30 after dropping the first point. After a love hold by Danilovic to level the set at 1-all, Potapova struggled, but held after Danilovic got to deuce. Danilovic then held to 30 and had a look on Potapova's serve, getting it to 30-all, but the Russian held, jamming the Serb with a good body serve.
At 3-2 ahead, Potapova made her move, first breaking Danilovic's serve in her third break chance of the game, a crosscourt forehand whistling low over the net past a helpless Danilovic set up by a nifty drip shot. She then held to love, with Danilovic dumping a backhand into the bottom of the net. She finished the set with a bang, smashing an overhead for a winner and with it, the set at 6-2.
Potapova dominates second set, breezes into second round
The second set started much the same way the first did, as Potapova held to love. Danilovic missed a backhand wide, visibly frustrated. After a hold to 15 in what would prove to be her only game of the set, Danilovic had a look on Potapova's serve, claiming a 15-30 lead, but the Russian fought back and dug out a hold, another Danilovic backhand sprayed wide. The eighth seed then virtually clinched the match, breaking Danilovic's serve to love, an exquisite lon landing inside the baseline and her lead was 3-1.
It became 4-1 as Potapova held to 30, scooping a backhand crosscourt after being drawn into net. The longest game of the match occurred next, a 14-point marathon, as Danilovic missed a forehand after Potapova threw up a defensive lob. Now at 5-1 and comfortably in front, Potapova stepped up to serve out the match. She struggled as Danilovic got to deuce, but closed it out on her second match point, a final Danilovic forehand sailing long to cap an impressive start to her fortnight.