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Seed No.5 Elina Svitolina won just three wins in as many games during the first week of the Australian Open with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over No.26 Yulia Putintseva’s seed on Saturday.
After missing the couple’s first meeting back in 2012, Svitolina has now won six straight games against her older peers, including four in straight sets.
“I was expecting a tough battle today. We played some epic games in the past. For me, it was just important to play aggressive,” Svitolina told reporters after the win.
“She has a very different game style from what I played my last two rounds, so it wasn’t easy at first to change. As soon as I felt better, I stepped on her my game, and it was very comfortable to win after. “
Breaking down twice in the first set, Svitolina found her form at the late stages of the set to go through to an 83-minute victory: from 4-3, down the Ukrainian won nine straight games to secure a place In the second week of the Australian Open for the third time.
The two-time quarterback will face America’s Jessica Pegula, who passed out to Kristina Mladenovic, 6-2, 6-1, to seal her place in the first quarter of a Grand Slam for the first time.
The pair played in Abu Dhabi last month in the first tournament of the season, where Svitolina won 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.
“She’s playing very aggressively,” Svitolina said of the American. “I think she built her game well for the year I think. I expect a tough battle against it. She is a good competitor. It’s going to be very sad. “
Saturday’s victory was Pegula’s second time over Mladenovic in as many weeks, as she also defeated the Frenchwoman in the first round of the Yarra Valley Classic.
Needing just 68 minutes to navigate through the game inside John Cain Arena, Pegula hit 21 winners and broke service six times.
“I think I just play with a lot of confidence and be very aggressive. I attack a lot with my hand and keep pressure on people all the time,” he said. Pegula to Tennis Channel after the game.
“I play my return games really well, my attendance games are good and I think things are just clicking right now. This year, [my mindset] I just turned out to win a round at Slam to, ‘Why can’t I go deep at Slam? ‘By setting my goals a little higher, as well as confidence from last year, I think it just happens. I’m just glad he’s coming together right now. “
On Svitolina, the American said: “We played in Abu Dhabi and it was close. Even though I lost in direct routes, I know with her, when I get my chances, I have to take them and the the best I can do. ” I just go out there, play my game and change when I need to. I’m just going to stick to the plan I play and try to take my chances. “
More to come …