MELBOURNE, Australia – Defending champion Madison Keys survived a tough challenge in the second set on Thursday but defeated compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
After powering through the first set, ninth-seeded Keys fell behind 5-2 in the second set but rallied for the win at John Cain Arena.
In another early match between two American women, sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula defeated McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-2.
“I think I started really well and Ashlyn started a little slow,” Keys said. “And then I fully expected her to raise her level, which she did. It just kind of went quickly for me.”
Keys said she tried to get back to basics, hoping she could at least prepare for a decisive third set.
Instead she took the second.
“I just wanted to make sure, even if I lost the (second) set, that I tried to get back into the set and figure out where my game was going and be able to get a few more points on the board,” Keys said. “Once I got some momentum back, I just tried to sink my teeth into the set and do whatever I could to get back into it.”
In the early men’s matches, eighth-seeded Ben Shelton of the United States reached the third round, beating Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Two other ranked men also advanced. Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti defeated compatriot Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, and No. 15 Karen Khachanov advanced with a victory over Nishesh Basavereddy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.
Later, fourth-seeded and 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic took on Italy’s Francesco Maestrelli.
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