Australia’s Daria Gavrilova and Jason Kubler have lost their round two matches at the 2018 US Open.
Gavrilova after a 6-0, 6-0 opening round victory suffered a comprehensive loss to the two-time finalist Victoria Azarenka, going down 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 22 minutes. Gavrilova hit more winners than her opponent with 14 to 13, however, she had 27 unforced errors to 12.
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Photo: 2018 US Open Tennis Tournament- Day Three. Daria Gavrilova of Australia in action against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the Women’s Singles round two match on Court Seventeen at the 2018 US Open Tennis Tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29th, 2018 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
This was a match that brought together two former junior champions with Azarenka the 2005 girls’ champion and Gavrilova the 2010 girls’ champion. In this match Azarenka broke her Australian opponent seven times. Azarenka needed a wildcard to play this year after being away from the game for a long period due to custody issues with her son.
“I was prepared to stay there as long as it needed to be, but it was good to see the consistent level,”Azarenka said after the match.
“There were no up-and-downs today. That’s what I’m more happy about.”
Gavrilova won just 40 percent of points played behind her first serve in the match, and just 36 percent of points played behind her second serve. Azarenka won over 60 percent of the points played (36/58), in return games overall.
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Photo: 2018 US Open Tennis Tournament- Day Three. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in action against Daria Gavrilova of Australia in the Women’s Singles round two match on Court Seventeen at the 2018 US Open Tennis Tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29th, 2018 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Obviously, I played Cincinnati, played Montreal, it was a real struggle for me. I didn’t feel like I wanted to play this much. I didn’t really enjoy myself, because I feel like when you go through difficult times you sometimes have a very narrow focus on result only, and it’s hard to look outside of that,” Azarenka said.
“That’s where I caught myself, really focusing on the result. It didn’t bring me joy of the journey, of experience. It really held me back, I feel like it held me back from improving or transitioning from practice to match. It’s been a really a struggle.
“Right now, I feel happy on the court. I feel happy outside of the court. I feel that little by little, I am making that transition. I feel a lot more comfortable, confident on the court. I really do enjoy playing and fighting and just being here.”
Kubler Tumbles Out
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Photo: NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 29: Jason Kubler of Australia returns the ball during his men’s singles second round match against Taylor Fritz of the United States on Day Three of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
After six knee surgeries that have plagued the career of former world no. 1 junior Jason Kubler, that last thing you want to see is for him to go down injured yet again. This time in round two action at the US Open Kubler this time rolled his right ankle in a match against USA’s Taylor Fritz.
Fritz was up two sets to one at the time Kubler had to call it quits early in the fourth set. The Australian who had just cracked the top-100 rolled his ankle while moving to his right with the score at 3-4 in the third. After receiving treatment on the court he took a medical timeout. After getting back on court Kubler lost eight of the next nine points before deciding he could not continue.
“It’s not the way that you want to be in the third round, but I do feel like I have worked really hard and I deserve it. So I am happy to be moving forward and excited for my next match,” Fritz said.
Fritz takes on Austria’s Dominic Thiem in the third round. The first time the American has reached the third round at a grand slam event.
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Photo: NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 29: Jason Kubler of Australia is looked over during his men’s singles second round match against Taylor Fritz of the United States on Day Three of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
