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Ostapenko battles past Cirstea in Adelaide opener

World No.12 Ostapenko took 1 hour and 58 minutes to prevail, denying 26th-ranked Cirstea her first victory of the 2024 season.

Ostapenko battles past Cirstea in Adelaide opener

Ostapenko battles past Cirstea in Adelaide opener

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia got her Adelaide International campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the first round.

World No.12 Ostapenko took 1 hour and 58 minutes to prevail, denying 26th-ranked Cirstea her first victory of the 2024 season.

Cirstea won four games in a row to clinch the opening set, where she never faced break point. But Ostapenko rebounded in the second set, earning her first break of the day to lead 2-1, then fending off six break points in the following game to grit out a hold for 3-1. Ostapenko hit back-to-back aces to close out the second set, WTA reports.

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In the decider, Ostapenko’s powerful groundstrokes and returns led her to a commanding 5-2 lead. The Latvian was broken serving for the match, then missed out on two match points at 5-3, but she earned a third chance at 5-4 with a stunning forehand winner on the sideline. Ostapenko would not be denied on that occasion, firing her sixth ace to triumph.

Laura Siegemund posted a first-round upset with a 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Liudmila Samsonova. World No.89 Siegemund needed 2 hours and 53 minutes to outlast 14th-ranked Samsonova and grab the 17th Top 20 win of her career.

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