MELBOURNE — World number one Angelique Kerber gave herself the perfect birthday gift Wednesday by reaching the Australian Open third round, but she had to work hard against fellow German Carina Witthoeft.
The defending champion, who turned 29, battled through 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 and will next face Czech Kristyna Pliskova, the twin sister of fifth seed Karolina Pliskova.
The prospects looked bleak for the unseeded Witthoeft, who has twice lost to Kerber at Wimbledon including an embarrassing 6-0, 6-0 ‘double bagel’ in 2015.
Witthoeft has never beaten a top 10 opponent but she showed far more fight than at the All England Club, with Kerber taken to three sets for the second match in a row.
The top seed said she struggled with the sun in her eyes at times and admitted to too many silly mistakes.
Kerber stunned Serena Williams in the final last year and also went on to win the US Open, dethroning the American as the world’s top ranked player.
She is not only defending a major title for the first time but also playing her maiden Grand Slam as top seed, admitting she is still getting used to dealing with the extra pressure.
The top seed came out of the gates at full pelt, breaking the 21-year old in the first game when her opponent netted a backhand.
Ranked 89, Witthoeft was pushed around the baseline by the left-hander but some unusually wild shots from Kerber handed her break opportunities, one of which she grabbed to level the match.
It was an aberration as the birthday girl immediately broke back, before turning up the heat to score another break and then holding serve to take the set.
Bidding to be the first woman to defend her Australian title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013, Kerber had an indifferent lead-up to Melbourne with early exits in Brisbane and Sydney this month.
She has slowly been improving as he works her way deeper into the Australian Open and towards a potential quarterfinal against Garbine Muguruza, with Williams seeded to meet her in the final.
Kerber was rattled and lost her opening service game of the third set to love, but she quickly regrouped as the crowd got behind her to break back.
A tired Witthoeft had no response and her previously stern resistance crumbled into surrender.
MEN’S DRAW
In the men’s draw, Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori marched into the third round alongside former finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with both winning in straight sets.
Nishikori was extended to five sets in his first-round win over Andrey Kuznetsov, but he found the going a little easier in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 win over Jeremy Chardy.
However, he said he hadn’t completely clicked into gear, complaining of “up and down” form after he was broken three times by the 72nd-ranked Frenchman.
Nishikori, who believes he is due a first major win this year, next plays either Lukas Llacko or Dudi Sela, with Tomas Berdych potentially awaiting in the fourth round.
France’s Tsonga, who is seeded 12th and was runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2008, beat Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to go through.
In the women’s draw, 36-year-old Williams continued her smooth progress when she beat qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-2 to set up a meeting with China’s Duan Yingying
Williams, the oldest player in the women’s draw, pulled out of the doubles competition with her sister Serena as a precaution to rest a sore elbow.
Russia’s Kuznetsova thrashed Australian wildcard Jaimee Fourlis 6-2, 6-1 to set up a third-round clash with 31-year-old Serb Jelena Jankovic.
World number one Andy Murray plays Russia’s 156th-ranked Andrey Rublev for the first time later, as the five-time runner-up sets his sights on finally lifting the trophy.
Roger Federer, 35, has a similar situation heading into his first career match-up with America’s Noah Rubin, the 20-year-old world number 200. — AFP
Angelique Kerber — AFP
