INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Newly minted Australian Open champion Madison Keys crushed Anastasia Potapova 6-3, 6-0 at Indian Wells on Saturday in her first match as a Grand Slam champion.
Keys broke Russian Potapova’s serve for a 3rd time to clinch the primary set and rolled by way of the one-sided second set beneath sunny skies within the California desert to increase her successful streak to 13 matches.
“I am so blissful to be right here,” Keys stated in an interview on middle courtroom after the match.
“Australia was clearly a tremendous second, so it is very nice to be taking part in at dwelling for my first event again at a spot I’ve performed at so many instances in entrance of some superb folks.”
Subsequent up for world No. 5 Keys is a third-round assembly with No. 28 seed Elise Mertens, who beat Kimberly Birrell of Australia 6-4, 7-5 later Saturday.
Additionally Saturday, high seed Aryna Sabalenka was examined however in the end prevailed over younger American McCartney Kessler 7-6 (4), 6-3.
The Belarusian was in full command of her formidable serve and by no means confronted a break level whereas crushing six aces and successful 90% of her first-serve factors.
She sealed the win with a pair of deft backhand volleys on match level to arrange a gathering with Italian Lucia Bronzetti.
Reuters contributed to this story.