Sports
Duan Yingying gets first ever Australian Open win
Melbourne: China’s Duan Yingying registered her first ever win at the Australian Open on Monday, defeating Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.”I was shaking when I came on court,” Sramkova told Xinhua news agency.”Before the match I watched the video of her playing, I expected that (it) would be a tough match,” Duan told reporters post-match.
“I am so happy that I made a breakthrough as this is the first time I won the first round in the Australian Open. It is just a beginning for me, and I think I can go more far.” Duan took an early break in the first set off an unforced error from the Slovakian qualifier, however Sramkova managed to break back.Continued unforced errors from the world No 120, 17 in the first set was her undoing.
It’s the first time Duan has won a match at the Australian Open since her first appearance in 2014, continuing her form since the end of 2016 season where she exited Wimbledon and the US Open in the second round.Duan will next face world No 88, American Varvara Lepchenko in the second round.
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Sunil Gavaskar gives his opinion of GT allrounder Rahul Tewatia
The left-handed batsman from Haryana is garnering praise from all quarters for the way he’s finishing games regularly in the most exciting IPL season.
Gavaskar reckons Tewatia’s whirlwind knock in Sharjah (in IPL 2020) where he smashed West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, gave him the confidence that he belongs to the big stage.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “That assault on Sheldon Cottrell in Sharjah gave him the belief to do the impossible and the confidence that he belongs here. We saw the impossible (he did with the bat) the other day as well. There’s no twitching or touching the pads (which shows a batter’s nervousness) when he bats in the death overs. He just waits for the ball to be delivered and plays his shots. He’s got all the shots in the book, but most importantly his temperament to stay cool in a crisis is brilliant.”
Gavaskar has also nicknamed the 28-year-old cricketer the ‘ice-man’ and lauded Tewatia’s ability to remain unruffled during the tense moments.