US Open finalist Jessica Pegula marked her return from harm with a dominant win over Maria Sakkari on the Adelaide Worldwide.
The American prime seed took simply 73 minutes to assert a 6-4 6-1 win over Greece’s Sakkari and transfer into the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 occasion.
It was Pegula’s first match since she withdrew from the WTA Finals in November with a knee harm.
Pegula reached her first main singles ultimate at September’s US Open, the place she fell to a straight-set defeat by Aryna Sabalenka.
She is going to enter the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday, because the seventh seed within the ladies’s singles.
“It is at all times powerful getting the primary win of the 12 months, you do not know what to anticipate,” Pegula mentioned.
“Nevertheless it’s good heading into Melbourne subsequent week. My focus is on doing nicely right here first.
“It is enjoyable to problem-solve on courtroom and have a very good perspective to begin the 12 months.”
The 30-year-old will face compatriot Ashlyn Krueger, who beat Spain’s Paula Badosa, within the final eight on Thursday.
In the meantime, Marketa Vondrousova’s involvement within the Australian Open has been thrown into doubt after she retired injured from her match towards Diana Shnaider.
The 2023 Wimbledon champion, enjoying in simply her second match since present process shoulder surgical procedure in August, was main 6-4 1-1 earlier than tearfully ending the match early.
Within the males’s occasion in Adelaide, Canada’s fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime fought again to beat France’s Arthur Cazaux 1-6 6-4 7-5, whereas prime seed Tommy Paul moved previous French fortunate loser Manuel Guinard 6-4 3-6 6-3.
