Australian Open 2019: Croatian players make winning start on opening day
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
MELBOURNE, 14 January 2019 – It has been a great opening day at the Australian Open in Melbourne for the Croatian players involved.
6th seed Marin Čilić made it three wins from three for the Croatians when he beat Bernard Tomić, the Australian with Croatian heritage, in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 in the evening match on Margaret Court Arena.
Čilić broke first in the opening set in the sixth game with a forehand winner to go 4-2 up. A backhand winner in Tomić’s next service game at advantage gave Čilić the first set 6-2.
The Croatian broke in the 10th game of the second set with another backhand winner to take it 6-4 before taking the third in a tiebreaker to cruise into the next round.
Čilić will play Mackenzie McDonald from America in the second round.
Meanwhile, in the women’s draw it was a successful start for Donna Vekić and Petra Martić. Vekić beat France’s Kristina Mladenović 6-2, 64, whilst Martić knocked out Britain’s 6-1, 6-2.
Martić will meet Czech Republic’s Markéta Vondroušová in round two, whilst Vekić will play 20-year-old Australian Kimberly Birrell.
Ivo Karlović and Borna Ćorić play their first round matches on Tuesday.
