Oleksandra Oliynykova made life hard for the American with a vicious concoction of drop shots, slices and moonballs up to the roof
F
ans seated in the upper bowls of the vast Rod Laver Arena are long accustomed to watching tennis from a considerable distance away, but on Tuesday afternoon they enjoyed the rare sight of the tennis ball frequently rising as high as their seats.
That is the magic of Oleksandra Oliynykova, who made life hell for Madison Keys in the first match of the American’s Australian Open title defence with a vicious concoction of drop shots, slices and, most notably, moonballs that seemed to graze the stadium roof. Despite facing two set points in the opener, Keys showed her mental fortitude as she advanced to the second round with a 7-6 (6), 6-1 victory.
This was an essential victory for Keys, but in many ways her 25-year-old Ukrainian opponent, competing in a grand slam main draw for the first time, stole the show. On the court, she has enjoyed a dramatic breakthrough year, rising from No 297 last March to her current ranking of No 92. She won 57 matches last year and seven titles, all on the lower level WTA 125 and ITF circuits.
