Samantha Stosur’s decorated doubles career is almost over following a first-round exit from the Australian Open with Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.
The retiring great and Cornet lost 6-3 6-4 to the Chinese-Taiwanese pairing of Zhaoxuan Yang and Hao-Ching Chan on Thursday.
Stosur, who is quitting professional tennis after the Open, remains alive in the mixed doubles with fellow Australian Matt Ebden.
But the 38-year-old won’t be adding a fifth grand slam women’s crown to her collection after making the call to walk away from the touring life to spend more time with her family and two-year-old daughter Evie.
“I still love competing. I love playing in front of you guys,” Stosur told fans on Kia Arena.
“A crowd like this makes it feel strange that you don’t want to do it anymore but you get to a point where the other things become a little more difficult and I have loved my run, travelling, playing, doing everything I’ve been able to do.
“I wanted to finish here at home. I wanted to finish in Melbourne. And this year was it. So, yeah, it’s bittersweet, but thank you all for coming out here. It’s been really special.”
Stosur won the Australian Open women’s doubles in 2019 with Zhang Shaui, as well as the mixed title at Melbourne Park way back in 2005 with countryman Scott Draper.
The 2011 US Open singles champion also claimed grand slam women’s doubles titles at the 2006 French Open and at Flushing Meadows in 2005 and 2021 and spent 61 weeks atop the doubles rankings during her career.
Sabalenka serves up Open warning
Aryna Sabalenka has continued her flawless start to the summer to roar into the Australian Open third round at Melbourne Park.
The world No.5 preserved her record of not dropping a set in six matches this year with a 6-3 6-1 trouncing of dangerous American Shelby Rogers.
The big-hitting Rogers, a former grand slam conqueror of Ash Barty, threatened a boilover early when she raced to a 3-1 lead on Rod Laver Arena.
But Sabalenka reeled off five straight games to snatch the second set before running away with the matches in one hour, 27 minutes on Thursday.
Significantly, as well as showcasing the firepower that helped the Belarusian to last year’s season-ending championship final in Texas and to this month’s Adelaide International title, there were no signs of the serving yips that have undermined Sabalenka’s progress on the big stages.
Sabalenka said two tight wins over Rogers last season steeled her focus for Thursday’s latest encounter with the world No.51.
“She’s such a great player. She always play really fast and she put me under pressure,” Sabalenka said. “Today I expected a great level from here. That’s why I stayed focused ’til the end. That’s why I was probably able to win this in two sets. But always tough matches against her.”
The Open title chaser will play either Belgian 26th seed Elise Mertens or Hobart International winner Lauren Davis next on Saturday.
Felix ready to pounce after Nadal exit
Precocious Canadian talent Felix Auger-Aliassime looks perfectly placed to make a run deep into the Australian Open, coming back from two sets down against Alex Molcan to book his spot in the third round.
The top half of the draw was blown wide open on Wednesday following Rafael Nadal’s dramatic loss to American journeyman Mackenzie McDonald after the 22-time major winner suffered a hip injury.
Sixth-seeded Auger-Aliassime is among the contenders in best position to take advantage of Nadal’s shock exit, along with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner.
But the Canadian had to do it the hard way against Molcan, dropping the first two sets before lifting to win 15 of the last 19 games in a 3-6 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 triumph against the increasingly-frustrated Slovakian.
“When I won the third set I got a lot more self-belief,” said Auger-Aliassime. “I’m very pleased to get it done. It was a tough day for me.”
Auger-Aliassime will next play No.28 seed Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina, who beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 3-6 6-4 6-2 7-5.
Italian Sinner enjoyed a much more comfortable path into the third round, needing just one hour, 44 minutes to see off the challenge of Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 6-2 6-2.
The 15th seed has made a flying start to the opening grand slam of the year, dropping just 13 games in total in his two wins over Britain’s Kyle Edmund and Etcheverry.
“I’m very happy to be in the next round,” said the 21-year-old Sinner, who is co-coached by Australian Darren Cahill. “I’m very happy to play again on this court with the roof, especially as it’s raining outside. I served well and also returned well today.”
Sinner will play Marton Fucsovics from Hungary in the round of 32.
Greece’s No.3 seed Tsitsipas and No.16 seed Francis Tiafoe, from the United States, also advanced in comprehensive fashion.
Tsitsipas breezed past local fan favourite Rinky Hijikata 6-3 6-0 6-2, while Tiafoe crushed Chinese qualifier Shang Jungcheng 6-4 6-4 6-1.
Tsitsipas will face Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor in the third round, with Tiafoe set to take on 18th seed Karen Khachanov.
No.7 seed Medvedev accounted for Australian veteran John Millman 7-5 6-2 6-2 to set up a meeting with 29th seed Sebastian Korda, who beat Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-2 7-5 6-4.
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