MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) – Belarus' world number 13 Victoria Azarenka lost 5-7, 4-6 to world number 61 Jessica Pegula of the United States in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, BelTA has learned.
The match lasted for one hour and 38 minutes. Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013.
Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich, world number 92, will take on Estonia's world number 22 Anett Kontaveit. On 8 February Belarus' world number 7 Aryna Sabalenka progressed into the second round after solving Slovakia's world number 100 Viktoria Kuzmova 6-0, 6-4. Aryna Sabalenka will next play Russia's world number 75 Darya Kasatkina.
On 9 February Belarus' world number 110 Ilya Ivashka will play Russia's world number 183 Roman Safiullin. Belarus' world number 79 Egor Gerasimov fought through France's world number 29 Benoit Paire 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in the opener. The Belarusian will next play Russia's world number 114 Aslan Karatsev.
The 2021 Australian Open money prize is $55.2 million. The men's and women's singles winners will earn $2.1 million each. The 2021 Australian Open will finish on 21 February. The winners of the last year's edition were Sofia Kenin of the United States and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
