Tight Matches at the Brisbane International: Kyrgios Loses to Mpetshi Perricard, Sabalenka Wins
Men’s Singles
Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios, making his comeback after wrist reconstruction and other injuries, lost in three tight sets to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in almost two and a half hours. Kyrgios, 29, went down 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3) as serve dominated the match.
Mpetshi Perricard, 21, who has risen from 205 in the world at the start of 2024 to his current ranking of 31, fired down 36 aces. "Playing Nick here wasn’t a good match-up for me," he said. "He did some good things – he played with confidence. I’m sure he’s going to be back in the next few months."
Women’s Singles
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka overcame a sluggish start to win her season-opener at the Brisbane International. The Belarusian appeared bothered by the high humidity on the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, particularly during an error-strewn first set. However, after breaking Mexico’s Renata Zarazua at 5-4, Sabalenka surged through the second set to wrap up the match 6-4, 6-0 in 65 minutes.
"The first match is always a tricky one," Sabalenka said. "It was a tricky start for me but, I’m glad that I closed it out in the first set, and in the second set I felt like whatever I tried to do it would work for me. So I’m really happy for the first win of the season."
Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997-99 to win three Australian Opens in succession. She will play Yulia Putintseva next after the Kazakh’s 6-2, 7-5 win over American Mccartney Kessler.
Upsets in the Women’s Draw
There was an upset in the women’s draw when Armenia’s world number 43 Elina Avanesyan beat Spain’s fourth seed Paula Badosa in the first match on centre court. Avanesyan broke the world number 12 early in the decider before easing away to win 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
Conclusion
The Brisbane International has seen some exciting matches, with Nick Kyrgios’ loss to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Aryna Sabalenka’s win over Renata Zarazua. The tournament promises to be an exciting one, with many upsets already happening. Stay tuned for more updates and results from the Brisbane International.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How did Nick Kyrgios perform in his comeback match?
A: Kyrgios lost to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in three tight sets.
Q: Who won the match between Aryna Sabalenka and Renata Zarazua?
A: Sabalenka won the match 6-4, 6-0 in 65 minutes.
Q: Who is bidding to win three Australian Opens in succession?
A: Aryna Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997-99 to win three Australian Opens in succession.
Q: Who won the match between Elina Avanesyan and Paula Badosa?
A: Avanesyan won the match 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.