After displaying the power and momentum of an express train in her opening round clash against Annett Kontaveit, Garbiñe Muguruza was delayed by an off the court incident in the opening match on the Rod Laver Arena between Ana Ivanovic and Anastasija Sevastova.
A 26 minute delay took place in the first set after a fan required medical treatment in the stands as a result of falling down the stairs. The woman in question was escorted from the Arena in a neck-brace and on a stretcher and rushed off to hospital, leaving everyone -players included- in a slight state of shock.
Muguruza finally took to the court after Ivanovic’s win and ensured she got proceedings back on time with a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 win over Kristen Flipkens. An overwhelming 23 winners to Flipkens’ 6 provides the whole story behind a result that doesn’t require a Sherlock Holmes investigation.
Flipkens, who once scaled the heights of the top twenty, is an unorthodox player that doesn’t give much rhythm but the consistency of Muguruza dealt with the task in hand comfortably. The opening set did, however, various exchanges in breaks of serve between the two but the secont set was a much simpler affaire with two breaks from the Spaniard and a much more convincing display on serve.
“For sure, yes, it’s a great win. I know Kristen, I played against her two times before and I knew it was going to be a complicated match, because she doesn’t have the common style of other women on tour”, reflected Muguruza after her win.
Separating many people’s underdog for the title from a place in the Fourth Round is the Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova, who she meets next.