World number 4 Jasmine Paolini beat Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-2 6-3 in 1 hour and 17 minutes to reach the third round at the Australian Open.
Zarazua earned an early break in the first game of the opening set. Paolini won four consecutive games with two breaks to take a 4-1 lead, but she did not convert a break point for 5-1 in the sixth game. The Olympic doubles champion won eight of the next ten points and broke at 15 in the eighth game to seal the first set 6-2 after 35 minutes.
Paolini broke serve in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead in the second set. Zarazua broke straight back in the third game for 1-2. Paolini earned a second break in the fourth game and held serve at love to take a 4-1 lead. Zarazua won eight of the next nine points to break back for 3-4 in the seventh game. Paolini broke for the third game in the eighth game after two deuces and held at 15 on her first match point to seal the second set 6-3 in 42 minutes.
Paolini set up a match against number 28 seed Elina Svitolina.
