Just not a stunt Arianne Hartono at Australian Open: ‘Mindmill started spinning’ | Tennis

sport">The 25-year-old Hartono, who won three qualifiers last week, had the best of the game for a long time. However, the global number 191 was unable to maintain her level and saw the young and impetuous American getting better and better in the game. 20-year-old Anisimova finished it after an hour and 44 minutes on her first match point, due to a mistake by the Dutchman.

sport">Hartono started her first race ever on the highest podium and imposed her will on the American. The qualifier seemed unimpressed on her debut, hitting one winner after another, while Anisimova played very carelessly.

sport">An important moment in the match came with a 4-3 lead for Hartono in the second set. The Dutch had the corner after a high ball from her opponent to choose, but she hit the ball completely wrong. Instead of deuce it became 4-4, after which the somewhat shaken Hartono also lost the last two games of the set.

sport">In the deciding set, Hartono was still ahead 2-1 after breaks, but after she gave up that break lead, her level dropped. She tried to get back into the game with uninhibited tennis, but Anisimova served the game convincingly.

Thought Mill

sport">„With a lead of 6-2 4-2 I thought ‘oh, it’s in there’. I’m only human and then the thought mill started spinning, so to speak. And she took advantage of that,” said Hartono after her first duel ever at a grand slam.

sport">“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little nervous and start thinking about it. I thought a step too far ahead and I’m really disappointed now. It’s a shame, but I now know from myself that I can put myself in that position. Hopefully I will learn from it and improve in that area.”

sport">Anisimova, former semifinalist at Roland Garros, had little to contribute in one and a half sets. Hartono: „I played free and had nothing to lose, but she also started to play better and better. She’s had quite a bit of success early in the season, so I think I can be happy with my performance.”

Climbed up quickly

sport">Hartono, who has Indonesian parents, only made her debut at a WTA tournament in Luxembourg last year. She was educated in American college tennis, where she won the leading NCAA championship in 2018 as a student at the University of Mississippi.

sport">Anisimova was in 21st place in the world ranking in 2019. That year she reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and the fourth round at the Australian Open. In the run-up to this year’s Australian Open, she already won a preparatory tournament in Melbourne more than a week ago.

Dutch people

sport">Botic van de Zandschulp and Arantxa Rus will play on the same track on the second day of the Australian Open. Van de Zandschulp will start his duel with the German Jan-Lennard Struff in the night from Monday to Tuesday at 1:00 a.m. Dutch time on lane 17, while the Russian will meet the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek in the third match.

sport">For 26-year-old Van de Zandschulp, it will be his first Grand Slam match since his memorable streak at last year’s US Open. He reached the last eight in New York. The number 57 in the world never hit Struff before.

sport">Rus (31) hopes to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open, just like in 2011 and 2020. She regularly meets her doubles partner in the Slovenian, in the past, the number 29 of the placement list.

sport">A women’s match is played between the duels between Van de Zandschulp and Rus.

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