Australian Open: Barbora Krejcikova sails into last 16 after clinical win over Anhelina Kalinina

Barbora Krejcikova is safely through to the last 16 of the Australian Open for the second year in a row after a convincing 6-2 6-3 win over Anhelina Kalinina.

The Czech player, who won the French Open singles title in 2021, has extended her win record in the third round of Grand Slams to 6-1 after a comfortable with over the world No. 39 on Rod Laver Arena.

The 27-year-old will play either world No. 3 Jessica Pegula or another Ukrainian – Marta Kostyuk – in the fourth round.

“The first three games I thought were really close,” Krejcikova said in her on-court interview after the match.

“I was happy that I put all of them under my belt. From there on I was just going for my shots and trying to stay aggressive and just work on try to play good returns, good serves and started to release really well.

“I think I was able to do that. I think I played really solid today.

“I love to play on a big court, playing on centre court and big arenas I can always get a little bit more out of me.

“I’m really enjoying it and I would like to get to the stage where I can play first rounds on courts like this. That’s a big goal.”

Krejcikova broke in the first game with Kalinina double faulting to hand her the advantage. Another double fault from Kalinina followed by a wide backhand sent Krejcikova into a commanding 3-0 lead.

Kalinina’s unforced errors on her own serve kept mounting, but it was a vicious forehand winner down the line which moved Krejcikova to within a game of the first set.

Kalinina rescued three set points to claw a break back, but Krejcikova sealed the opening set on her fifth set point in her next service game.

Krejcikova saved a break point to make it 2-2 at the start of the second set before she got the vital break to make it 3-2 after another wide backhand from Kalinina.

Kalinina seemed to be put off by a new set of balls when she was serving to stay in the match and Krejcikova capitalised with a backhand down the line to seal her progression.

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