Impressive Karoline Pliskova marches on with Anna Blinkova thrashing
ByReuters
Updated 19/01/2017 at 08:50 GMT
Karolina Pliskova gave Russian teenager Anna Blinkova a massive wakeup call to the realities of grand slam tennis with a 6-0 6-2 Australian Open second round romp in just 59 minutes on Thursday.
Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova reacts after beating Russia's Anna Blinkova during their women's singles second round match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 19, 2017.
Image credit: AFP
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Russia's Anna Blinkova hits a return against the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova during their women's singles second round match on day four of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 19, 2017.
Image credit: AFP
The 18-year-old Blinkova ensured she did not suffer the dreaded 'double bagel' 6-0 6-0 scoreline in the fifth game of the second set when she held serve, with the crowd in Margaret Court Arena giving her a warm round of sympathetic applause.
Blinkova, who came through qualifying and upset Romania's Monia Niculescu in the first round, broke into a huge grin and raised her left arm in mock triumph to salute the recognition.
The big-serving Pliskova, however, who was equally as dismissive of Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in the first round with a 6-2 6-0 victory, wrapped up the win over the grand slam debutant with her ninth ace.
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Highlights: Pliskova eases past Blinkova
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