Vicky Jiménez Kasintseva Advances in Australian Open Qualifying
Andorran teen Vicky Jiménez Kasintseva rallied from a set down to defeat Canada's Kayla Cross 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a gritty three-setter, advancing to.
Key Points
- Jiménez (114 WTA) beat Cross (198) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 after dropping first set.
- Rallied in second set with key break; won third 7-5 on second match point.
- Saved three break points while serving to stay in decider.
- Next up: China's Lin Zhu (161) in second round; eyes second Grand Slam main draw.
Andorran tennis player Vicky Jiménez Kasintseva advanced to the second round of Australian Open qualifying after a gritty three-set win over Canada's Kayla Cross at Melbourne Park.
The 17-year-old, ninth seed in the qualifiers and ranked 114th in the WTA standings, rallied from a set down to beat the 20-year-old Cross—ranked 198th—in a 2-hour-22-minute battle, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Cross took charge in the first set, securing two service breaks despite Jiménez saving an early set point, closing it out 6-4. Jiménez regrouped in the second, holding firm in tight moments and breaking on her first set-point opportunity to force a decider.
The third set tested both players' stamina amid powerful rallies and hard-fought games. Jiménez missed chances to finish earlier and saved three break points while serving to stay alive. She then built momentum, converting her second match point for the 7-5 victory.
Jiménez now faces China's Lin Zhu, ranked 161st, in the second round during the early hours of Tuesday to Wednesday local time, with the schedule pending confirmation. Two more qualifier wins would mark her second main-draw appearance at a Grand Slam.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: