London
16 °C
Manchester
15 °C
Glasgow
14 °C
Dublin
Belfast
14 °C
Washington
23 °C
Denver
Atlanta
Dallas
30 °C
Houston Texas
29 °C
New Orleans
El Paso
Phoenix
Los Angeles
26 °C
18 °C
Kerber's Grand Slam comeback hits Collins roadblock in Australia / Photo: © AFP
Kerber's Grand Slam comeback hits Collins roadblock in Australia
Angelique Kerber's Grand Slam comeback ended with a whimper in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday as the new mum crashed out in three sets to Danielle Collins.
In her first major following an 18-month hiatus to give birth, the German fought hard but succumbed to the 2022 Melbourne Park finalist 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
The unseeded Collins will now play world number one Iga Swiatek.
Collins broke three times in the first set, but three-time major winner Kerber bounced back.
The 35-year-old German saved two break points in the sixth game of the second set, then worked her own break point in the next game, with Collins double-faulting to put the German 4-3 ahead.
It was the glimmer of hope the 2016 Australian Open champion needed, racing through the next two games to level the match.
But Collins kept coming and got a decisive break in the third game of the third set, breaking twice more to romp home.
Reunited with longtime coach Torben Beltz, Kerber's return from pregnancy leave has been rocky -- she lost four of five matches at the United Cup before defeat to Collins.
mp/jw
T.Jeon--SG
