(Tennis news) It was not the perfect season opener for Elina Svitolina as she made an opening round exit at Adelaide International 1. The world number 15 lost to Anastasia Gasanova who is ranked 131 and did not flinch after losing the first set. Gasanova came right back in the next two sets as she started the season on the right foot and will face the winner between Miska Doi and Kristina Kucova. Gasanova defeated Svitolina 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

In another upset, Petra Kvitova also did not step up in the new season in a way she expected. Kvitova took almost an hour to take the first set against Priscilla Hon, 20 minutes later Kvitova was leading 4-2 but a few unforced errors erased the lead. Priscilla survived a smash and finished a cat and mouse chase with a volley as the scores were level and she took the second set an hour after the first one. 

Priscilla played the best rally of the match in the opening game of the final set as she broke Kvitova with a 27 shot rally and insane defense. Kvitova was down 0-3 as her forehand did have its own spotlight but a few net cords let her down, after saving three match points it finally came to an end with another Kvitova forehand going wide. Priscilla defeated Kvitova 6-7(4-7), 7-5, 6-2.

Cori Gauff made sure her season would start with a thumping win. Gauff converted all the breakpoints and did not concede a single one to take the match in an hour. The teenager will next face Ashleigh Barty for a place in the quarterfinals. Gauff defeated Ulrikke Eikeri 6-2, 6-1.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek set up a fourth round firework show against Leylah Fernandez. Swiatek was right on track from the start as she played aggressively against Daria Saville and will need the same groundstrokes when she is up against Fernandez. Swiatek's movement around the courts and her forehands need to be quick and deep in the next match. 

Fernandez reached the fourth round by defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 2021 US Open runner-up showed her swiftness around the court along with a long backswing forehand. Swiatek is only a year older than Fernandez but has more experience than the teenager and her form suggests that it will be a high intensity watch.

Also read: Sania-Kichenok, Ramkumar-Bopanna advance in Adelaide