Australian Open: Sloane Stephens and Angelique Kerber make strong start

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The better-ranked American served at 80% and despite losing serve twice she had the advantage ever since she erased an early deficit in the opening set, hitting more winners and fewer unforced errors to leave the rival far behind.

Taylor made the best possible start after seizing an opening eight points but she couldnt build more on that, losing serve in game three and also the edge on the return in the rest of the set, allowing Sloane to impose her strokes and wait for another chance on the return patiently.

She wasted three break points at 3-3 but found the way to steal Townsends serve two games later before closing the opener with a hold at 15 in game 10. Stephens was on a roll now, breaking three times in a row in the second set and sealing the deal on the fifth match point while leading 5-2 to secure the place in the second round.

. Hercog was the more aggressive player but she failed to reduce the number of errors, wasting all four break points she earned and giving her serve away on four occasions to finish on the losing side.

Angelique forged the lead with breaks in the third and fifth games of the opening set and she raced towards a 6-2, 4-1 lead before saving three break points in game six and bringing the match home with an excellent hold at 5-2.

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Mladenovic did score two breaks but that was never enough after such a poor performance behind her initial shot, struggling on both the first and second serve and getting broken five times from eight opportunities she gave to the Croat.

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