Impressive Pliskova marches on with Blinkova thrashing

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – 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.

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.

(Writing by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by John O’Brien)