Ana Konjuh has ended Victoria Azarenka’s comeback tournament at the second hurdle.
The 19-year-old played relentlessly powerful tennis to oust Azarenka 6-1 6-3 in just 71 minutes and advance to the quarterfinals of the WTA Mallorca Open.
“I know Azarenka is coming back, but it’s always tough to play against her,” Konjuh said. “She’s one of the best players in the world. I was motivated for sure, and I’m really glad that I could play so well today and win.”
Azarenka was returning to the circuit after a 13-month absence, during which she gave birth to her first child.
RELATED: Azarenka survives in comeback match
She’s saved three match points in a marathon opening-round encounter against Risa Ozaki in the previous round yet was no match for the Croatian on Thursday.
Konjuh started exquisitely, winning the first nine points of the match – many of them with winners. She quickly opened up a 5-0 lead.
And as brilliant as she was, Azarenka was just as rusty, frequently framing her shots, sending a forehand long to drop the first set, and double faulting to go down a break in the second.
Down 6-1 4-1, Azarenka briefly rallied, yet Konjuh was simply too powerful and accurate, snuffing out any hopes of a recovery with a forehand winner on match point.
She’ll next face second seed Anastasija Sevastova, who got past Varvara Lepchenko in three sets.
Another winning on Thursday in Mallorca was Roberta Vinci, who saw off fellow veteran and dangerous grasscourter Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 5-7 6-2.
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