Su-jeong Jang, 212th in the women’s tennis world rankings, 3 in the first round against Danka Kovinic (Montenegro, 99th) in the women’s singles singles at the 2022 Australian Open tennis tournament held at Court 16 in Melbourne Park, Australia on the 18th (Tuesday) at 5 pm our time. After a rare close match that lasted 9 minutes, they were unfortunately defeated by 1-2 (3-6, 6-2, 4-6).
▲ Korea’s top female professional tennis player Su-jeong Jang hits the ball during the first round of the WTA Tour Hana Bank Korea Open singles held at the indoor tennis court of Olympic Park in Seoul on the 20th (December 20, 2021, file photo). ⓒ Korea Open Organizing Committee
The last set that took 84 minutes could not get over the hump
The final stage of the major tournament, which has been knocked over 10 times in 5 years, finally opened in front of Jang Su-jeong. In the case of women’s professional tennis, it was never easy to pass the qualifying rounds because of the strong winds of teenage players every year.
The opponent of 212th place Jang Su-jeong, who is difficult to even put out a business card in the round of 128 (1st round) of the final tournament, was Danka Kovinich, 99th, who has been playing in the seventh season of the major tournament so far. Except for Wimbledon, Kovinich was a difficult opponent for Jang Su-jeong, as he had two experiences in the second round (round 64) of the three major tournaments, ‘Australian Open, Roland Garros (French Open), and US Open’.
Su-jeong Jang, who gave the first set that took 53 minutes to 3-6, won the second set nicely, not like a player in the first game of a major tournament. Especially in the third game, the moment when he made a 3-0 with a backhand volley by playing boldly in front of the net was the highlight.
After that, Jang Su-jeong faced a crisis of losing his sub game, but he played a calm ground stroke fight and turned the game upside down. Jang Su-jeong won the second set in the first round of the major tournament finals with an overwhelming game score of 6-2.
Her opponent Danka Kobinich complained of abnormalities in her lower back and left leg as she was shaken by Jang Su-jeong’s persistent stroke fight and requested a medical time-out ahead of the third set. Jang Su-jeong, who came out boldly aiming for a comeback victory, played an aggressive game in the beginning of the last set, but made many strokes and passed the flow.
It was a disappointing moment since the forehand cross was too long and fell outside the side row from the first game of the 3rd set, which started as a sub game. The third game was rocked by a decisive double fault. The game score from 0-3 to the final set was not an easy distance to catch up with. He regained his breath and boasted a sharp backhand cross-angle shot and followed the two games down, but Su-jeong Jang’s back heart didn’t end there.
Rarely in a women’s singles game, this final set lasted 84 minutes and ended round one when Danka Kovinic’s match point fell deep into the corner of the court. Although Jang Su-jeong’s first challenge in the major tournament ended in 3 hours and 9 minutes like this unfortunately, the content that overwhelms the second set was definitely a moment that will be remembered as a good experience.
On the other hand, Kwon Soon-woo, 53rd in men’s singles, who enjoyed his first victory in the Australian Open final a day earlier than Jang Su-jeong, will meet Denis Shapovalov (Canada), who is ranked 14th in the world on the 19th (Wednesday).
2022 Australian Open tennis women’s singles round 1 results
(January 18 (Tuesday) 5 PM, Melbourne Park Court 16)
★ Sujeong Jang 1-2 (3-6, 6-2, 4-6) Danka Kovinich
◇ Comparison of key records
Sub Ace: Jang Sujeong 1, Danka Kovinich 0
Double Fault: 3 long crystals, 4 Danka Kovinich
First serve success rate: Sujeong Jang 76% (86/113), Danka Kovinich 53% (59/111)
First serve scoring rate: Sujeong Jang 58% (50/86), Danka Kovinich 64% (38/59)
Second serve scoring rate: Sujeong Jang 44% (12/27), Danka Kovinich 48% (25/52)
Net Point Success Rate: Sujeong Jang 78% (18/23), Danka Kovinich 64% (9/14)
Receiving points scored: Sujeong Jang 40% (44/111), Danka Kovinich 42% (48/113)
Breakpoint success rate: Jang Sujeong 31% (4/13), Danka Kovinich 27% (4/15)
Winner: Jangsujeong 26ea, Danka Kobinich 38ea
Unforced Error: Long Crystal 52ea, Danka Kobinich 57ea
Top speed of sub: Jangsujeong 168km/h, Danka Kovinich 180km/h
Average first serve speed: Jangsujeong 148km/h, Danka Kovinich 159km/h
Second serve average speed: Jangsujeong 129km/h, Danka Kovinich 124km/h
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