Top seed Gabriella Taylor (GBR) has advanced to the second round of the ACT Claycourt International #2 on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old Brit overpowered Australian Kaylah McPhee 6-4 6-1 in one hour and 45 minutes.
“I’m happy that today I managed to get through and actually play some great tennis considering that I wasn’t feeling great. But now that I finished the match, I feel much, much better than I did than at the beginning of the match so yeah just really pleased.”
Taylor has been in red hot form in Australia this summer, winning three singles titles on both hard and grass playing surfaces. The Brit also made the semifinals of the ACT Claycourt International #1 last week, going down to eventual winner Dalila Jakupovic.
It is this form that has seen Taylor’s rankings shoot through the roof, with the World No.178 climbing 145 places in just three months.
“I mean I put it all down to hard work, it’s just paying off, and starting with my new team in Barcelona from last November so it’s been really good.”
Taylor says that despite her form, she is trying not to put extra pressure on herself to keep the form up.
“It’s been a very successful trip but obviously this is the last tournament of the trip and I’m not thinking about you know ‘I have to do as well’, I’m just gonna do my best and focus on all the things I need to work on and improve on during the matches. So yeah just I’m going to go out there and do my best this week.”
Taylor faces Austria’s Pia Konig in the next round, who won in three sets on Tuesday.
In other results, Australians Ellen Perez [7] and Jaimee Fourlis [8] are also through to the second round after wins over Ramu Ueda (JPN) and Maddison Inglis (AUS) respectively. Australia’s Abbie Myers and Naiktha Bains were unfortunately bundled out by their higher ranked opponents.
Local hope Alison Bai is in action tomorrow against her doubles partner Zoe Hives (AUS).
Entry to the Canberra Tennis Centre is free with play to commence at 10am.
Draws and order of play can be found here
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