The ATP-WTA Adelaide International witnessed a dramatic start on its opening day, with former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova and fifth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia making unexpected exits after losing to qualifiers. 

Czech fourth seed Barbora Krejcikova faced a challenging match against Anna Kalinskaya, ranked 75th. The intense battle lasted nearly three hours, with Kalinskaya emerging victorious with scores of 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Witness the best tennis game ever with attractive betting odds from Nextbet. 

Reflecting on her win, Kalinskaya praised Krejcikova as a strong competitor and expressed her satisfaction with her improving performance. She is set to face either American Claire Liu or Russian world number 15 Daria Kasatkina next.

Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil also suffered an upset, losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with scores of 6-3, 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova, ranked 59th, displayed a solid performance, breaking Haddad Maia three times and executing 29 winners. The Russian player, who lost to Krejcikova in the 2021 French Open final, emphasized the importance of sticking to her game plan against a tough opponent like Haddad Maia. She will next play either Karolina Pliskova or Katerina Siniakova, ranked 49th.

In other notable developments, top seed Elena Rybakina, fresh off her victory over reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka at the Brisbane International, had a first-round bye. She will face Cristina Bucsa in the round of 16 after Bucsa’s win over Italian Jasmine Paolini.

The tournament also saw some disruption due to rain, particularly at the WTA Hobart International, where only two matches could be completed. Among them, top seed Elise Mertens secured her place in the next round, defeating American Danielle Collins with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory.

These results set an intriguing tone for the tournament, highlighting the unpredictable nature of tennis and the potential for surprises, especially as players gear up for the upcoming Australian Open. The Adelaide International continues to be a crucial platform for players to fine-tune their skills and gain momentum heading into one of the year’s most prestigious tennis events. Get the latest updates from the world of tennis only on Nextbet Sports.