Resurgent Sharma continues winning run in Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

Astra Sharma has scored her first tour-level main-draw win since Could 2022.

The 27-year-old Australian qualifier recorded a 6-3 6-3 victory in opposition to world No.78 Kamilla Rakhimova within the first spherical of a WTA 250 clay-court match in Budapest.

Sharma dominated on serve within the one-hour and 37-minute encounter, successful 85 per cent of first serve factors.

It’s Sharma’s seventeenth profession top-100 win and her first since March 2022.

Sharma achieved a career-high singles rating of No.84 in February final yr, however slipped to world No.285 final month.

Nevertheless, a resurgent Sharma has now received 18 of her previous 24 matches. She reached back-to-back ITF singles finals in Sweden and France prior to now month, serving to enhance her rating again as much as world No.216.

Sharma now faces Slovenian Kaja Juvan, a qualifier ranked No.169, within the second spherical.

Victory would propel Sharma into her first WTA singles quarterfinal since Could 2022.

In doubles motion, Ellen Perez and Daria Saville eradicated second seeds Anna Bondar of Hungary and China’s Zhang Shuai within the opening spherical.

Perez and Saville scored a 2-6 6-3 [10-7] to maneuver into the quarterfinals.

Aussies in motion – Budapest

RESULTS
Ladies’s singles, first spherical
[Q] Astra Sharma (AUS) d [7] Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 6-3

Ladies’s doubles, first spherical
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Daria Saville (AUS) d [2] Anna Bondar (HUN)/Zhang Shuai (CHN) 2-6 6-3 [10-7]

COMING UP
Ladies’s singles, first spherical
Daria Saville (AUS) in Tereza Martincova (CZE)
Storm Hunter (AUS) v [9] Nadia Podoroska (ARG)

Ladies’s singles, second spherical
[Q] Astra Sharma (AUS) v [Q] Kaja Juvan (SLO)

Ladies’s doubles, quarterfinals
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Daria Saville (AUS) v TBC