Caroline Garcia is perfectly launched at the Australian Open.

For her entry into the running, the 4th in the world quietly disposed of the Canadian Katherine Sebov (190th and qualifying) 6-3, 6-0, Tuesday in Melbourne.

“The first six-seven games were close, but succeeding in the break freed me,” commented the 29-year-old Frenchwoman.

To win, she set up her forward game knocking out her opponent with 22 winners and 5 aces.

"It's the first Major of the year and the first time I've won on the Rod Laver court," she said with a big smile.

Winner of the Masters and semi-finalist of the US Open last year, Garcia will face another Canadian in the second round, the finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2021 Leylah Fernandez (40th).

No Garcia-Cornet match in the second round

Alizé Cornet will however have to forget this 2023 edition. The 34th in the world was indeed eliminated in the first round and precisely by Leylah Fernandez 7-5, 6-2.

Quarter-finalist in a Major for the first time last year in Melbourne, the Frenchwoman who will turn 33 on Sunday had not lost in the first round since 2012. She will therefore miss the long-awaited meeting with Caroline Garcia scheduled for second turn.

In a strong heat, Cornet started the game by taking the serve of his opponent and confirmed to lead 2-0.

But Fernandez broke to come back to 3-3 and, after having had a first set point on Cornet's serve at 5-4, she managed the decisive break at 6-5.

In the second set, the 20-year-old Canadian broke to lead 4-2 and won the next two games to prevail.

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