World No.2 Ons Jabeur got her 2023 season underway with a win over Sorana Cirstea 7-6(3), 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International 1, here on Thursday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jabeur, who got a bye in her opening match, will face Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Very happy, great start for me. Obviously, I wanted to win the first set much easier, but I will have to learn from it and keep more energy," said top seed Jabeur.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Tunisian showed both flashes of brilliance and understandable rust in her first match of the season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jabeur broke twice in the opening set but was pegged back due to a string of errors. Imbued with confidence, Cirstea frustrated Jabeur with her flat hitting to force a tiebreak. There, Jabeur dialed in to build a quick 4-0 lead and seal the opening set.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Happy that I stayed calm, not angry that I missed the two breaks that I was up with and keeping my calm to play my game. That tiebreak helped me play a better second set," she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the opening set in hand, Jabeur settled in the second set and sealed her first win of the year in 77 minutes, hitting a dazzling array of winners that will no doubt find themselves on the shortlist for January's Shot of the Month.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Happy that I stayed calm, not angry that I missed the two breaks that I was up with and keeping my calm to play my game. That tiebreak helped me play a better second set," she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n