By John Salvado
Plucky Priscilla Hon and comeback queen Storm Hunter have continued the excellent start by the local women at the Australian Open with contrasting wins.
Hon overcame a poor first set to overpower Marina Stakusic with the Canadian qualifier forced to withdrew with severe leg cramps while trailing 1-6 6-4 5-3.
It was the 27-year-old Hon’s first victory at her home grand slam in six years.
Hunter made her own triumphant return to centre stage at Melbourne Park, powering into the second round with a straight-sets win over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Youngster Talia Gibson had got the home challenge off to a flying start on Sunday with a straight-sets demolition job on Anna Blinkova.
For Hon, it was a welcome change of fortune at Melbourne Park, with her only previous singles win coming way back in 2020.
But she did make a career-best grand slam run to the third round at last year’s US Open.
Stakusic started strongly on Monday, continuing the form that led to her logging three comprehensive qualifying wins last week.
The Australian then wrested back the momentum, claiming the second set courtesy of a double-fault from the Canadian.
With the temperature rising in the final set, Hon first had treatment for a sore shoulder before Stakusic was struck down by leg cramps.
She conceded the final point of the seventh game to receive medical treatment, only to retire shortly afterwards before leaving ANZ Arena in a wheelchair.
Hon will play the winner of the all-American clash between Iva Jovic and Katie Volynets in the second round.
Hunter, 31, missed last year’s Open due to a ruptured achilles tendon and had to come through qualifying this time around.
She fell behind early in both sets but recovered strongly to win 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 26 minutes, setting up a second-round clash with American Hailey Baptiste.
“When I ruptured my achilles in 2024 I was at my career-best ranking – No.3 in the world in doubles and almost top 100 in singles,” said Hunter.
“Coming back from an achilles rupture was really tough mentally and physically with all the training.
“To be back here playing really good tennis, I didn’t think I could be back playing at this level again.
“So I’m just so happy that all the hard work I’ve done with my team has paid off and I can’t believe I get another match.”
Hunter enjoyed a career-best run to the third round at Melbourne Park in 2024 before bowing out in a tight three-setter to two-time major winner Barbora Krejcikova.
She was a mainstay of Australia’s run to the United Cup quarter-finals earlier this month.
Hunter stepped in for an ailing Maya Joint and won both her singles and doubles rubber to lead Australia to victory over Norway after Alex de Minaur had lost his season-opening match to Casper Ruud.