MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Angelique Kerber has defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the Australian Open.
The fifth-seeded Kerber, who turns 25 on Friday, broke her 127th-ranked opponent five times to take the match in 77 minutes.
Kerber had a breakthrough year in 2012, reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon and winning two titles to become the first German woman to finish in the year-end top five rankings since Steffi Graf in 1996.
Kerber's best result in Melbourne is reaching the third round in 2010 and 2012.
