TENNIS: Defending champion Keys battles past plucky Oliynykova

MELBOURNE — Madison Keys successfully kicked off her Australian Open title defense with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Ukrainian Grand Slam debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova on Tuesday at Melbourne Park.

The American found herself in trouble early at Rod Laver Arena, surrendering a double break after committing untimely double faults. Despite the shaky start, Keys managed to fight back and level the set at 4-4.

However, she was pushed into a tense tiebreak after Oliynykova delivered several deep, looping shots that kept Keys on her toes. The resilient Ukrainian even earned two set points, but Keys responded with her signature powerful hitting to erase the deficit.

In a dramatic moment, Keys secured the tiebreak with a decisive shot and celebrated her escape with a loud roar, turning the match in her favor.

The momentum clearly shifted in the second set as the ninth seed quickly surged ahead 3-0. Keys maintained control and sealed the win on her serve, ending the match in straight sets.

With the victory, the 30-year-old Keys will face fellow American Ashlyn Krueger in the second round.

-Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters