Australian Open: Priscilla Hon goes down to Angelique Kerber in second round clash

One of tennis’ top up-and-coming starlets has bowed out of the Australian Open in the second round.

Australia’s Priscilla Hon, whose grandparents moved from Hong Kong to Brisbane in 1996, lost in straight sets to Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 6-2.

Hon, ranked 139th in the world, made waves by defeating 83rd ranked Ukranian Kateryna Kozlova in the first round in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Hon bowed out of the women’s doubles competition in the first round as well.

She was noted as one of Australia’s “rising stars” in a press release from Open organisers in announcing the wild card berths for the tournament, which runs until February 2 in Melbourne.

Hon won her first WTA tour matches against Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova and Holland’s former world junior number one, Arantxa Rus, at the Korea Open last month.

In an interview with the Post , she said she regularly visits Hong Kong. So far in her professional tennis career she has earned US$587,932 and was ranked as high as 118th back in October.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who is ranked third in the world, has advanced to the third round of the tournament as she beat China’s Saisai Zheng 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. She will face American Cori Gauff tomorrow while Serena Williams will play Qiang Wang. Osaka won the women’s title last year along with Novak Djokovic, who also advanced to the third round.