Pegula launches season in style, Navarro also wins at Melbourne tune-up

ADELAIDE, Australia — Jessica Pegula dropped just five games to romp past Maria Sakkari at the Adelaide International on Wednesday in a delayed start to her season days before the Australian Open.

The top seed and US Open finalist, who had a bye in the first round, overwhelmed the Greek former world number three 6-4, 6-1.

The world number seven will play either Spain's Paula Badosa or fellow American Ashlyn Krueger in the quarter-finals.

Pegula, who last played at the WTA Finals in November, improved her record against Sakkari to 6-5 as the Greek player works her way back from a shoulder injury.

"It's always tough getting the first win of the year, you don't know what to expect," said Pegula.

"But it's good heading into Melbourne next week. My focus is on doing well here first.

"It's fun to problem-solve on court and have a good attitude to start the year."

Second-seeded fellow American Emma Navarro, ranked eight in the world, came through a tougher assignment needing two hours to battle past Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

She will face either Switzerland's Belinda Bencic or another Russian, Liudmila Samsonova, for a place in the semi-finals.

In the men's draw Canadian fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime staged a fightback to defeat France's Arthur Cazaux 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 while American Marcos Giron beat Canada's Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.