Tennis-Australian Open day one

Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 14, 2024 General view during the first round match between Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Netherlands’ Botic Van De Zandschulp REUTERS/Issei Kato

MELBOURNE (Reuters) –

Highlights of the first day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Sunday, all times local (GMT +11):

0035 SABALENKA STROLLS TO FIRST ROUND WIN

Aryna Sabalenka began her title defence with an easy 6-0 6-1 win over 18-year-old German Ella Seidel, who managed to avoid a double bagel by holding her serve when 5-0 down in the second set.

The second seed took just 53 minutes to reach the second round.

0024 TIAFOE THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND

American 17th seed Frances Tiafoe overcame Croatian Borna Coric 6-3 7-6(7) 2-6 6-3.

Sinner a Sunday winner, Rublev gets a scare at Australian Open

Nostalgic Osaka seeks third Australian Open crown

Tennis-Djokovic comes through Prizmic test in Melbourne opener

Wozniacki through to Australian Open second round as Linette retires

Relief for Sakkari after horror Grand Slam streak snapped

Sinner buoyed by ‘Carota Boys’ as fan group make Melbourne Park debut

Injured Berrettini withdraws from Australian Open

No summertime blues for Fernandez in Melbourne

Sinner stays focused after winning start at Australian Open

Osaka just wants to have fun on Grand Slam return

Australian Open order of play on Monday

Swiatek ready for Kenin at Australian Open after ‘weird’ journeys

Confident Alcaraz wants Djokovic final at Australian Open

Early days yet but ‘light and happy’ Raducanu sees path back to the top

2317 DJOKOVIC OVERCOMES PRIZMIC CHALLENGE

World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame the first-round challenge of Croatia’s Dino Prizmic to win 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4.

The Serbian was made to battle and lost the second set on a tiebreak but eventually outclassed the brave 18-year-old ranked 178 in the world, in a match which lasted just over four hours.

2058 FRITZ SURVIVES FIVE-SET WHIRLWIND

American 12th seed Taylor Fritz survived a first-round test from Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta to win 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-4 in a four hour thriller.

The 26-year-old avoided an early exit, having bowed out of the last edition in the second round.

2020 WOZNIACKI THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round after her opponent Magda Linette of Poland retired with a muscle injury while trailing 6-2 2-0.

“I knew coming into this match it would be a tough one, and this is not how I would want to finish it. I hope her injury is not too serious,” 2018 champion Wozniacki said.

1850 RUBLEV BATTLES PAST SEYBOTH WILD

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev fought his way past Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-5 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6(6) in three hours and 42 minutes.

1754 ANISIMOVA KNOCKS OUT SAMSONOVA

American Amanda Anisimova downed 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-3 6-4. Anisimova, 22, had pulled out of the tour last May citing burnout and mental health concerns.

1715 BERRETTINI WITHDRAWS

Italian Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the tournament due to a foot injury. The former world number six, who was set to play seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday, will be replaced in the draw by Belgian Zizou Bergs.

1634 CERUNDOLO BEATS HOME HOPE SWEENY, CILIC CRASHES OUT

Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, seeded 22nd, shrugged off a brave challenge from local hope Dane Sweeny to snatch a 3-6 6-3 6-4 2-6 6-2 win at John Cain Arena.

Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, was beaten 6-1 2-6 6-2 7-5 by 24-year-old Hungarian Fabian Marozsan.

1621 SAKKARI SEES OFF HIBINO

Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari, whose best result at a major last year was making the third round of the Australian Open, beat Nao Hibino of Japan 6-4 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena.

1505 SWEENY BOWLS OVER BALL KID

A ball kid was caught in the crossfire after Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny barrelled into him while attempting a forehand during his match against 22nd seed Francisco Cerundolo. Fortunately, both appeared to emerge from the collision unharmed.

1448 SINNER TRIUMPHS IN STRAIGHT SETS

Jannik Sinner got his 2024 campaign off to a winning start by beating Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4 7-5 6-3.

The Italian fourth seed, who skipped the warm-up events ahead of the Australian Open, said: “First match of the season, so I think I can be happy with the way I played today.”

1442 KREJCIKOVA THROUGH IN THREE-SET THRILLER

Czech ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova appeared to be struggling in her first-round clash with Japan’s Mai Hontama, but the 2021 French Open champion bounced back from a sluggish start to find her stride and win 2-6 6-4 6-3.

“It was a really, really difficult match. I was struggling, but I believed I could come back and level up my game,” Krejcikova said.

1405 ARNALDI DELIGHTED WITH TURNOUT AFTER BEATING HOME HOPE

Italian Matteo Arnaldi made sure to thank the crowd that turned up to watch him beat Australian Adam Walton 7-6(5) 6-2 6-4 in straight sets, saying: “Thanks everyone for coming. The Italians. Also the Australians. I know you aren’t here for me, but thanks anyway!”

1346 TSURENKO SEALS COMEBACK WIN

Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko fought back to beat Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 3-6 7-5 6-3 and reach the second round for the sixth time in her career.

1255 FERNANDEZ LOOKS TO SWAP RACKET FOR YARN

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez said she was hoping to relax and unwind with some crocheting after seeing off Czech Sara Bejlek 7-6(5) 6-2 to reach the second round.

“First I’m going to recover. Then afterwards, I’m probably going to watch a show called ‘Reachers’, it’s a pretty good one. Maybe I’m going to crochet a little bit. I love crocheting,” the 2021 U.S. Open finalist said.

1218 RAKHIMOVA FIRST PLAYER INTO SECOND ROUND

World number 93 Kamilla Rakhimova took the honour of being the first player into the second round at Melbourne Park after beating American Emina Bektas 6-4 6-4 in windy conditions on court six.

1107 PLAY UNDERWAY AT THE 112TH AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Play got underway as scheduled on the outer courts at Melbourne Park. The Grand Slam started on a Sunday for the first time in the modern era after the addition of an extra day to make it a 15-day tournament.

A clement day is expected for the first round matches with the temperature set to rise from the current 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) to a forecast high of 24.

($1 = 1.4959 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Aadi Nair, Pearl Josephine Nazare and Trevor Stynes, Editing by Ken Ferris, Peter Rutherford and Michael Perry)