MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Highlights of Monday’s opening day of the Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the year:
0955 NADAL KICKSTARTS 2018 IN STYLE
World number one Rafa Nadal, playing his first competitive match of the year, hit top form as he cruised to a 6-1 6-1 6-1 win over Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic.
“It was a long season in 2017 and I was disappointed to not make it in Brisbane. I just needed more time,” the Spaniard said.
“I‘m happy to be here again. It’s a special unique place and one of the best atmospheres on the tour. To be in front of this crowd is so special.”
READ MORE
Nadal charges into second round
Coco goes bananas as Americans slip up
Cool reception won’t faze Sharapova – Wilander
Edmund out-guns Anderson for first round shock
Bencic sends Venus crashing in Melbourne
FACTBOX-Venus Williams v Belinda Bencic – stats
Stephens tumbles out, Ostapenko impresses
Dimitrov schools Novak to reach second round
Shapovalov dazzles on Melbourne debut
0940 HOME FAVORITE KYRGIOS STORMS INTO ROUND TWO
Australian hope Nick Kyrgios booked a second-round spot with a convincing 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory over Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva.
“I‘m just excited to be in Melbourne. A couple of years ago, I made a quarter-final, so hopefully I can go a little bit further this year,” Kyrgios, who won the Brisbane title this month, said after the match.
0930 WOZNIACKI SAILS THROUGH
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki recorded her 101st grand slam victory, beating Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2 6-3.
0915 MILLMAN DUMPS CORIC
John Millman has progressed to the second round in front of his home fans, beating Croatian Borna Coric 7-5 6-4 6-1.
Down two sets and a break, a frustrated Coric ended up smashing his racket after Millman sent a lob over his head.
0815 CILIC BATTLES PAST POSPISIL
Sixth seed Marin Cilic needed three hours and 17 minutes to overcome Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil in a 6-2 6-2 4-6 7-6(5) first-round victory.
0635 COCO GOES BANANAS
CoCo Vandeweghe received a code violation for time wasting because there were no bananas available at Hisense Arena.
After losing the first set in a tiebreak to Hungarian Timea Babos, the American number 10 seed remained in her seat and argued with chair umpire Fergus Murphy that she should be allowed more time during the break because bananas had not been provided.
“I‘m waiting for the bananas,” Vandeweghe, who lost the match 7-6(4) 6-2, told the umpire.
0550 DIMITROV RACES INTO ROUND TWO
World number three Grigor Dimitrov fired 21 winners to claim a 6-3 6-2 6-1 victory over Austrian Dennis Novak in the first round.
0530 DREAM DEBUT FOR SHAPOVALOV
Talented Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov recorded his first ever win at Melbourne, defeating 19-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1 6-3 7-6(5).
0515 AILING VANDEWEGHE FALLS TO BABOS
Last year’s semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe said flu symptoms left her struggling to breathe on court during the American’s 7-6(4) 6-2 opening round defeat to Hungarian Timea Babos.
“This is the first time I’ve been out of bed in four days,” the world number nine said. “I’ve had the flu. The doctor gave me some medication, but it’s not working all that well, so here I am.”
It was Babos’ first win over a top 10-player. “In women’s tennis, anything can happen when there is no Serena Williams,” she said in her on-court interview, referring to the absent defending champion who gave birth in September.
0450 ISNER FALLS IN OPENING ROUND
Australian Matthew Ebden beat world number 16 John Isner 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena.
0420 EDMUND OUTLASTS ANDERSON
Kyle Edmund progressed to the second round when the British world number 49 recorded an upset 6-7(4) 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory over last year’s U.S. Open finalist and 11th seed Kevin Anderson.
0345 BENCIC UPSETS VENUS
Last year’s runner-up Venus Williams was knocked out in the first round with a 6-3 7-5 defeat by Swiss counter-puncher Belinda Bencic.
0325 CIBULKOVA BOWS OUT
Estonian Kaia Kenepi beat 2014 runner-up Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-2 in the first round.
0245 PLAY RESUMES AFTER LIGHT DRIZZLE
Action resumed after light rain stopped play on all courts. Roof closed on Rod Laver Arena, where fifth seed Venus Williams will continue her opening round match against Belinda Bencic.
0225 DOLGOPOLOV THROUGH FROM MEN‘S FIELD
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov was the first one through to the second round from the men’s field with a 7-6(3) 6-3 6-4 win over Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria.
0210 ZHANG STUNS STEPHENS
China’s Zhang Shuai, who reached the quarter-finals as a qualifier in Melbourne two years ago, roared back from a set and a break down to beat U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens 2-6 7-6(2) 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena.
“This court is really special for me. I was so excited to get back on here and I think I was really ready. She’s a great player but when i arrived in Australia I was ready to play anyone,” Zhang said in a court-side interview.
0145 GOERGES EXTENDS HOT STREAK
World number 12 Julia Goerges beats American Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-4 to extend her winning streak to 15 matches, stretching back to last year when she won in Moscow, then the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai and opened the season with a title in Auckland.
0140 RYBARIKOVA MAKES WINNING START
Wimbledon semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova advanced to the second round with a 6-0 7-5 victory over American Taylor Townsend.
0135 OSTAPENKO CRUISES PAST SCHIAVONE
French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko roared back from 1-4 down in the second set to beat Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-1 6-4.
0105 CHINA‘S DUAN FIRST PLAYER TO ADVANCE
China’s world number 100 Duan Yingying was the first player into the second round of the tournament after doling out a 6-0 6-1 thrashing of Colombian Mariana Duque-Marino in 51 minutes on Court 10.
0015 PLAY UNDERWAY AT MELBOURNE PARK
Play got underway on schedule under sunny skies at 11 a.m. local time (0000) GMT with the temperature hovering just under the 20 degrees Celsius mark.
0 comments
Share
