Aussie tennis fans had their hearts in their mouths as Ash Barty made everyone nervous with a surprise start to her Australian Open campaign.
less than 2 min read
January 20, 2020 - 8:45AM
Photo: Twitter.
Day one of the Australian Open gave tennis fans plenty to talk about with Swiss superstar Roger Federer, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and local hope Ash Barty both all moving through to the second round.
Barty dropped her first set of the tournament but bounced back and became the only Aussie to win on Monday while fellow homegrown stars Sam Stosur, Andrew Harris, John-Patrick Smith and Lizette Cabrera were all bundled out.
ROD LAVER ARENA
Naomi Osaka (3) defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-2 6-4
Serena Williams (8) defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0 6-3
Roger Federer (3) defeated Steve Johnson 6-3 6-2 6-2
Novak Djokovic has booked his spot in the second round of the Australian Open after a rollercoaster win over German Jan-Lennard Struff.
Djokovic had to compose himself after dropping the third set – but exploded back to form in the fourth set to win 7-6 6-2 2-6 6-1.
Djokovic appeared moments away from cruising through to the second round, before he suddenly stopped chasing the win and was broken twice in the third set.
Struff's surprise comeback ended Djokovic's extraordinary run of 14-years of grand slam tennis without losing a set in the first round of a major.
Djokovic had won 41 first-round matches in a row without losing a set before Struff made his charge.
The win was also Djokovic's 900th win on the ATP Tour.
Wow 🤩 1st time Djoker loses a set 1st rd since 2006 1st rd loss to Paul Goldstein that streak stopped 🛑 at 41 sets with Right Struff taking 3rd set
Ash Barty is through to the second round after defeating Ukrainian Katerina Siniakova 5-7 6-1 6-1.
The World No. 1 came back from a subpar opening set, comprehensively dominating the remainder of the match.
After the round one clash, Barty had the Australian Open crowd in stitches when Channel 9 presenter Sam Smith asked her about the opening set.
“Ash, you gave everyone a terrible scare in the first set," Smith said.
"Nah it’s all good," Barty replied with a smile.
“I think in the first set it was still in my control. It was just a little bit of execution. I was just rushing a little bit, trying to finish off points too early.
“Once I was able to get my physicality into it, I felt a lot more comfortable.
Barty said the Australian Open was what she had been most looking most forward to during the off-season.
“It’s amazing to be back out here. Obviously it is a tight turn around from Adelaide, but really nice to kind of sort it out a little bit more and at the start of the second set,” Barty said.
“I sharpened up and did what I needed to do.
“This is probably the moment I have been looking forward to the most through the off-season. I couldn’t wait to walk out here on this beautiful court in front of so many people that give me such love and support.
“Thank you — it is incredible, so thank you, guys."
The Australian tennis star progresses through to the second round, where she will face either Slovenian World No. 48 Polona Hercog or Swedish World No. 44 Rebecca Peterson.
Freakish weather mars Barty clash
Ash Barty received a thunderous applause from the home crowd as she entered Rod Laver Arena for her round one Australian Open match against Lesia Tsurenko.
However, Barty's campaign immediately faced a problem, a leak in the stadium's roof falling onto the court.
Water is landing directly next the the large "Melbourne" letters, near where players receive serve.
A ball kid has is run on and wipe away the rainwater every couple of points.
Roof leak on Laver but Barty starts anyway… it’s right on MELBOURNE letters so could be slippery pic.twitter.com/reAy9hO5DR
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play on Rod Laver Arena next.
After Tsurenko broke serve early, Barty tied up the score in the opening set, which now stands at 3-3.
18 matches called off
The Australian Open has confirmed 18 matches have been cancelled and will not be played until Day Two.
Heavy rain has wreaked havoc on the Australian Open schedule with three suspended matches on outside courts also expected to be delayed until the second day of the event.
It means officials will be trying to organise a staggering 97 matches on available courts on day two.
15-year-old stuns Venus Williams
Coco Gauff, who was born in 2004, claimed her first round match against American legend Venus Williams in straight sets, 7-6 6-3.
Gauff had not been born yet when the elder Williams sister first made reached Australian Open final in 2003. In fact, Venus had already won four Grand Slam tournaments when Guaff was born.
Coco Gauff does it again, this time beating Venus Williams 7-6(6) 6-3 to reach the Australian Open second round.
Gauff struggled to close out the first set, but her competitive instincts are so good. Eked that set out and then played a great second set to win.
The 15-year-old was not at her best during the opening hour of play, with Williams fighting back to force a tiebreak.
Unfortunately, Williams netted a volley at 6-5 in the tiebreak, the unforced error on the third set point giving Guaff the opener.
However, Guaff dominated the second set, breaking serve immediately to take a 3-0 lead. She was particularly destructive with her fast second serves, which were regularly clocking above 100m/h.
Coco Gauff is regularly hitting second serves above 100mph like it’s the most normal thing in the world. #AusOpen
Gauff's second serve speed average was 98mph in that set, including back to back 105mph and 106mph second serves at 5-4 and 5-5 in the tiebreak. Just insane to see someone so young serving like that.
“I just want to say thank you guys so much. You guys were chanting my name and I only thought that would happen at US Open," Gauff said after the match.
“That was really difficult. She played really well. I was really nervous for today’s match. I was shocked when I saw the draw.”
Guaff rose to stardom during Wimbledon last year, reaching the fourth round in a steller run.
Serena dodges Meghan Markle bait
Serena Williams was moving like a grand slam champion again on and off the court on the opening day of the Australian Open.
The 38-year-old was confronted by a prickly question as soon as she walked into her post-match press conference following her 6-0 6-3 win over Czech teenager Anastasia Potapova.
Williams was baited to weigh in to the ongoing Megxit storm in the United Kingdom following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step away from the duties expected of members of the royal family.
In a rude shock for the former World No. 1, Williams was hit with the question first-up by an optimistic reporter.
"Your good friend, Meghan Markle, who attended your last two slams, and Harry, have taken a move, a stance that many people think is extraordinary and historic," the journalist began.
"What are your feelings about that? Have you spoken to her?"
A bemused Williams was too crafty to give the tabloids the fuel they were after.
"Yeah. I have absolutely no comments on anything with that," Williams said with a wry smile.
"But good try. You tried. You did good."
Williams was much more open when asked about her friendship with AFL star Dustin Martin.
A picture of the pair holidaying in the Maldives last year has fascinated Aussie sport fans – but Williams says the scenes of Martin meeting up with Williams at Melbourne Park this fortnight would simply be too chaotic for the pair to attempt any meet-ups.
"He's way too recognizable. I think everyone would go nuts if they saw him.It would be really crazy for him," Williams said.
"He's so good at his job. It's insane. It's so cool to get to know other athletes that are so good at their craft and almost just get to talk to them and see what makes them so good."
Williams is seeking an unprecedented eighth crown at Melbourne Park, but first since 2017.
Federer cruises through after breaking Hewitt record
Roger Federer has begun his campaign for a record-equalling seventh Australian Open title with a convincing 6-3 6-2 6-2 opening-round victory over American Steve Johnson.
Federer was largely untroubled on Monday in ending the challenge of Johnson, setting up a second-round clash with French qualifier Quentin Halys or Serb Filip Krajinovic.
Novak Djokovic holds the record for most men’s Australian Open singles titles with seven, including last year’s triumph over Rafael Nadal.
Playing in his 21st Australian Open, Federer went ahead of Lleyton Hewitt (20) for the most appearances in the men's singles draw when he walked onto court against Johnson.
Star fumes over 'absolutely horrible' call
Feisty Canadian Denis Shapovalov was sent packing from the Australian Open in the first round Monday after an epic row with the umpire for throwing his racquet in frustration.
The world No.13 was beaten 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) by Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in a big upset on day one of the first Grand Slam of the year.
Considered one of the new generation who could challenge the Big Three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the 20-year-old lost the plot after being crushed in the third set.
The umpire warned him for throwing down his racquet and it didn’t go down well with the temperamental Canadian.
“I’m not breaking any rules,” he shouted at the official. “It’s my racquet I can do whatever the hell I want with it.” “What are you talking about, I didn’t break it,” he added.
Speaking after the match, Shapovalov was still angry about the umpire's decision to hand him a code violation warning.
He said the official informed him he was being handed a warning because of repeated cases where he angrily tossed his racquet away.
Shapovalov insisted the code violation should have been overturned because his racquet didn't break and he was able to keep playing with it.
"You can’t code me for slamming it," he said.
"I think that’s a terrible call.
"He just said I kept doing it so he was going to code me, which is a terrible decision."
He said the match umpire should be held accountable for the decision.
"I think it’s absolutely horrible. I’m going to get fined… he gets away with it.
"I didn’t break my racquet or anything."
Guessing Denis Shapovalov might feel a bit embarrassed if and when he reads the grand slam rule book. Still annoyed with the umpire over his code violation for racket abuse because he thinks you have to break your racket to be coded. You don't.
Players are regularly handed code violations for throwing racquets in a violent manner – and don't need to break their racquets to be in violation of the rule book.
– with AFP
Serena completes demolition job
Serena Williams crushed Anastasia Potapova in straight sets to book a spot in the second round, winning 6-0 6-3.
The American needed less than 20 minutes to claim the first set but faced a sterner task in the second as her 18-year-old opponent pushed through her early nerves to ask the veteran some tough questions.
Williams eventually wrapped things up in 57 minutes.
First major upset at the Open
Borna Coric became the first seeded player to be knocked out, losing in straight sets to Sam Querrey.
The unseeded American went through 6-3 6-4 6-4, robbing his Croatian opponent of the chance to repeat his 2019 run at Melbourne Park when he made it to the round of 16.
We've our first upset. 25th seed Borna Coric is knocked out by Sam Querrey 3-6, 4-6, 4-6.
Rough start to the season for the Croatian. #AusOpen
Meanwhile, on Margaret Court Arena, 13th seed Denis Shapovalov scraped through a second-set tiebreak to level up his match against Marton Fucsovics at one set apiece.
Aussie wildcard Andrew Harris lost his first-round match against Italian Matteo Berrettini in straight sets.
The undisputed ‘King of Clay’, 22-time grand slam winner and all-time great Rafael Nadal has played his final professional tennis match at age 38. His most memorable Grand Slam finals recounted here.
