Australian Open 2020: World no.1 Ash Barty defeats Lesia Tsurenko
The World No.1 has survived a first-set stumble to steam to an Australian Open first round win over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.
- Barty through to second round
- Seed exits with stunning spray
- Serena: ‘I’m somebody, you know’
- Bananaman demand stirs outrage
- Naomi Osaka advances
- Rain threatens day one
- Full schedule: day one
Welcome to live coverage of day one of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Ash Barty, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Roger Federer have advanced.
Top story: 13th seed Denis Shapovalov has unloaded on the umpire during his upset loss
11.34pm: Djokovic advances to second round
He’s done it! Novak Djokovic cruises through to the Australian Open second round for the 14th year in a row.
He took down Jan-Lennard Struff in four sets.
9ï¸âƒ£0ï¸âƒ£0ï¸âƒ£ Tour-level match-wins!@DjokerNole advances to the #AusOpen second round for the 14th consecutive year, def. Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(5) 6-2 2-6 6-1.#AO2020 pic.twitter.com/pnqAHZ8YIL
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
10.23pm: Djokovic wraps up opening set
The look of relief 😌
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
It wasn't easy but @DjokerNole wraps up the opening set in 50 minutes against Jan-Lennard Struff, 7-6(5).#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/UKGRqCkjXR
Will Swanton 10.00pm: Nervous Barty makes a slow start
The masses dived into their hoodies and huddled under their umbrellas. They squealed and shrieked and ran into Rod Laver Arena to watch Ash Barty and get out of the rain. She gave them a tense win before they sprinted back to the tram stops and taxi ranks. No one was complaining about the weather or the result. Manna from heaven.
Barty made a painfully slow start to her 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory over Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko. She was tense. Flat. Error-prone. Nervous. Which made Tsurenko nervous. Which made the crowd so palpably nervous it barely made a peep for a long while there. When the world No 1 dropped the first set in a 44-minute blaze of wild, confusing, energy-sapping mistakes, the unthinkable was on the cards at the Australian Open: Barty might not even make it to stumps on the first night.
Read Will Swanton’s full report here.
8.52pm: Barty cruises through to second round
World No.1 Ashleigh Barty has survived a first-set stumble to steam to an Australian Open first round win over Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.
Barty responded in ruthless fashion after a first set loss to run away with a 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory at Rod Laver Arena.
In other words: "She'll be right, mate!" 🇦🇺@ashbarty never doubted her comeback skills in the opening round at #AO2020.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/WI48x7RnRL
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
The 23-year-old, who is bidding for her first title at Melbourne Park, was the only Australian to book a victory in a rain-interrupted day one.
AAP
8.29pm: Barty takes the second set
Ash Barty has bounced back at Rod Laver Arena, taking the second set 6-1.
Never count the World No.1 out 👊@ashbarty bounces back against Tsurenko, levelling things up on Rod Laver Arena, taking the second set 6-1 in 26 minutes.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/BQoC96XeaG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
7.59pm: Tsurenko takes first set
The heat is on for Ash Barty who has lost the first set of her first-round match against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open 7-5.
.@LTsurenko in full 360 🔄
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
The Ukrainian holding her ground against Barty, on serve in the opening set at 4-5.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/fPaHozPysZ
7.06pm: Barty kicks off Aus Open campaign
World No.1 has just taken to centre court for her first-round match against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open.
Barty is attempting to become the first homegrown winner of the Australian Open since Chris O’Neil in 1978.
5.45pm: Coco pops Venus’s bubble
The youngest player in the women’s draw, Coco Gauff, has beaten the oldest to reach the second round. Gauff, 15, proved too good for 39-year-old two-time finalist Venus Williams 7-6 (5) 6-3 in a match that lasted 1hr 37min. Gauff set Wimbledon alight last year when she came through qualifying to reach the fourth round, beating Venus Williams along the way. Gauff, the world No.69, will now play 74th-ranked Romanian Sorana Cirstea for a spot in round three.
"I just want to say thank you guys so much. You guys were chanting my name."
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
We're a friendly bunch 😀#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/tv4dotDnH9
5pm: Federer flashes finest form
Roger Federer has begun his campaign for a record-equalling seventh Australian Open title with a convincing 6-3 6-2 6-2 victory over American Steve Johnson, AAP reports. Federer was largely untroubled in ending the challenge of Johnson, setting up a second-round clash with French qualifier Quentin Halys or Serb Filip Krajinovic.
Playing his first match since losing to Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas at the ATP Finals in November, the 38-year-old Federer showed no signs of ring rust against world No.75 Johnson.
“I trained really hard, obviously I needed some vacation too,” said the No.3 seed. “I’m just so happy I didn’t have any setbacks (in the pre-season).” Federer claimed an early break in each of the three sets of a match that was briefly interrupted by a rain delay and was completed under the closed roof on Rod Laver Arena.
The evergreen Swiss has not lost in the opening round of a major since the 2003 French Open and has never been beaten in the first or second round at Melbourne Park.
“I’m very happy, it’s nice to be back here in Australia,” he said.
Novak Djokovic holds the record for most men’s Australian Open singles titles with seven, including last year’s triumph over Rafael Nadal.
Courtney Walsh 4.30pm: ‘Good try’ on Megxit question
Serena Williams is a close fan of Meghan Markle, who has watched her matches at Wimbledon over the past two years.
Asked her thoughts about the significance of the royal family departure, the American opted against fuelling the fire.
“I have absolutely no comment on that. But good try. Good try. You did good,” she said.
Having avoided pre-tournament press, the American superstar was also quizzed over her holiday catch-up with dual-Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin.
“It was just by chance. We met in the Maldives,” she said. “He just happened to be there. We just hung out. We had a blast.”
The American said they opted against inviting the Richmond star, who is notoriously publicity shy, to the tournament.
“We decided he wouldn’t come to the Australian Open because he would be mobbed way too much,” she said. “If we can hang out, it would be cool. But definitely not in Melbourne Park or here. It would be way too crazy for him.”
But the 23-time major winner said there was value in associating with athletes such as Martin.
“It’s cool. He is so good at his day job,” she said. “It is so cool to get to know other athletes that are so good at their craft, almost just to get to get to talk to them and see what makes them so good.”
4pm: Meltdown mars upset
No. 13-seeded Denis Shapovalov is out of the tournament after losing in four sets to Marton Fucsovics, AP reports. The 20-year-old Canadian lost 6-3 7-6 (7) 6-1 7-6 (3). Shapovalov berated the umpire and received a code violation during his ill-tempered match on Margaret Court Arena. The blowup came after the third set. After throwing his racket, Shapovalov was given the code violation that triggered his outburst.
“I didn’t break it. If I break it, 100 per cent code me,” Shapovalov yelled at umpire Renaud Lichtenstein. “You’re not doing your job. You’re just finding reasons to code me.”
Fucsovics also beat the 13th seed last year at Melbourne Park, that time Sam Querrey in the second round.
“Usually this is not a lucky number, but for me, my favourite number,” he said. “I played some of my best tennis today. Everything was working well.”
Not long after Shapovalov’s exit, rain caused the suspension of matches around the grounds.
— AP
3.20pm: Rain suspends play
Play was suspended just hours after the start of the Australian Open on Monday as heavy rain fell on Melbourne Park, causing further disruption after a build-up hit by smoke from bushfires, AFP reports.
Umbrellas went up and fans were sent scurrying for cover as the heavens opened at about 3pm, making play impossible on most of the courts.
World No.3 Roger Federer’s match against Steve Johnson was briefly interrupted while officials closed the roof on Rod Laver Arena, and Petra Kvitova’s match with Katerina Siniakova was also continuing under the roof at Margaret Court Arena.
Smog from Australia’s raging bushfires delayed qualifying last week and left several players with coughs and breathing problems, but air quality has improved in recent days.
— AFP
2.30pm:
Courtney Walsh 2.10pm: Serena safely through
Serena Williams has begun her quest for an eighth Australian Open in impressive fashion with a decisive win over Anastasia Potapova.
The American legend, who is seeking to level Margaret Court’s overall record of 24 major singles titles, blitzed the Russian early on the way to a 6-0 6-3 triumph in 58 minutes.
She’s looking to end a run of four straight losses in major deciders, dating back to Wimbledon in 2018.
The 38-year-old, who claimed a title in Auckland to start the season, is in impressive form. She claimed her first title since giving birth to her daughter Olympia in New Zealand in the opening week of the year.
“It was amazing,” she said. “I hadn’t been able to win as a mum, so it was nice to be able to finally win a tournament with a two-year-old. I have been pretty close. It was really special for me and for her. Well, I hope for her.
“I’ve tried telling her, ‘I’m somebody you know’,” Williams joked. “Around town I’m known as Olympia’s mum and I love that.”
Williams’s opening-round performance was just as impressive and serves as a warning to key rivals that she is the player to beat over the next fortnight.
“I started out well today. I ended well. Obviously I am playing a young player who is a great girl … and I really like her. She fought well,” she said.
“It is good to be back. I love playing here. I love playing in Melbourne. It is one of my favourite cities. That is why I am still playing.”
Particularly notable in the performance of Williams was how swiftly she moved into an aggressive position when the opportunity presented.
The right-hander approached the net 13 times during the match and was successful on 11 of these ventures.
This maintained the pressure on her rival, who is an emerging talent, and also ensured she was not dragged into long, gruelling rallies.
In the opening match, reigning champion Naomi Osaka also performed impressively.
She was able to break away from Marie Bouzkova early in the first set and rallied strongly when challenged in a tighter second set to win 6-2 6-4.
"It is a special place in my heart."
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2020
Thank you for supporting and donating to the Bushfire Relief, @serenawilliams â¤ï¸#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/lQUiTiawXh
Remy Varga 1.50pm: Court warns: I won’t be silenced
Margaret Court says she’s sick of being “persecuted” for her religious beliefs instead of being remembered for her tennis legacy. But the 24-grand slam champion turned Christian minister said on Monday she won’t shy away from sharing her controversial views at the Australian Open if asked. Read more here
1.30pm: Serena’s slick start
Australia’s 301-ranked wildcard John-Patrick Smith pushed 22nd seed Guido Pella, but he’s fallen 6-3 7-5 6-4 in just over two hours. Eighth seed Serena Williams has taken the first set 6-0 out on centre court against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova.
1.20pm: First local hope goes out
Wildcard Andrew Harris was no match for eighth seed Matteo Berrettini, going down 6-3 6-1 6-3 in 1hr 54min. It’s the first win at Melbourne Park for Italy’s Berrettini, who lost here in the first round in 2018 and 2019.
1pm: Naomi Osaka advances
American Sam Querrey has caused a minor upset, beating 25th seed Borna Coric 6-3 6-4 6-4 in 1hr 44min. Querrey is a Wimbledon semi-finalist and has been ranked as high as No.11. On the women’s side, third seed Naomi Osaka, 13th seed Petra Martic (Croatia) and 14th seed Sofia Kenin (US) are through to the second round after straight-sets victories.
12.25pm: Fast starters
The first wins have been recorded at this years’s tournament, with Germany’s Julia Goerges and Spain’s Paula Badosa advancing with little fuss. Goerges whipped Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova 6-1 6-2 in 56 minutes, while Badosa clocked in a minute later after a 6-1 6-0 victory over Swedish qualifier Johanna Larsson.
12.10pm: 13th seed in trouble early
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov lost the first set 6-3 to 66th-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics. Shapovalov has never advanced past the third round at Melbourne Park. In fact, his best result in a grand slam tournament is the 4th round at the US Open in 2017.
Courtney Walsh 11.40am: Aussies in action on day one
Ash Barty (1) v Lesia Tsurenko
Rod Laver Arena, 7pm
The world No 1 was well beaten when they clashed in Brisbane a couple of years ago, but much has changed since. Expect the Roland Garros champion to start smoothly tonight.
Andrew Harris v Matteo Berrettini (8)
11am Melbourne Arena
The Australian has done well in lower-ranks and is a hard-working player. But the Italian announced himself as a rising star last year and reached the semi-finals of the US Open. It is a tough test for Harris.
Sam Stosur v Caty McNally (Q)
4th match on Melbourne Arena
Stosur is the reigning Australian Open doubles champion but is seeking her first singles win in Melbourne in five years. McNally qualified but is a significant talent who looks to have a very bright future. This is a tough one for the Australian.
Lizette Cabrera v Ann Li (Q)
2nd match on Court 3
The Queenslander is a promising player who was only narrowly beaten in a quarter-final in Hobart last week by the eventual champion. She plays a qualifier here and will fancy her chances of making a solid start in Melbourne.
Jordan Thompson v Alexander Bublik
3rd match on Court 3
The Sydneysider is coming off a solid season where he established himself as a top 100 player. But he has suffered a couple of early season defeats and faces a challenge against Bublik, an emerging talent who has shown he may well become a top player.
John Millman v Ugo Humbert
Not before 4pm on Court 3
The Australian finished the season strongly to retain a place in the top 50 and has begun the year well. But so, too, has his rival. The Frenchman won a title in Auckland last week and will be full of confidence.
Max Purcell v Jannik Sinner
2nd match on Court 7
It is great to see the young Australian work through qualifying to earn a spot in the Open. It shapes as a fascinating match, for Sinner is the most exciting teenager on tour. He underlined his quality when beating Àlex de Minaur to win the Next Gen Championships in Milan at the end of 2019.
John-Patrick Smith v Guido Pella (22)
11am, Court 8
The veteran earned a spot when breaking through in the wildcard playoff last month. His reward is a clash with a seed, but he certainly has toughness and an ability to be tricky on court.
Marc Polmans v Mikhail Kukushkin
3rd match on Court 8
The Melburnian enjoyed a solid year at Challenger level but faces a test against a tour veteran who continues to perform at a high level on a yearly basis.
11.10am: ‘Peel my banana request’ overruled
The first controversy of the tournament has been revealed — from the qualifying tournament. It appears that Frenchman Elliot Benchetrit tried to get a ball girl to peel his banana during a changeover but the chair umpire intervened and gently suggested the player do it himself...
What’s next- grapes?😱#entitlement
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) January 19, 2020
John did the right thing, that’s for sure https://t.co/VuViqZLdrA
10.50am: Djokovic chases No.17
10.30am: Barty the headline act
10am: Stars come out to play
World No.1 ✅
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2020
Reigning champions ✅
Former champion ✅
Keep your eyes on Rod Laver Arena on Day 1 👀 #AusOpen | #AO2020 pic.twitter.com/MO93c1fRhp
Adrian McMurray 9am: Rain threatens day one
A severe weather warning is in place for Melbourne and surrounding areas in Victoria, with Melbourne Park set to be lashed by heavy rain on the opening day of the 2020 tournament.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, “widespread falls of 20-50mm are forecast with peak falls to 100mm possible”.
Severe Weather Warning remains current for much of central and eastern Victoria. Rain increasing in #Melbourne throughout the morning; heaviest during the afternoon and evening. https://t.co/HLs2UYFQyQ #melbweather pic.twitter.com/46KqbpKK9a
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) January 19, 2020
It should ease overnight and on Tuesday morning.
While Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne Arena will be unaffected thanks to the retractable roof over each court, the show courts are unlikely to see much play, which will give organisers a real headache.
Will Swanton 9.00am: Barty is queen of hearts but can she rule the court?
Ash Barty was about to receive her suitably indigenous-themed trophy for winning the Adelaide International on Saturday night when an Aboriginal elder blessed it and told the “evil spirits” and “evil energy” and “bad energy” to nick off and leave her alone when she travels to her next port of call.
Any “bad energy” will not be welcome at Melbourne Park as the world No 1 attempts to become the first homegrown winner of the Australian Open since Chris O’Neil in 1978.
8.50am: Maturity needed for next gen: Djokovic
Mental and emotional maturity: the ‘big three’ have it and perhaps the next generation of tennis stars simply don’t.
That was, in part, the message from world No.2 Novak Djokovic on Sunday as he attempted to explain why the sport’s batch of new stars still hadn’t made a grand slam breakthrough.
Seven-time champion Djokovic is a short-priced favourite to win the Open, starting on Monday, with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer only split by Russian Daniil Medvedev in the betting.
It’s a troika which has, in equal parts, enthralled and exasperated tennis pundits who are glad to have three of the all-time greats still around but concerned none of the so-called ‘next-gen’ has yet to win a major. Djokovic insisted a number of players possessed the games to do so and weren’t far away, but then zeroed in on what he thought were the missing ingredients. “I think a lot of those next generation players are working very hard, being very professional. That’s a good sign because that’s one of the precursors, I guess, for the success,” he said.
“But, at the same time, to win a slam and also to kind of be consistently on the top level for many years, it takes I think a player to gain that mental and emotional maturity and experience to understand his own strengths, to kind of fight his own fears, to really be able to maintain that level for a long time.” It was something, he said, that he, Nadal and Federer had and which set them apart.
Of the new batch, Medvedev has clearly made great strides, pushing on to world No 4 after registering the most wins (59) on tour in 2019.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has impressed at times but his 2019 semi-final showing at Melbourne Park remains his best performance, while Alexander Zverev has often flattered to deceive and Nick Kyrgios has only performed in bursts. The fact remains that you have to go back a decade and 41 slams to find a player aged under 25 (Juan Martin del Potro) outside the big three who has won a major. For Djokovic, who is happy to roll with the cliche of age being just a number in explaining his, Nadal’s and Federer’s longevity, another figure looms large on Monday.
A victory over German Jan-Lennard Struff in his opening-round match on Rod Laver Arena would make him just the sixth player in the Open era to register 900 wins. “Milestones are definitely a motivation,” he said.
“But at the same time, you know, there’s some other higher goals that I have kind of as a driving force, I think, more than any other milestone, I guess.” Djokovic is 2-0 in career meetings with the veteran German, ranked 37 in the world.
AAP
8.30am: Full schedule: day one
ROD LAVER ARENA
1100
3-N Osaka (JPN) v M Bouzkova (CZE)
A Potapova (RUS) v 8-S Williams (USA)
S Johnson (USA) v 3-R Federer (SUI)
1900
1-A Barty (AUS) v L Tsurenko (UKR)
J Struff (GER) v 2-N Djokovic (SRB)
MARGARET COURT ARENA
1100
13-D Shapovalov (CAN) v M Fucsovics (HUN)
K Siniakova (CZE) v 7-P Kvitova (CZE)
V Williams (USA) v C Gauff (USA)
1900
6-S Tsitsipas (GRE) v S Caruso (ITA)
24-S Stephens (USA) v S Zhang (CHN)
MELBOURNE ARENA
1100
8-M Berrettini (ITA) v WC-A Harris (AUS)
K Ahn (USA) v C Wozniacki (DEN)
J Londero (ARG) v 18-G Dimitrov (BUL)
S Stosur (AUS) v Q-C McNally (USA)
1573 ARENA
1100
S Querrey (USA) v 25-B Coric (CRO)
R Opelka (USA) v 12-F Fognini (ITA)
10-M Keys (USA) v D Kasatkina (RUS)
12-J Konta (GBR) v O Jabeur (TUN)
COURT 3
1100
Q-M Trevisan (ITA) v 14-S Kenin (USA)
Q-A Li (USA) v WC-L Cabrera (AUS)
J Thompson (AUS) v A Bublik (KAZ)
Not before 1600
J Millman (AUS) v U Humbert (FRA)
COURT 5
1100
J Goerges (GER) v V Kuzmova (SVK)
K Kanepi (EST) v Q-B Krejcikova (CZE)
M Cilic (CRO) v C Moutet (FRA)
P Kohlschreiber (GER) v M Giron (USA)
COURT 7
1100
C McHale (USA) v 13-P Martic (CRO)
J Sinner (ITA) v Q-M Purcell (AUS)
M Gasparyan (RUS) v 22-M Sakkari (GRE)
Not before 1600
14-D Schwartzman (ARG) v L Harris (RSA)
COURT 8
1100
22-G Pella (ARG) v WC-J Smith (AUS)
18-A Riske (USA) v Y Wang (CHN)
WC-M Polmans (AUS) v M Kukushkin (KAZ)
Not before 1600
Q-K Juvan (SLO) v 23-D Yastremska (UKR)
COURT 10
1100
Q-M Safwat (EGY) v G Barrere (FRA)
M Linette (POL) v A Rus (NED)
A Davidovich Fokina (ESP) v Q-N Gombos(SVK)
COURT 11
1100
S Zheng (CHN) v Q-A Kalinskaya (RUS)
Not before 1300
C Garin (CHI) v S Travaglia (ITA)
L Mayer (ARG) v T Paul (USA)
COURT 12
1100
R Carballes Baena (ESP) v R Berankis (LTU)
T Zidansek (SLO) v WC-N Han (KOR)
M Brengle (USA) v C Garcia (FRA)
WC-T Ito (JPN) v LL-P Gunneswaran (IND)
COURT 13
1100
V Golubic (SUI) v L Zhu (CHN)
F Lopez (ESP) v 9-R Bautista Agut (ESP)
P Andujar (ESP) v WC-M Mmoh (USA)
Not before 1600
B Pera (USA) v 29-E Rybakina (KAZ)
COURT 14
1100
30-D Evans (GBR) v M McDonald (USA)
T Sandgren (USA) v Q-M Trungelliti (ARG)
F Ferro (FRA) v A Van Uytvanck (BEL)
A Sasnovich (BLR) v Q-G Minnen (BEL)
COURT 15
1100
Y Nishioka (JPN) v L Djere (SRB)
K Edmund (GBR) v 24-D Lajovic (SRB)
27-Q Wang (CHN) v WC-P Parmentier (FRA)
Not before 1600
Q-N Hibino (JPN) v S Peng (CHN)
COURT 19
1100
25-E Alexandrova (RUS) v J Teichmann (SUI)
R Albot (MDA) v 32-M Raonic (CAN)
31-H Hurkacz (POL) v Q-D Novak (AUT)
P Hercog (SLO) v R Peterson (SWE)
COURT 22
1100
P Badosa (ESP) v Q-J Larsson (SWE)
S Cirstea (ROU) v 32-B Strycova (CZE)
Q-Q Halys (FRA) v F Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 1600
21-B Paire (FRA) v C Stebe (GER)
16-year old Emerson Jones triumphs as Family Connection Takes Center Stage
World number one junior Emerson Jones made her Far North debut on Wednesday, but for the 16-year old with a bright future, it was an acknowledgment of the past shared with her older brother that was at the forefront of her performance.
WADA appeals World No.1’s doping decision, pursues ban
Jannik Sinner is “very disappointed” but confident after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the decision to clear him in his steroid case, seeking a ban of up to two years.