The Daily Serve: All the key moments and highlights of Day 1 from Melbourne Park

A day session that was marred by rain dominated proceedings at Melbourne Park, as the 2025 Australian Open made a slow start. CALLUM DICK runs through the key moments of day 1.

A day session that was marred by rain dominated proceedings at Melbourne Park, as the 2025 Australian Open made a slow start.

Callum Dick runs through the biggest and best moments from day 1.

ACES

PRACTICE COURT ACCESS

The Australian Open loves to label itself as the Happy Slam and the little things like close-quarters practice court access are a big reason why it rings true.

Savvy Melbourne Park goers were handed a treat on Sunday when Nick Kyrgios and Cruz Hewitt hit-up out in the weeds at Court 16.

Far away from the bright lights of Rod Laver Arena, the pair put on an entertaining practice session for the packed crowd – with Lleyton Hewitt spotted enjoying the action alongside the punters. Kyrgios then stayed back to sign autographs, as he did in Brisbane last week. Big tick.

Cruz Hewitt. Picture: Mark Stewart

Nick Kyrgios. Picture: Mark Stewart

WEL-COMEBACK, KEI

After a four-year Australian Open hiatus the perennially-popular Kei Nishikori survived two match points before staging a thrilling comeback win over Brazilian wildcard Thiago Monteiro in the unquestionably best match on opening day

A four-time quarterfinalist at Melbourne Park, the 35-year-old celebrated his first round win as hard as any before after coming back from two sets down in a trademark fighting performance.

After three years of injury struggles there were fears Melbourne might never see him again and the celebration in the stands after the win proved just how popular the Japanese superstar is Down Under.

Kei Nishikori survived a scare. Picture: Martin KEEP / AFP

FAULTS

FLAT DAY 1 SCHEDULE

Reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka aside, the opening day slate left a lot to be desired.

The build-up to the tournament was excellent, with qualifying and exhibition matches offering plenty for the punters to chew on – and then the momentum died on day one.

Opening day was devoid of many big names, particularly on the men’s side. Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev did not move the needle enough for what should have been a blockbuster start to the tournament.

That of course means Tuesday is jam-packed, with Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek et al on the card.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

It wouldn’t be a Melbourne summer without four seasons in a day but the heavens picked the worst time to open on Sunday.

Just as play was kicking into gear on the outside courts the rain began to tumble down, killing the buzz that had been building around the grounds. If you owned a ground pass it was next to useless as the restart times were repeatedly pushed back to accommodate rolling thunderstorms. We come to expect it at this time of the year but that didn’t make the day any less disappointing.

KYRGIOS FINDS ALLY IN WAR AGAINST SINNER

- Joe Barton

Nick Kyrgios has found an ATP ally in his campaign against Jannik Sinner and the world No.1’s high-profile doping battles.

Sinner failed two doping tests in March last year but was not issued with a provisional ban, as the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted his argument that the steroid entered his system due to contamination from his physiotherapist.

Kyrgios has made his feelings clear, raging against the decision to not suspend Sinner.

And now he’s found an ally in world No.83 Damir Dzumhur who said the feeling among the locker room was that it was “very strange” Sinner avoided suspension.

“Most of the players I spoke to said the same thing. It’s very strange that he didn’t get any suspension, even though he tested positive on two different tests. It’s all very strange,” Dzumhur told Sport Klub.

“I honestly haven’t talked about all of this in the media, because I wouldn’t like to be the one to say something, but I think the rules simply have to be the same for everyone.

“Simply put, one player can’t have better conditions than another. If one is going to be suspended for six months, no matter who it is, then the other one has to too. Everyone has to be judged the same.”

Sinner’s doping hearing through the Court of Arbitration for Sport will take place in April.

EYES ON THE GROUND

- Rebecca Williams

ROUTINE ROUTINE ROUTINE

No.14 seed Mirra Andreeva has revealed the quirky and superstitious eating habits fuelling her Australian Open campaign.

After strolling into the second round with a straight sets win on John Cain Arena on Sunday, the 17-year-old explained her trusted formula of sticking to the same meals she started the tournament eating - and her interesting food combination.

“It’s actually pretty complicated to work with me, because if I start the tournament eating chicken and rice, well, I cannot change after,” Andreeva said.

“You know, I cannot take pasta or I cannot take anything else. I will always take chicken and rice.

“I have a pretty special thing. I like to eat rice with a bit of parmesan cheese on top. I don’t know. I have never seen anyone doing that, but I really like it.

“Yeah, since the start of the tournament, if I start like this, I’ve got to continue like this. Even if I’m tired, I have no choice, but I have to eat it.”

Her formula is the same during games.

“During a match now I try to eat the dried fruits,” Andreeva said.

“I always start with dry fruits and sometimes just normal foods like melon or watermelon. It just depends on what I want.

“As I said, today I start with dried fruits, so it is dried fruits for Melbourne this year.”

Andreeva advanced to the second round with a 6-3 6-3 win over Marie Bouzkova.

The Russian teenager reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last year - and will be hoping her chicken, rice and parmesan combination can take her further in 2025.

TEENAGE TYROS

Aussie young gun Emerson Jones is the youngest of five teenagers competing in the women’s draw at this year’s Australian Open.

At 16 years of age, Jones joins fellow wildcard Iva Jovic (17 years, 51 days), Mirra Andreeva (17 years, 272 days), Maya Joint (18 years, 285 days) and qualifier Sara Bejlek (18 years, 360 days).

American Coco Gauff was the last teenager to win a women’s grand slam singles title when she claimed her first major at the US Open at the age of 19.

The youngest woman to win a grand slam title in the Open era was Swiss ace Martina Hingis at the 1987 Australian Open at the age of 16 years and 105 days.

Emerson Jones. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

NOT SO CLASSIC CATCH

Every fan’s dream is to catch a wayward tennis ball in the crowd and 2005 Australian Open finallist Lleyton Hewitt got his chance during son Cruz’s practice session with fellow Aussie Ncik Kyrgios. But unfortunately Lleyton couldn’t grasp the opportunity with the sliced Kyrgios ball slipping through his fingers much to the disappointment of nearby fans.

HANDSHAKE YES, SMILE NO

Qinwen Zheng is happy to shake hands with her opponents after a match - but don’t expect a “smiley face” from the Chinese star.

After her opening round win at the Australian Open, the No.5 seed said there was only so far she would go with pleasantries following a match with her opponent.

“Well, I always give a handshake to my opponent because I feel that’s the basic respect. (It) doesn’t matter if I win or I lost, I always give a handshake,” Zheng said.

Qinwen Zheng says if she loses, she won’t give a hug or smile at the handshake:

“If I lost I’ll give you basic respect & that’s it. That’s why you won’t see me lose a match with a happy face to the opponent. If you saw that on me, that’s very strange”😂

pic.twitter.com/15NgFwwj2w

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 12, 2025

“But not always I give a handshake with a smiley face. This I know myself.

“Usually I don’t often give a hug to my opponent as well, because I feel that is not necessary for me.

“I come just here (to) play a match. If I lost, I will give you just a basic respect and that’s it.

“That’s why you will not see me lose one match with a happy face to the opponent. If you saw that on me, that is very strange, which means I don’t care about that match on that day.”

Originally published as The Daily Serve: All the key moments and highlights of Day 1 from Melbourne Park