All the overnight action from the Australian Open in Melbourne, where Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams won with ease on a comfortable day for favourites.
Djokovic crushes Chung
Novak Djokovic bt Hyeon Chung 6-3 6-2 6-4 - If there was any thought that Djokovic would try to ease his way into the Australian Open, he put that speculation to rest in his opening match in Melbourne. The Serbian looked every bit as good as he did in last year's dominant campaign, serving well, returning as good as anyone around and driving Chung around the court for three sets. Djokovic absolutely crushed the Korean, out-playing his opponent in every facet to start off the tournament with a straight set victory. The No. 1 seed is searching for his six career Aussie title, and he couldn't have started his tournament any better.
Serena starts with routine win
Serena Williams bt Camila Giorgi 6-4 7-5 - Williams wasn't at her best in her first match since last year's U.S. Open, but she was plenty good enough to make relatively easy work of Giorgi. The American wasn't at her best, or even dominant, but she was always better than Giorgi. An early break was all she needed to take the opening set and while the second set wasn't as easy for her, a break at 5-5 was the separation she needed to take the match. Williams won't be thrilled with her play, or that it took her nearly two hours, but Giorgi was a tough draw and the American was always the better player so, all in all, it was a solid day at the office for the No. 1 seed.
Nishikori dominates Kohlschreiber
Kei Nishikori bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4 6-3 6-3 - Nishikori looked extraordinarily sharp in his first match of the tournament, rolling to an easy first round win. Nishikori broke the German four times, and was 50% on break point opportunities, but his serve proved to be the difference at Hisense Arena. The Japanese not only won every service game, he never even faced a break point. With such dominance on the serve, he had no problem dispatching Kohlschreiber in less than two hours.
Kvitova rolls in tournament opener
Petra Kvitova bt Luksika Kumkhum 6-3 6-1 - Kvitova did the honours of opening the Australian Open with the first match at Rod Laver and the No. 6 seed had no problem against her opponent from Thailand. She needed just 36 minutes to win the first set, blasting 11 winners and taking advantage of five double faults from Kumkhum. The second set went even faster and Kvitova was even batter, winning 27 of 43 points in the set and finishing up the match in a mere 70 minutes. She'll be pleased to have worked so quickly in the opening round, with temperatures soaring in Melbourne.
Stephens stunned by Wang
Qiang Wang bt Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-3 - Stephens entered the Australian Open hoping for a deep run to propel her into the new season. Instead, she was upset in the first round by the 101st ranked Wang. Stephens started the match strongly, taking an early break, but Wang stormed back and won the opening set comfortably. The second set was more of the same as Stephens was undone by 36 unforced errors as the 24th seed was sent home from Melbourne early.
Berdych cruises past Bhambri
Tomas Berdych bt Yuki Bhambri 7-5 6-1 6-2 - Berdych had a few problems early in his first match at the Australian Open, but he gutted out a tough open set then throttled an overmatched Bhambri to advance to the second round. A break at 5-5 in the first set proved to be the difference for the Czech, who fired 13 aces in the win. Once Berdych took the first set, he never looked back. Bhambri won just 31 points in the second and third sets combined as the No. 6 seed made quick work of the Indian, winning in just 105 minutes.
Radwanska eases to win
Agnieszka Radwanska bt Christina McHale 6-2 6-3 - Radwanska had no trouble in her first match of the tournament, making quick work of McHale to advance in just 80 minutes. Both players did well in the return game, with McHale breaking Radwanska four times in six chances, but the Pole broke the American seven times and was always in control. McHale did not have the sharp game needed to pull off the upset as she made 28 errors, doubling up Radwanska as the No. 4 seed booked her place in the second round.
FULL RESULTS
- Novak Djokovic bt Hyeon Chung 6-3 6-2 6-4
- Serena Williams bt Camilia Giorgi 6-4 7-5
- Petra Kvitova bt Luksika Kumkhum 6-3 6-1
- Kei Nishikori bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4 6-3 6-3
- Qiang Wang bt Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-3
- Tomas Berdych bt Yuki Bhambri 7-5 6-1 6-2
- Agnieszka Radwanska bt Christina McHale 6-2 6-3
- Martin Cilic bt Thiemo de Bakker 6-7 (4) 7-5 6-2 6-4
- Daria Gavrilova bt Lucie Hradecka 7-6 (3) 6-4
- Carla Suarez Navarro bt Viktorija Glubic 6-5 6-4
- Austin Krajicek bt Di Wu 6-4 6-1 6-3
- Nicole Gibbs bt Kiara Koukalova 6-2 2-6 6-1
- Federico Delbonis bt Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (4) 6-4 2-1 retired
- Mirza Basic bt Robin Haase 7-6 (4) 6-4 6-4
- Margarita Gasparyan bt Sara Errani 1-6 7-5 6-1
- Magdalena Rybarikova bt Yanina Wickmayer 3-6 6-3 7-5
- Anna-Lena Friedsam bt Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-1
- Daniel Brands bt Victor Estrella Burgos 6-4 7-6 (1) 4-6 6-1
- David Goffin bt Sergiy Stakhovsky 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4
- Maria Sakkari bt Yafan Wang 6-4 1-6 6-3
- Dominic Thiem bt Leonardo Mayer 6-2 7-6 (6) 4-6 7-6 (0)
- Damir Dzumhur bt Kyle Edmund 1-6 7-6 (4) 4-6 6-3 6-1
- Kristina Mladenovic bt Dominika Cibulkova 6-3 6-4
- Su-Wei Hsieh bt Jelena Ostapenko 3-6 7-5 6-1
- Evgeny Donskoy bt Inigo Cervantes 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4
- Daria Kasatkina bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-3
- Kurumi Nara bt Oceane Dodin 7-6 (2) 6-2
- Lauren Davis bt Anastasia 1-6 6-3 6-4
- Denis Kudla bt Filip Krajinovic 6-2 6-1 retired
- Gilles Simon bt Vasek Pospisil 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-2 6-4
- Nicolas Almagro bt Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-3 7-6 (1)
- Guillermo Garcia-Lopez bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4 6-4 6-4
- Albert Ramos-Vinolas bt Borna Coric 6-2 6-2 6-3
- Xinyun Han bt Mariana Duque-Marino 6-2 2-1 retired
- Pierre-Hugues Herbert bt Pablo Andujar 5-7 6-4 7-6 (5) 6-2
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