Melbourne - Big-serving fifth seed Kevin Anderson began his Australian Open campaign with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 win on Monday over Adrian Mannarino.
The South African, a runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, had failed to reach the second round at Melbourne Park since 2015, but made no mistake this time round.
He lost a five-setter to Britain's Kyle Edmund in round one a year ago and had to overcome a second-set blip on Monday, dropping his serve twice from a break up against the French world number 41, before prevailing in two hours 53 minutes on Melbourne Arena.
"It was really hot out here. I thought we were going to hit the heat rule, but no luck," said Anderson, who faces American Frances Tiafoe next.
The 20-year-old Tiafoe beat Indian qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran 7-6 (9/7), 6-3, 6-3.
"I was up a break in that second set and just let it get away a little bit," he added. "I was happy with the way I was able to reset."
In-form Anderson warmed up for the Australian Open by winning his sixth ATP title at Pune earlier this month, defeating Ivo Karlovic in the final.
"Every day I push myself to get better and better," said the man who lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2017 US Open final.
"You've got to come out here and win the match. It is a difficult challenge but that is what it is all about."
Results from Day 1 of the Australian Open on Monday:
Men
Round 1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP x26) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-3
Radu Albot (MDA) bt Michael Mmoh (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Stefano Travaglia (ITA) bt Guido Andreozzi (ARG) 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x19) bt Christopher Eubanks (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Kevin Anderson (RSA x5) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) 7-6 (9/7), 6-3, 6-3
Pablo Cuevas (URU) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-4, 7-5, 6-1
Robin Haase (NED) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 7-5, 6-4, 7-5
Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
Women
Round 1
Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x11) bt Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 6-1, 6-4
Maria Sharapova (RUS x30) bt Harriet Dart (GBR) 6-0, 6-0
Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 6-4, 6-1
Markata Vondrousova (CZE) bt Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 6-3, 6-2
Petra Martic (CRO x31) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-1, 6-2
Sachia Vickery (USA) bt Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Caroline Garcia (FRA x19) bt Jessika Ponchet (FRA) 6-2, 6-3
Donna Vekic (CRO x29) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-2, 6-4
Astra Sharma (AUS) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Katie Boulter (GBR) bt Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (10/6)
Danielle Collins (USA) bt Julia Goerges (GER x14) 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Lesya Tsurenko (UKR x24) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
Zoe Hives (AUS) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-1, 6-2
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) bt Paula Badosa (ESP) 6-4, 6-2
