Serena Williams runs to return a shot to Laura Siegemund during their first round match at the Australian Open. (AP) Australian Open, after being delayed by three weeks to allow all players arriving from abroad to quarantine for two weeks, kicked off on time under leaden skies at Melbourne Park on Monday.
There was one locally acquired case of COVID-19 reported in the state of Victoria on Monday, a worker at a quarantine hotel not associated with the tennis.
SERENA EASES INTO SECOND ROUND
Serena Williams eased past Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-1 6-1 to reach the second round. The American hit 16 winners as she wrapped up the one-sided contest in just under an hour, and was eager to wind up her post-match interview as quickly as possible to watch the end of the Super Bowl.
“I gotta go! I gotta go! You’re taking too long,” she said.
Serena wins it in style 👑
The perfect start to her #AusOpen campaign with a victory over Siegemund 6-1 6-1 🇺🇸@serenawilliams | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/80MOANh6o5
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021
VENUS BEATS FLIPKENS IN STRAIGHT SETS
Venus Williams beat Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 6-2 to reach the second round in front of about 200 fans on Margaret Court Arena.
Flipkens made 30 unforced errors compared to just 13 by Williams, who also won more than 80% of her first-serve points.
U.S. OPEN CHAMPION NAOMI OSAKA THROUGH
Third seed Naomi Osaka was the first player through to the second round after a 6-1 6-2 thrashing of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
“I’m just really happy to see people in the stands. It’s been a bit lonely in New York, so thank you guys,” Osaka told a small crowd at Rod Laver Arena.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T 💕@naomiosaka x @Venuseswilliams x @serenawilliams #AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/sFyftoHek9
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021
SWIATEK SWATS ASIDE RUS
French Open champion Iga Swiatek, the 15th seed, opened her account at the Australian Open with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands.
NEAR-PERFECT PERA TOO STRONG FOR KERBER
Unseeded American Bernarda Pera stunned former champion Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-0 6-4 to reach the second round.
Pera struck 26 winners compared to just seven from Kerber as she wrapped up the biggest win of her career in just 70 minutes.
🚨 Upset alert! 🚨@bernarda_pera stuns 2016 champion Kerber, toppling the 23rd seed 6-0 6-4 to advance to the second round.#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/NO6n5X366l
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021
10TH SEED MONFILS CRASHES OUT
Frenchman Gael Monfils was beaten 3-6 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3 by little-known Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in one of the day’s biggest upsets so far.
Monfils, the 10th seed, hit 46 winners but also made 64 unforced errors as he was dumped out in the first round for the second time in his career, the first coming in 2006.
THIEM BEATS KUKUSHKIN IN STRAIGHT SETS
World number three Dominic Thiem advances with a 7-6(2) 6-2 6-3 win over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan. The Austrian third seed hit 29 winners compared to 17 from Kukushkin, who is ranked 90th.
⏰ Thiem Time ⏰
Upon their first meeting, the World No.3 overcomes Mikhail Kukushkin in straight sets to move on to R2.#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/YD1hkclQmL
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021
ZVEREV WOBBLES BUT FIGHTS BACK
Sixth seed Alexander Zverev recovered from a slow start to beat American Marcos Giron 6-7(8) 7-6(5) 6-3 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena.
The German made 19 unforced errors in the opening set and lost in a tiebreak but took control later, hitting 50 winners and 16 aces to reach the second round.
ANDREESCU WINS FIRST MATCH AFTER 15 MONTHS OUT
Eighth seed Bianca Andreescu overcame a mid-match wobble to beat Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-2 4-6 6-3 in her first match in 15 months.
The Canadian, who was playing for the first time since retiring from the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen with a knee injury, hit 27 winners compared to 11 from her opponent and wrapped up the match in just over two hours.
A winning return is complete 🙌@Bandreescu_ makes it through to the second round ❤️#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/Zh1Ky2hUdq
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 8, 2021
DIMITROV EASES PAST CILIC
Bulgarian 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov beat Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-4 6-2 7-6 (5) in the opening round.
Dimitrov, the world number 21, sent down 19 aces and hit 34 winners while Cilic managed only four aces and 26 winners.
CARRENO BUSTA DOWNS NISHIKORI IN STRAIGHT SETS
Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta advanced to the second round with a 7-5 7-6(4) 6-2 win over world number 42 Kei Nishikori.
Carreno Busta, who is seeded 15th, hit 39 winners and sent down 12 aces while Nishikori recorded 36 winners and only three aces.