Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open comeback is over on the first hurdle after the two-time champion stumbled to a straight-sets defeat by the hands of No.16 seed Caroline Garcia on Monday night time.
Taking part in simply her third match since September 2022, former world No.1 Osaka served with venom however was finally outmatched by her French opponent, 6-4 7-6 (2).
A downtrodden Osaka shortly exited Rod Laver Enviornment to a refrain of applause from the followers as her victorious rival hailed the Japanese star’s return to tennis solely six months after giving delivery.
“I’ve loads of respect for Naomi as an individual and as a participant everyone knows she has had an incredible profession,” Garcia stated.
“I heard within the presentation 15 months away (from tennis) so she’s been by way of rather a lot however I’m simply very glad to see her again and I hope she will be able to get pleasure from her tennis now and have enjoyable.
“She did a lot for tennis prior to now few years.
“Six months after giving delivery she is taking part in fairly wonderful already, so we (the opposite gamers on tour) should be careful.”
The 2019 and 2021 Australian Open champion was not at her good greatest on her return to Melbourne Park however her degree might need overcome most gamers within the draw on Monday night time.
Garcia nevertheless was merely good.
She didn’t concede a break level all through the match and outgunned Osaka at her personal sport, unleashing 34 winners to twenty in an enthralling encounter that matched its blockbuster billing.
With the victory Garcia avenged her 2021 defeat to Osaka at Melbourne Park, when the eventual champion romped dwelling in straight units.
The pair’s solely earlier match got here on the 2021 Australian Open, when Osaka romped dwelling in straight units.
“I felt a bit unfortunate (drawing Osaka) to be trustworthy however … there have been so many gamers coming again (from harm) so that you had the possibility to play somebody robust,” Garcia stated.
“It’s by no means straightforward to begin a Slam. I play tennis for this type of match.”
Garcia reached the fourth spherical at Melbourne Park final 12 months because the No.4 seed.
She is going to face Poland’s Magdalena Frech within the second spherical.
11.35PM: HIJIKATA FORCES DECIDER
Courtroom 3 will run late into the night time, with Rinky Hijikata focring a deciding fith set towards German Jan-Lennard Struff.
After a hard-fought tussle, the Aussie managed to take the tie-breaker 7-2 to get the group firing.
These two have been buying and selling physique blows all night time, who will outlast the opposite for a well-known victory?
10.30PM: OSAKA STUMBLES IN FIRST SET OF RETURN
Naomi Osaka’s return to Melbourne hasn’t began off on the suitable foot, dropping the primary set to 16 seed Caroline Garcia of France.
Garcia claimed an early break and rode that to take the primary set 6-4 over the previous world no. 1.
Osaka warned followers final week “loads of time and endurance” will likely be wanted earlier than she rediscovers her greatest, however is intent on making progress in her grand slam return.
Osaka returned to tennis on the Brisbane Worldwide following a 15-month hiatus after giving delivery to her daughter, Shai.
10.10PM: HIJIKATA’S HOPES FADE AFTER HOT START
After a blistering begin towards German Jan-Lennard Struff, Rinky Hijikata is going through an uphill climb to make the second spherical in Melbourne.
Hijikata, who went to the fourth spherical at Flushing Meadows in 2023, took the primary set 6-3, earlier than the massive German got here again with a flourish within the second set.
The twenty fourth seed’s massive hitting has caught on strongly, forcing the Aussie everywhere in the courtroom.
Such is his trademark, Hijikata is now taking part in together with his sleeves rolled as much as his shoulders, as a substitute of sporting a singlet.
9.40PM: NINTH SEED BRUSHES OFF EARLY SCARE FROM AUSSIE
– Ed Bourke
Resurgent Australian Omar Jasika has bowed out of his first Australian Open match in seven years in straight units regardless of briefly threatening a boilover in his conflict with ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz.
The previous US Open junior champion pushed the big-hitting Hurkacz to a primary set tie-break however was overpowered by the Polish star in a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-2 defeat on John Cain Enviornment.
Jasika, 26, was taking part in in the primary draw at Melbourne Park for the primary time since he was handed a two-year ban for a constructive check to cocaine in 2017.
He had received the singles and doubles junior boys’ titles on the US Open in 2014 earlier than reaching the second spherical of the Australian Open in his senior grand slam debut in 2016.
The world No. 341 received by way of to the primary draw through qualifying after a 12 months spent in relative obscurity together with low-tier tournaments in Burnie, Swan Hill and Cairns.
Jasika withstood early stress from Hurkacz, who hit twice as many unforced errors however thumped 24 aces for the match, to drive a tie-break however dropped two pricey factors to permit the 196cm Pole to skip away to a 7-4 victory.
9.00PM: MURRAY’S POSSIBLE SWANSONG ENDS SWIFTLY
Andy Murray’s probably closing Australian Open is already over, because the Brit walked off Melbourne Park saluting the group.
Nonetheless, the Brit’s play was not as memorable on the courtroom in his 6-4 6-2 6-2 loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Outstanding Aussie tennis coach Roger Rasheed didn’t maintain again in his fascinated with Murray’s efficiency.
Rasheed, who as soon as coached Lleyton Hewitt stated the match was “troublesome to observe.”
“We’ve got been used to watching a lot brilliance from him all through his profession. It’s troublesome to observe what he’s placing out on the courtroom,” he stated on Channel 9.
Murray has been coy on his plans in 2024, and whether or not a return to Melbourne may very well be on the playing cards.
“Positively a chance that would be the final time I play right here (in Melbourne)” he stated.
8.35PM: THOMPSON WINS EPIC ALL-AUSSIE BATTLE
– Jay Clark
Annoyed Aussie Jordan Thompson has labelled his dwelling open the “wokest match ever” as he overcame countryman Aleksandar Vukic in a five-set thriller on Monday.
Thompson’s frustration at a brand new rule permitting followers to maneuver to their seats on the finish of video games noticed the Aussie blow-up halfway by way of the second set as he booked a second-round tussle towards Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Thompson, 29, faces an enormous problem to pip the No. 7 seed however can have gained confidence from a 2023 win over Tsitsipas on the BNP Paribas Open in March.
Thompson, from Sydney, appeared unaware of the controversial new stadium rule change which left him trying irritated as he waited for followers to take a seat down when he was up 3-1 within the second set.
He quizzed the umpire in regards to the interruption from patrons after which launched when he was instructed they have been allowed to maneuver on the finish of every sport.
“You’re kidding me, actually? Oh my God,” Thompson stated.
“That is the wokest match ever.”
Later the Forty seventh-ranked Aussie added: “It’s simply not good.”
Regardless, Thompson bounced again from the irritation and extra frustration within the fourth set when he slammed his racquet into the courtroom after dumping a volley into the online down 5-2.
However, in a four-hour arm-wrestle between the 2 top-100 ranked Aussies, Thompson stored his feelings in verify within the fifth and produced some beautiful play on the web to prevail within the energy-sapping contest 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 3-6 6-4.
8.25PM: DEMON FALTERS IN FIRST STEP OF GIANT TEST
– Callum Dick
Alex de Minaur’s Australian Open marketing campaign is off to a spluttering begin after the Aussie No.1 dropped the opening set of his first spherical conflict to Canadian Milos Raonic.
World No.10 de Minaur obtained one of many worst potential opening spherical attracts when his title was put alongside the previous world No.3 and Wimbledon finalist, Raonic.
And the big-serving Canadian, at the moment ranked outdoors the highest 300 after nearly two years off with harm, has made his presence felt early on Rod Laver Enviornment.
Using a dominant service sport, Raonic clinched the opening set in a tiebreak 7-6 (8).
De Minaur was rated the fifth-best returner on the ATP Tour final 12 months however he has appeared nearly powerless towards the Raonic serve to date.
Raonic is a former semi-finalist at Melbourne Park and boasts a 34-11 win-loss file.
8.15PM: ‘DISRESPECTFUL, UNPREPARED’: TENNIS LEGEND’S COMMENTARY SMASHED
ESPN and Channel 9 commentator and tennis legend John McEnroe has come beneath fireplace for his remedy of some gamers on commentary, described as “disrespect.”
McEnroe has been accused of being disrespectful to gamers by saying he doesn’t know who they’re, as we speak being Belgian Zizou Bergs.
“Insane to me that point and time once more J. McEnroe goes on air and simply admits he has zero clue who a participant is,” US faculty tennis champion Thai-Son Kwiatkowski posted on X.
Outstanding tennis author Ben Rothenberg joined the outrage, saying McEnroe was admitting he was unprepared to his viewers.
This isn’t the primary prevalence of such criticism nevertheless, with former Aussie tennis star, now additionally a commentator at Channel 9 John Millman having his say on the matter in July 2023.
8.00PM: DJOKER LAST KING OF MELBOURNE STANDING
– Callum Dick
Novak Djokovic is the one former Australian Open champion left within the males’s draw after Stan Wawrinka suffered a fifth-set fadeout on Monday afternoon.
The favored 2014 champion’s 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-0 defeat to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino got here solely hours earlier than five-time runner-up Andy Murray’s straight-sets defeat on the identical courtroom.
Followers flocked of their 1000’s to observe the 2 superstars in motion on Kia Enviornment and have been handled to some classic tennis, although neither may clinch a second-round berth.
Murray was comprehensively crushed by thirtieth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 6-4 6-2 6-2.
It was simply the second time since 2008 he misplaced within the opening spherical at Melbourne Park, the place he’s a five-time runner-up.
The 36-year-old’s unbelievable run to the third spherical final 12 months was one of many speaking factors of the primary week of the match. He famously defeated Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis in a five-set epic on Margaret Courtroom Enviornment that completed near 4am.
7.45PM: THOMPSON-VUKIC BATTLE GOES THE DISTANCE
The all-Aussie conflict is headed to a decider, after Aleksander Vukic claimed the fourth set over compatriot Jordan Thompson.
This marathon match has enthralled followers on Courtroom 3 for hours, and now the 2 will all come all the way down to who holds their nerve within the closing set.
2023 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas awaits the winner of this match, in all probability having fun with the 2 going at it in a slugfest within the warmth.
7.15PM: DASHA’S RETURN ENDS EARLY
– Ed Bourke
Melbourne Park crowd favorite Daria Saville left the courtroom shaking her head after struggling badly together with her serve on the best way to a first-round exit on the Australian Open.
The Australian wildcard saved 4 match factors towards Polish world No. 69 Magdalena Frech however was finally made to pay for 14 double faults as she succumbed to a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 5-7 defeat at John Cain Enviornment on Monday night.
Saville price herself the second set with three consecutive double faults in a single service sport as she gave up an early break to Frech, and ended up shedding extra video games on her serve than she received as her Polish opponent prevailed in a match spanning greater than three hours.
The 29-year-old solely landed 56 per cent of her first serves and had 62 unforced errors to her opponent’s 38 in a disappointing early exit from the match following her red-hot type ultimately week’s Hobart Worldwide.
She twice threw her racquet on the floor after double faults price her factors through the tense encounter with Frech, who will play both Naomi Osaka or Sixteenth seed Caroline Garcia within the second spherical.
Saville, who was granted one of many closing wildcard spots in the primary draw on the expense of the higher-ranked Australian Arina Rodionova, vindicated Tennis Australia’s resolution with three top-50 scalps in Hobart as she reached the semi-finals and introduced her world rating surging as much as No. 152.
She is going to stay in Melbourne to associate Ajla Tomljanovic within the girls’s doubles starting on Wednesday.
7.00PM: DEMON’S GIANT TASK AWAITS ON RLA
Aussie Alex De Minaur’s match is about to get underway, with the problem of the enormous Milos Raonic ready for him.
Raonic, a former Wimbledon runner-up and five-time Australian Open quarter-finalist, is hardly the soft opening-round draw typically anticipated for one of many prime seeds.
After nearly two years away from the tour battling harm, the 33-year-old Canadian is again up and operating and able to break Aussie hearts.
The previous world No. 3 has saved his greatest tennis for Melbourne Park, the place he has a 34-11 win-loss file and has reached the fourth spherical or higher eight occasions.
One other thriller may very well be on deck at RLA.
6.35PM: DON’T COUNT OUT STAN JUST YET
– Chris Cavanagh
Large-hitting Swiss star Stan Wawrinka has not dominated out returning for a nineteenth Australian Open subsequent 12 months regardless of a second successive first-round exit from the match.
The favored 2014 Australian Open champion suffered a fifth-set fade-out in his match towards Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Monday, falling 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-0.
Nonetheless, Wawrinka nonetheless managed to supply loads of highlights for an adoring crowd at Kia Enviornment as he pulled out some classic pictures simply over two months in need of his thirty ninth birthday.
“It was an excellent environment on this courtroom,” Wawrinka stated.
“It was very nice to play. Quite a lot of help, I actually loved it.
“Sadly, I’ve already misplaced, however it’s at all times one thing particular to be right here, particularly with the followers.
“It was a bit robust on the finish. (I) couldn’t actually push myself extra. I didn’t do the work I wished within the offseason as a result of I obtained injured within the final match. So it was a race a bit to return again right here. However I’m fairly pleased with the ten days I had right here.”
6.25PM: THOMPSON EXPLODES AT ‘WOKEST’ GRAND SLAM
Aussie Jordan Thompson is in a good tussle with Aleksander Vukic on Courtroom 3, and his feelings could also be getting the higher of him.
Thompson exploded on the new rule, that permits patrons to roam by way of the courtroom in between factors.
“You’re kidding me, actually? Oh my god,” he stated. “That is the wokest match ever.”
6.00PM: TSITSIPAS DETAILS ‘ASTONISHING RECOVERY’
– Chris Cavanagh
One of many greatest threats within the males’s draw of the Australian Open has shrugged off issues over a again harm, saying he had made an “astonishing” return to health.
Stefanos Tsitsipas had entered this 12 months’s match beneath an harm cloud, having pulled out of a United Cup match earlier this month and once more been hampered throughout a charity match with Novak Djokovic final Friday night time.
Nonetheless, there have been few indicators of the harm as the favored Greek star broke the again of little-known Belgian opponent Zizou Bergs on Rod Laver Enviornment on Monday afternoon, overcoming a shock first-set loss to triumph 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-3.
Final 12 months’s runner-up at Melbourne Park, Tsitsipas stated he was feeling prepared to attain massive issues this 12 months after the again battles hampered him final 12 months.
“My restoration has been astonishing in a means as a result of it’s been fast, faster in actual fact than another participant,” Tsitsipas stated.
“I’ve completed something that I had beneath my management to get again on courtroom as quickly as potential. It’s a difficult a part of the 12 months as a result of the 12 months has simply ended and also you usually get two weeks off and then you definately’re again into the courtroom working in your tennis, making an attempt to provide you with new stuff that may serve you nicely in 2024.
“I used to be away from that, making an attempt to get better, making an attempt to make use of machines and tools that I used for these type of accidents and I didn’t spend that a lot time on courtroom.
“It was a difficult a part of the preseason to be confronted with one thing like this. However now I’m wholesome. I’m headed to the suitable course. I really feel like I can hold including to it and finally see myself the best way I used to be capable of play at first of final 12 months.”
5.30PM: SAVILLE IN THRILLER ON AO RETURN
– Ed Bourke
Melbourne Park fan favorite Daria Saville has narrowly received the primary set of her dwelling grand slam comeback in a tie-break.
The Australian wildcard squandered an early break towards Polish world No. 69 Magdalena Frech and battled points together with her serve however rallied to calim the tie-break 7-5.
Saville, 29, received the hearts of Aussie followers together with her consecutive runs to the fourth spherical of the Open in 2016-17 which helped her attain No. 20 on the earth.
Saville earnt one of many closing wildcards into the primary draw after reeling in her world rating from 322 to 209 following a nine-month lay-off attributable to an ACL harm suffered on courtroom.
That rating then rocketed as much as 152 final week after she beat three top-50 gamers on her option to the semi-final of the Hobart Worldwide.
A conflict towards returning two-time champion Naomi Osaka, who Saville was taking part in when she ruptured her ACL, or Sixteenth seed Caroline Garcia awaits the winner of this match.
Osaka and Garcia are attributable to play within the closing match on Rod Laver Enviornment on Monday night time.
5.25PM: DUCKWORTH’S PARTY COURT VIBES SHUT DOWN
– Callum Dick
High seeds be damned, James Duckworth grew to become the Monday afternoon drawcard at Melbourne Park because the Aussie ace obtained the Occasion Courtroom rocking to the beat of his booming groundstrokes.
Whereas former champions and finalists commanded prime billing on Rod Laver and Kia Arenas, it was within the crowd at Courtroom 6 that proved the place to be as Duckworth went to 5 units towards Frenchman Luca Van Assche.
In the event you weren’t within the stands, you wished to be. That grew to become shortly obvious to anybody strolling previous as a cacophony of noise rang out on repeat.
The walkway between the surface courts was squeezing room solely as tons of crammed in to catch a glimpse of Duckworth and his posse of partygoers.
Decked out this 12 months with a 400-capacity Courtside Bar, Courtroom 6 – the Occasion Courtroom – has already turn into a divisive addition to Melbourne Park.
On Sunday it got here beneath fireplace from Arthur Rinderknech, who didn’t recognize being on the receiving finish of some shut quarters abuse throughout his near-five hour epic towards Russian Pavel Kotov.
“Some silly – I received’t even say the nation – guys that have been drunk have been shouting at me each time I used to be lacking my first serve, and I don’t assume that’s actually appropriate,” Rinderknech recounted after the match.
5.15PM: NICK KYRGIOS EXPOSED AS OLD TWEET RESURFACES
Eagle-eyed social media customers have known as out Nick Kyrgios after the tennis unhealthy boy heaped reward on Croatian sensation Dino Prizmic on Sunday night time.
Prizmic received many admirers for his first-round heroics as he pushed Novak Djokovic to the restrict in a four-hour conflict – and Kyrgios was amongst them, heaping reward on the younger star after watching the match in his position as a commentator for Eurosport.
“That was 4 hours of pure leisure,” Kyrgios stated after the match.
“As quickly as I noticed him strutting his factor, he jogged my memory of that Holger Rune type vitality.
“That’s the longest match within the first spherical of a slam in Novak’s profession, that’s fairly loopy for an 18-year-old.
“I like him, he’s considered one of my favorite gamers after that efficiency. I’d give him some severe vitality!”
Nonetheless Kyrgios was left red-faced when a tweet he made about Prizmic from final 12 months re-surfaced.
In reply to a publish from distinguished tennis journalist Craig Gabriel, who famous Prizmic had misplaced within the Croatia Open Umag quarter-finals to Australian Alexei Popyrin, Kyrgios was much less effusive in his reward for the rising star.
“Who’re a few of these gamers haha,” Kyrgios stated.
Swedish tennis fan Erik Jonsson was a type of to level out Kyrgios’ current change of coronary heart.
“It’s nearly as if watching tennis makes you find out about these taking part in the game,” Jonsson stated.
4.50PM: WAWRINKA LEAVES MELBOURNE PARK FOR MAYBE THE LAST TIME
Former Aus Open champion Stan Wawrinka’s match is finished after he was blown away by Adrian Mannarino within the fifth set at Melbourne Park.
Wawrinka took a two units to 1 lead, however couldn’t sustain the momentum, fading away to fall to the quantity 20 seed.
The Swiss champion walked off to a thunderous applause, with this being his potential closing sport in Melbourne.
4.15PM: ‘WASTING EVERYONE’S TIME’: BELGIAN SLAMMED FOR EFFORT
– Chris Cavanagh
Belgian fortunate loser Zizou Bergs has been slammed for a sloppy exhibiting on Rod Laver Enviornment, sharply dropping away after surprisingly taking the primary set off seventh-seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Bergs was introduced into the primary draw of the Australian Open on Sunday to face Tsitsipas after Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the match with a proper foot harm.
Nonetheless, after his promising begin with a 7-5 first set win over final 12 months’s Australian Open runner-up, the Belgian fell in a gap.
Bergs misplaced every of the following two units 1-6.
He known as for a health care provider through the third set, complaining of cramping and a headache.
Nonetheless, commentators stated he wanted extra than simply some dietary supplements, slamming his lack of combat on the match’s present courtroom.
Commentator Wally Masour stated through the third set that Bergs was “losing everybody’s time”, including that his health degree was “within the basement”.
“One thing about this match is just not commercial for our sport,” Masour stated.
“When you think about the entire nice tennis on this very courtroom because the Australian Open moved right here in 1988, it deserves somewhat higher, Rod Laver Enviornment, than what we’re seeing.”
Ranked 129 on the earth, the 24-year-old Bergs was making solely his third Grand Slam look.
3.45PM: POPYRIN BOOKS DATE WITH DJOKER
– Ed Bourke
Australian world No. 43 Alexei Popyrin will face Novak Djokovic within the second spherical of the Australian Open after successful his all-Aussie showdown with native boy Marc Polmans in straight units on Monday.
The 24-year-old, who reached the third spherical of the Australian Open final 12 months with two marathon wins together with the second-round upset of eighth seed Taylor Fritz, smashed 56 winners to Polmans’ 22 in a present of sturdy type forward of his confrontation with Djokovic.
Popyrin was examined early by the wildcard in a big-serving show however finally broke his resistance to e-book a date with the world No. 1 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 victory.
It comes because the Serbian celebrity revealed he was battling sickness main into his conflict towards Croatian teen Dino Prizmic on Sunday night time and stated he felt “beneath the climate” following the four-set win.
Although he stated the additional day’s relaxation earlier than the second-round match on Wednesday would go away him in place to face his Australian opponent.
“Look, it’s what it’s. You simply should attempt to take care of it and recover from it and settle for the circumstances and attempt to take advantage of it,” Djokovic stated after the win.
“I’ll focus on with my staff tomorrow, see if I perhaps skip observe tomorrow, tennis observe. Possibly do some mild work, health club, jog, some particular workouts simply to maintain my physique in form.
“I imply, final 12 months I haven’t practised in between any match actually. It was totally different circumstances as a result of I used to be injured. I feel now with two days, it’s fairly helpful after taking part in four-hour opening spherical.”
3.05PM: FRENCHMAN RETIRES IN TEARS AFTER CRAMP SAGA
– Chris Cavanagh
Flashy Frenchman Terence Atmane has been left in tears after being pressured to retire in his first look at a Grand Slam.
Atmane cramped badly in his proper quad through the second set of his match towards third seed Daniil Medvedev, after he had taken the primary set 7-5.
Ranked No.144 on the earth, Atmane was struggling to maneuver and was pressured to serve underarm to get to a break.
He smashed a racquet on the best way to the break however bravely performed on after receiving remedy and taking a dose of electrolytes.
Medvedev was 1-0 up within the fourth set when Atmane retired, earlier than the 22-year-old broke down on his bench after which left the courtroom with a towel draped over his bowed head.
Medvedev himself had some sore hamstrings through the match and was struggling to maneuver freely at occasions in what was his first match of the 12 months after having fun with an prolonged low season break.
The Russian strikes by way of to the second spherical of the match after the triumph, 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0.
2.55PM: BELGIAN BOILOVER? 2023 RUNNER-UP IN TROUBLE
– Chris Cavanagh
Just a little-known Belgium who was added to the Australian Open foremost draw on Sunday has taken the primary set towards final 12 months’s match runner-up.
Zizou Berge – who was pressured to tug out of his closing qualifying match final Friday attributable to a full physique cramp within the second set – obtained a late reprieve as a fortunate loser at Melbourne Park after Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the match with a proper foot harm.
Burge took 61 minutes to win the primary set over Tsitsipas 7-5 on Rod Laver Enviornment, holding serve after the final sport of the set went to deuce 5 occasions.
Berge had performed within the Australian Open final 12 months however misplaced his first-round match.
Ranked No. 129 on the earth, the 24-year-old is that includes at solely his third Grand Slam general.
Tsitsipas withdrew from a United Cup match earlier this month with a lingering again harm, which agains brought about him bother throughout his ‘A Evening with Novak and Mates’ charity match final Friday night time.
The favored Tsitsipas is the seventh seed on the Australian Open this 12 months.
2.45PM: POPYRIN CREEPS CLOSER TO DJOKOVIC DATE
Australian world No. 43 Alexei Popyrin is one set away from a second-round date with Novak Djokovic however is assembly fierce resistance from countryman Marc Polmans in a big-serving conflict on John Cain Enviornment.
Popyrin, who reached the third spherical of final 12 months’s Open after he shocked eighth seed Taylor Fritz in 5 units, took the primary set 6-3 however was pressured right into a tiebreak by the South-African born Polmans.
He received 4 consecutive factors to race away from 3-3 and declare the second set, however wildcard Polmans discovered extra consistency together with his first serve and will show troublesome to interrupt once more after some early yips handed Popyrin the benefit within the opening set.
The winner of the conflict will face Djokovic on Wednesday after the world No. 1 was pushed to 4 units by Croatian teen Dino Prizmic on the opening night time.
Polmans is donning a legionnaires hat and has a bunch of a dozen diehard supporters within the crowd doing the identical – count on the variety of that sunsmart contingent to develop dramatically in dimension if he can come again to upset Popyrin.
2.30PM: WIMBLEDON CHAMP’S STUNNING FIRST-ROUND HUMILIATION
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova crashed out of the Australian Open on the first hurdle Monday, succumbing to Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-2.
The Czech seventh seed pulled out of the warm-up Adelaide Worldwide final week with a hip harm and her courtroom motion gave the impression to be impaired in Melbourne.
She misplaced her opening service sport and by no means obtained again within the contest as 93rd-ranked Yastremska took management on John Cain Enviornment, surging by way of the primary set in simply 31 minutes.
Vondrousova, who beat Australian Open sixth seed Ons Jabeur for her breakthrough on the All England Membership in July, was damaged once more initially of the second set and there was no means again.
“As we speak was a very nice sport,” stated Yastremska, who hit 26 winners to Vondrousova’s 5.
“I used to be somewhat bit nervous, however I simply tried to get pleasure from myself. As we speak, I felt large help from the group.”
It was her fourth profession win over a top-10 participant, most just lately beating then world quantity three Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai in 2022.
Yastremska, whose greatest exhibiting at Melbourne Park is a third-round look in 2019, will subsequent play France’s Varvara Gracheva, who’s unseeded.
2.20PM: FRENCH MELTDOWN: CRAMPS, UNDERARM SERVE, RACQUET SMASH
– Chris Cavanagh
Flashy Frenchman Terence Atmane has smashed a racquet in frustration after being overcome by a serious cramp in his proper quad throughout his first-round match with Daniil Medvedev.
Atmane was struggling to maneuver and was pressured to serve underarm to get to a break and obtain remedy after the cramp got here on when he was on serve at 1-1 within the third set.
A qualifier who’s ranked 144 on the earth, Atmane had began the match on fireplace as he took the primary set 7-5.
Nonetheless, Medvedev fought again to take the second set 6-2.
The match is Atmane’s first towards a top-10 participant in what’s the 22-year-old’s first Grand Slam look.
Medvedev received 66 matches final 12 months and a file 5 titles on the ATP Tour.
2.00PM: POPYRIN MAKING MOVES TOWARDS NOVAK CLASH
Australian livewire Alexei Popyrin is eyeing off a showdown with world No.1 Novak Djokovic – and is gunning down a fellow Aussie to get there.
The massive-hitting Sydney star took the primary set towards countryman Marc Polmans, with the pair at the moment duelling it out within the second set.
The reward will likely be a date with Djokovic, who needed to drag himself by way of a gruelling four-hour slog on Sunday night time.
Elsewhere on courtroom males’s third seed Daniil Medvedev is in a tricky showdown of his personal, shedding the primary set to France’s Terence Atmane earlier than combating again to win the second and be up a break within the third.
1.30PM: TEEN STAR SMASHES THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND
– Rebecca Williams
Teenage star Coco Gauff’s first match as a grand slam champion has began in successful type after she superior to the second spherical of the Australian Open in straight units.
Casting apart her earlier displeasure over a USTA social media publish, Gauff claimed a 6-3 6-0 win over Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in an hour on Rod Laver Enviornment.
The Australian Open is Gauff’s first main since she received her first grand slam on the US Open final 12 months and is the No.4 seed at Melbourne Park.
Requested if she felt any distinction returning to the Australian Open as a grand slam champion, Gauff stated she was ready to attract on her US Open expertise to push by way of her opening spherical match.
“I feel I’m at all times nervous within the first rounds of slams after which, actually, that gave me extra confidence as we speak,” Gauff stated on courtroom after her win.
“My first spherical on the US Open was a tricky first spherical so I knew I may get by way of these robust moments within the match and I feel that’s after I was capable of buckle down at 3-3 and just about take off from there.
“Truthfully, after I was nervous at 3-3, I simply instructed myself, I actually stated ‘I really feel good, I look good’ so simply have enjoyable and that was capable of calm down me somewhat bit.
“That’s why I play tennis to have enjoyable so I remind myself.”
Gauff has twice reached the fourth spherical at Melbourne Park, however is but to play finals right here.
12.55PM: ‘BLANKET FIX’ TO ERADICATE AUS OPEN FARCE
Australian Open officers have been left embarrassed on the opening day of the occasion when an prolonged match – with a further day added- and plans to eradicate obscene late-night finishes blew up of their faces.
And one specific disgrace, that defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was welcomed again to Melbourne Park by a sparsely populated Rod Laver Enviornment simply earlier than midnight, may so simply have been prevented.
In actual fact, there have been solutions {that a} blanket rule must be in place to cease such a situation taking place in any respect.
In a energetic dialogue on The Tennis Podcast, it was instructed that Sabalenka’s match ought to’ve been performed previous to the Novak Djokovic-Dino Prizmic epic. And that must be the brand new regular.
“I simply assume there must be a blanket coverage that you could’t schedule any match after a best-of-five set match. You’ll be able to’t have a second night time session match after best-of-five,” stated co-host Catherine Whitaker.
Co-host Matt Roberts famous the just lately launched ATP-WTA guidelines which forestall matches from beginning after 11pm, which have been introduced in to restrict the variety of farcical late finishes.
“The massive one is that they completely have to begin with the ladies’s matches at night time – it’s merely unacceptable for matches to be beginning at 11.41,” Roberts stated.
“That’s 41 minutes after the excursions have simply determined that’s too late for matches to be beginning.
“That’s 71 minutes after that match would’ve been moved if it was on the tour – the brand new Tour coverage is ‘10.30, we’re going to maneuver to a brand new courtroom’.
“The entire level is that that strolling out second onto courtroom is the one probability you get as a defending champion to return to the courtroom for the primary time because you received it, and obtain the applause and the ovation you deserve.
“That was merely taken away from Aryna Sabalenka tonight. She is rarely going to be a first-time defending Australian Open champion once more.
“That was her second, and it was barely a second as a result of there was barely anybody there to recognise it.
“Nobody is blaming any (members of the group who left) – it’s the scheduling.”
12.45PM: DOUBLES STAR LANDS $180K PAYDAY
– Rebecca Williams
Australian qualifier Storm Hunter has been assured a $180,000 pay day after advancing to the second spherical of the Australian Open for the primary time in her profession.
The world No.1 doubles participant, Hunter claimed a breakthrough singles victory at Melbourne Park after dispatching the higher-ranked Italian Sara Errani in straight units.
In an indication of her singles ambitions for 2024, Hunter claimed a 6-4 6-3 win over the previous world No.5 on Kia Enviornment.
The 29-year-old threw her arms within the air to have a good time the win earlier than pointing to the group, describing the win as “good” and a “dream come true”.
Hunter reached the highest of the world’s doubles rankings with Belgian Elise Mertens final 12 months, however has made enhancing her singles rating a precedence this 12 months.
The 29-year-old is ranked 179th on the earth in singles, whereas Errani is ranked 101.
Gamers who attain the second spherical of the are assured $180,000, whereas Hunter must attain the ultimate of doubles at Melbourne Park to win greater than $200,000.
Hunter has a packed schedule on the Open, taking part in singles, doubles and combined doubles.
12.20PM: AUSSIE WILDCARD KNOCKED OUT
Australian wildcard Taylah Preston has suffered a first-round loss to Ukrainian seed Elina Svitolina.
The 18-year-old grand slam singles debut was over in beneath an hour because the No.19 seed powered to a 6-2 6-2 win.
Preston was earlier anointed as the following technology of Australian girls’s gamers to be careful for by former Billie Jean Cup captain Alicia Molik.
Svitolina, a two-time quarter-finalist on the Australian Open, will face both American Kayla Day or Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova within the second spherical.
11.55AM: AUSSIE GUN TAKES FIRST SET AGAINST ITALIAN
The solar is shining at Melbourne Park, however there’s a storm brewing on Kia Enviornment.
Australia’s world No.1 doubles participant Storm Hunter holds the higher hand as she targets her first main-draw singles win on the Australian Open.
The Australian qualifier received her first set 6-4 towards unseeded Italian former world No.5 Sara Errani.
Hunter reached the highest of the world’s doubles rankings with Belgian Elise Mertens final 12 months, however has made enhancing her singles rating a precedence this 12 months.
The 29-year-old is ranked 179th on the earth in singles, whereas Errani is ranked 101.
Hunter has featured in the primary singles draw on the Australian Open 5 occasions beforehand, however has bowed out every time within the first spherical.
11.40AM: TEEN STAR HITS OUT AT ‘HIDEOUS’ DELETED POST
Teen tennis star Coco Gauff has hit out at a ‘hideous’ cartoon and since-deleted social media publish from the USTA designed to advertise American gamers at this 12 months’s Australian Open.
The cartoon, completed within the type of the Nineties Nickelodeon present the Wild Thornberrys, displayed seeded American stars reminiscent of Gauff and world No.5 Jessica Pegula, and males’s stars Sebastian Korba, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton within the Australian outback.
The finale of the present’s closing season aired in June, 2004 – mere months after Gauff was born.
And the world No.4 Gauff was no fan of the caricature type, taking to social media to voice her displeasure.
“Worst factor I’ve ever seen,” Gauff stated in an Instagram story.
“Like a caricature artist determined to make (us) all seem like hideous trying individuals. The artwork type is cool for a cartoon present however not for a hype publish. Foul.”
Gauff added on Twitter that it “makes us all look so ugly”.
11.15AM: ‘WHO KNOWS DOWN THE TRACK’: AUSSIE GREAT FUELS BARTY RUMOURS
Australian tennis nice Ash Barty is again at Melbourne Park – and appears like she’s able to go deep into the second week.
The one downside is the three-time grand slam champion, and new mum, continues to be fortunately retired.
However will that stay the case?
Barty retired shortly after successful the 2022 Australian Open and in July final 12 months she gave delivery to a son. However Australian tennis followers are endlessly hopeful that the 27-year-old’s aggressive fires reignite.
And one remark from one-time Fed Cup teammate Alicia Molik raised eyebrows on Monday.
“She seems like she may very well be competing on this Australian Open,” Molik stated as footage performed of Barty spinning a racquet on her finger.
“Who is aware of down the observe… It’s great we’ve the chance to see her.”
10.45AM: DJOKOVIC HITS OUT OPEN ORGANISERS OVER NEW RULE
– NCA Newswire
World No.1 Novak Djokovic has given a serve to Australian Open organisers a couple of new rule permitting followers to maneuver across the stadium in between video games, moderately the standard change of ends.
Djokovic stated he wasn’t conscious of the brand new rule which allowed for extra fan motion and stated it had a detrimental affect on his match and never the constructive one match organisers have been hoping for
“I didn’t find out about that new coverage or new rule,” he stated
“Look, I imply, I perceive the motive behind it’s to reinforce and enhance the expertise for followers, proper? We do play for followers. We wish followers to have an excellent, thrilling expertise of being out on the courtroom.
“It’s laborious, I need to say. I perceive that and I help it to some extent, however on the similar time all my profession, all my life I’ve been used to some type of environment. When that adjustments, it type of messes up, distracts you a bit.
“As we speak we misplaced fairly a little bit of time once they have been letting individuals in to return to their seats, though it was not a changeover. My opponent would look ahead to them to take a seat down. It dragged rather a lot.
“I don’t know if it’s actually the perfect rule, however I do perceive from a match and fan perspective it’s in all probability higher as a result of they don’t need to wait. They need to come out and luxuriate in each single level.
“I’m type of divided between the 2 in a means”
10.30AM: HALF AN HOUR UNTIL DAY TWO GETS UNDERWAY
Stay tennis is sort of upon us – with seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova and fiery Ukranian Dayana Yastremska first up on John Cain Enviornment, which precedes an all-Australian conflict between Alexei Popyrin and wildcard Marc Polmans.
Within the day’s different early matches, Australian qualifier Storm Hunter has Italian veteran Sara Errani in her sights, and wildcard Taylah Preston may have her arms full towards nineteenth seed Elina Svitolina.
9.50AM: FANS FUME AS AUSTRALIA ROBBED OF FIRST-ROUND EPIC
It was the five-set epic which ought to have given tennis followers the right begin to their Australian Open expertise – besides that it was given a free-to-air blackout.
Australian Chris O’Connell’s gruelling four-hour victory over World No.88 Cristian Garin was a gripping encounter for these fortunate sufficient to get to Courtroom 3 to observe the pulsating encounter.
The gritty Aussie twice fought again, after dropping the primary and third units, to ship the match to a deciding fifth set. Solely followers have been left scratching their heads about the best way to watch it.
The early portion of the match had been broadcast on Channel 9, earlier than being switched to a secondary channel to accommodate for the information at 6pm.
Nonetheless as soon as the tennis protection returned after the information, the main focus was on previewing Novak Djokovic’s conflict with rising star Dino Prizmic – whereas Australia’s Jason Kubler, who went down in 5 units in his personal first-round epic, was given precedence over O’Connell on the back-up channel.
That means many followers missed out as O’Connell launched his Open marketing campaign with a stirring fightback within the fifth set to win 3-6 7-5 4-6 6-1 7-5.
Viewers making an attempt to observe the conclusion of the match wanted to stream it both on 9Now or the subscription service Stan Sport – nevertheless on social media followers vented their fury.
“Channel 9 waits until Chris O’Connell is into the fifth set, then makes him disappear. Simply think about how these morons will butcher the Olympics,” wrote Albie Patts on Twitter.
O’Connell will subsequent face the winner of Sixteenth seed Ben Shelton and Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, who play in a while Monday.
9.15AM: THE AUSSIE WHO CAN CASH IN ON NOVAK EPIC
Novak Djokovic’s gruelling four-hour first-round victory was an energy-sapping affair – however two Australians would’ve loved it greater than most.
Djokovic booked his place within the second spherical together with his four-set victory over Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, and he’ll face an Australian, with Alexie Popyrin and Marc Polmans battling on Monday for the suitable to face the world No.1.
And whenever you’re up towards the GOAT, you want to take each benefit at your disposal.
So the Australian pair would’ve been cheering each energy-sapping level Djokovic was dragged into.
“He’s the grasp of in-match administration, of match administration. However he’s approaching 37 years outdated and that was not solely an awfully lengthy match, however a bodily, lengthy match,” famous tennis journalist Catherine Whitaker.
“He was struggling on the market, Novak Djokovic. Is that the form of struggling he may really feel in his legs later within the match?”
The overall consensus amongst her colleagues on The Tennis Podcast was no, not likely…. Until, in fact, he will get dragged into one other dogfight.
“I feel Popyrin is harmful if he performs (Novak). That’s not ultimate, for my part,” stated David Regulation.
“(However) typically (Novak) going to win most of his matches fairly effectively from right here.
“It’s stating the apparent, however Father Time will get him finally. And we’re all simply fascinated to know when that will likely be. And in a means Djokovic is simply too – he’s fascinated about how lengthy he can hold this going for.”
8.30AM: THE REST OF DAY TWO ACTION ANALYSED
In-form US Open champion and fourth seed Coco Gauff kicks off the day’s motion on centre courtroom, contemporary from defending her Auckland Basic title within the lead-up.
The 19-year-old American faces Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and will likely be adopted on courtroom by seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, whose job grew to become rather a lot simpler when opponent Matteo Berrettini withdrew with a foot harm on Sunday.
Tsitsipas, who powered into the ultimate final 12 months however was no match for a dominant Novak Djokovic, was attributable to meet the previous world No.6 Italian however will now face Belgian fortunate loser Zizou Bergs.
In one other standout match, harmful Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime will spar with Austrian 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem on Margaret Courtroom Enviornment.
The winner of that conflict may face Daniil Medvedev within the third spherical, ought to the Russian get previous French qualifier Terence Atmane.
Medvedev, a Melbourne finalist in 2021 and 2022, has pledged to be “extra mature’ this 12 months and lower out the tantrums which can be a trademark of his sport.
“Hopefully I can obtain it this season, and we’re going to see a brand new Daniil Medvedev,” he stated.
Different gamers in motion on day two embrace five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, and ladies’s sixth seed Ons Jabeur.
8.00AM – OSAKA RETURN HEADLINES DAY TWO
Naomi Osaka makes her comeback to grand slam tennis on day two of the Australian Open Monday.
New mum Osaka, 26, stepped away from the game in September 2022, citing psychological well being issues.
After giving delivery to a child woman, Shai, in July, the Japanese star determined to return for the 2024 season, however she has an enormous first hurdle to clear in Sixteenth-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.
They may grace Rod Laver Enviornment within the night session, following on from Australian tenth seed Alex de Minaur’s conflict with big-serving Canadian veteran Milos Raonic.
“I’ve a way more constructive mindset and a way more grateful mindset,” four-time grand slam champion Osaka stated of returning to Melbourne, the scene of her title-winning exploits in 2019 and 2021.
“Tremendous-excited to be again. It’s been actually enjoyable to date.”
Initially revealed as Australian Open 2024 day 2: Newest information, outcomes and highlights from Melbourne Park
