Two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and US Open champion Coco Gauff yesterday swept into the second round of the Australian Open, but Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova and five-time finalist Andy Murray were sent packing.
On a baking-hot day at Melbourne Park, men’s seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 16th seed Ben Shelton also tasted victory.
Third seed Medvedev battled tough conditions on Margaret Court Arena against French qualifier Terence Atmane, who smashed his racket, served underarm and retired in tears after cramping that forced him off court, while losing 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0.
Photo: Reuters
“When I started to feel tough physically he started cramping, so it was brutal conditions,” said Russia’s Medvedev, a finalist in 2021 and 2022. “I was getting tired, but many times in these situations the other guy is getting tired, too, and it’s about who manages it better.”
The Russian is to face Finland’s unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori in the next round.
Tsitsipas, who lost last year’s final to Novak Djokovic, was stunned by Belgian lucky loser Zizou Bergs in the first set, but woke up to take complete control and win 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. The Greek star was due to meet Italian Matteo Berrettini, but the former world No. 6 withdrew with a foot injury on Sunday.
The UK’s Murray was outplayed by Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
The 36-year-old, who has suggested he might be playing his final season, put up stiff resistance in a 61-minute first set, but the 30th seed slowly ground him down to win 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
“Very tough for me playing with a legend like Andy,” said Etcheverry, 12 years younger than his opponent. “He is one of my idols, but today I played incredible. I just tried to play my game and focus on my points.”
Women’s fourth seed Gauff said ahead of the opening Grand Slam of the year that she wanted to win “multiple” major titles after her breakthrough at Flushing Meadows last year.
The 19-year-old put the plan into motion with a 6-3, 6-0 rout of Slovakia’s 68th-ranked Anna Karolina Schmiedlova on center court.
“I was a little bit nervous coming in today. Probably could tell. I was able to just calm down and then play my good, not my best, but good tennis,” said Gauff, who defended her Auckland title in the lead-up.
Her reward is a clash with unseeded American Caroline Dolehide in round two.
While she lived to fight another day, it was curtains for Vondrousova, who slumped 6-1, 6-2 to Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
The Czech seventh seed pulled out of the warm-up Adelaide International last week with a hip injury and said she was also struggling with a sore shoulder, which affected her serve.
“I didn’t practice much before the tournament because I was injured,” she said after becoming the highest seed to depart so far. “She played a good match, I didn’t play good.”
World No. 93 Yastremska, whose best showing at Melbourne Park is a third-round appearance in 2019, sported the slogan “Be brave like Ukraine” on her bag and said she wanted to keep the war in her homeland in the spotlight.
“I’m very proud of Ukraine, proud of the people, proud of the warriors and the civilians,” she said, after setting up a clash with unseeded Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva.
Another Ukrainian, Elina Svitolina, also progressed, demolishing Australian Taylah Preston for the loss of just four games.
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