Australian Open champions Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys advanced in Melbourne after Britons Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter bowed out.
Sinner, ranked second in the world, advanced to the second round as his French opponent Hugo Gaston withdrew after two sets, trailing 6-2, 6-1.
Gaston broke down in tears after telling Sinner he could not continue, with the Italian second seed consoling him.
Sinner, who next faces Australian James Duckworth for a place in the third round, said: “I spent a very long time during the offseason trying to become a better tennis player.
“But at the end of the day, the most important part is getting on the court and having fun, right? It’s very special to start the season with a night session match here in a packed Grand Slam stadium, trying to give your best.”
Madison Keys’ Australian Open title defense threatens to turn into a nightmare
Keys fell behind 4-0 in the first set before recovering to win.
The American claimed her long-awaited first Grand Slam title 12 months ago when she beat Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at the Rod Laver Arena, but her return to the same court threatened to turn into a nightmare against Ukrainian debutant Oleksandra Oliynykova.
Keys lost the opening four games, again won a tie-break and saved two set points before finally breaking the bank and winning 7-6(8-6) 6-1.
“The moment they say, ‘Ready, play,’ everything just surprises you in a way that I don’t think you can really explain to someone,” Keys later expressed relief.
“But even though it’s nerve-wracking and stressful, I’m still reminded of how few people there can be at that moment. And I’ll beat the stress any day I can get out today and have the crowds be as welcoming as they used to be.”
Ukraine’s Olynikova is delighted with her Grand Slam debut
Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova said bombs were still shaking at her home in Kiev.
Although she couldn’t shake off her embarrassment, it was a moment of immense pride for 25-year-old Oliynykova, who left her mark with more than just a temporary facial tattoo.
She rose through the ranks quickly and said she was inspired by her father, who was fighting for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“I’m so proud of him,” she said. “Actually, this is what motivates me more. Since he joined the military, I have been ranked over 200 times because I know it was his dream for me to be on this court.”
Unlike most of her compatriots, Oliynykova currently lives and trains in Ukraine, with all the risks that come with it.
“While I was getting ready, I heard an explosion,” she said. “The last night I spent in Ukraine before traveling here, there were two major attacks.
“There was an explosion near my house, and a drone hit the house across the street. My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion. There is no electricity, no water, no heat in my apartment. Any time I get a chance to talk about this, I believe it is very important.”
Osaka makes a grand entrance with fashion
Naomi Osaka She made quite the entrance to the Australian Open, showing off her fashion sense as she walked into Rod Laver Arena for her first round match wearing a wide-brimmed hat and veil and holding a white umbrella.
The four-time Grand Slam champion took on 65th-ranked Antonia Ruzic of Croatia in his final match at the Rod Laver Arena.
Ann Keothabong; TNT Sports said: “Isn’t she making a statement? That’s all you have to say. I’ve never seen anything like this. That’s the best walk-on.”
Tim Henman: “I’m speechless.”
Bolter’s defeat forces Raducanu to fly solo.
Katie Boulter leaves the court after her first round loss to Belinda Bencic.
Emma Raducanu will single-handedly carry Britain’s hopes into the second round of the Australian Open women’s singles after Boulter lost to the Swiss star. Belinda Bencic.
Boulter fell to 113th in the rankings and sneaked into the draw at the last minute. She found herself paired with arguably the most talented player in the women’s game.
The British No. 4 mustered his strength in at least the second set to lose 6-0, 7-5 and join Kartal in their first-round exit.
“Once I settled into the second stage, I gained confidence that I could definitely improve,” Boulter said.
“I’ve been with her at times, so I’m confident about it. I think I just need to play a lot of those games and get used to those tight moments again.”
Kartal: My levels haven’t been that low in years!
Sonay Kartal declared her performance to be her worst in years.
Kartal declared his performance to be his worst in years after being underwhelmed by the loss.
There is no shame in the 66th-ranked British runner-up losing to the 31st seed. Anna KalinskayaHowever, rather than the rankings, it was the way they lost 7-6 (7-3) 6-1.
Kartal arrived in Melbourne after a very narrow loss to Elina Svitolina in Auckland, which seemed to carry on her momentum from a strong final season last season.
She initially had the upper hand against Kalinskaya, but eventually paid the price for relying too much on the Russian’s mistakes.
Kartal played a poor tiebreak and any chance of a comeback disappeared when Kalinskaya opened a 5-0 lead in the second set.
“Obviously I’m very disappointed,” said Kartal, who is still looking for his first win of the tournament.
“It wasn’t the best for me at all and even my base level wasn’t really there today. This is what I rely on.
“If I could go back out now and play that game again, I think I would play it in a completely different way.
“Maybe he leveled up, but mine probably dropped to a level that hasn’t been that low for a few years.
“I felt like I finished last year on a good note and trained well. I played well in the warm-up this morning.
“I’m very disappointed, especially after Auckland. We’ve got a long season ahead of us, so I’m not going to delve too deeply into that.”
Thank you Monfils! Gael Monfils says emotional goodbye
Tennis showman Gael Monfils bowed out of his 20th and final Australian Open with a mixture of pain and regret as he lost 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 6-4 7-5 in the first round of a regional qualifier. Dane Sweeney.
The 39-year-old Frenchman flashed his trademark flamboyance and somehow made it a game despite his movements being severely restricted in the frenzied atmosphere of the Kia Arena.
“My journey started with you all in 2003. Now here we are in 2026 and somehow we’ve reached the finish line. Thank you so much for this amazing ride. You guys were incredible,” Monfils told cheering fans who gave her a standing ovation.
“I’ve had a lot of great memories here. I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to play here over the years. Thank you so much.”
A great day for celebrities, ben shelton Recorded consecutive wins and became the men’s 5th seed Lorenzo Musetti The Belgian fought back from a set down to take a two-set lead over Raphael Collignon as he became the latest player to retire through injury.
But teenage star Joao Fonseca is still waiting for a Grand Slam breakthrough after losing 6-4 2-6 6-1 6-2 to the American. Elliot Speechley.
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