Novak Djokovic yesterday swept to victory in his first singles match on Australian soil since being deported a year ago, crushing Constant Lestienne at the Adelaide International to start his bid for another Grand Slam title.
The Serbian superstar was given a warm welcome when he played a losing doubles clash on Monday and received similar treatment on a packed center court.
He beat the Frenchman comfortably 6-3, 6-2 in 74 minutes, breaking once in the first set and twice in the second.
Photo: AFP
“For the first match I can’t complain, I played very well,” Djokovic said.
It was his first singles clash in the country after being kicked out before last year’s Australian Open for not being vaccinated for COVID-19. Djokovic was subsequently barred from re-entering for three years. The ban was lifted in November.
Daniil Medvedev, who lost to Djokovic in the 2021 Australian Open final, also tasted victory, saving an incredible nine set points on his way to a 7-6 (8/6), 2-1 win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego who retired hurt.
Photo: AFP
Jannik Sinner and Denis Shapovalov were among other winners.
In women’s singles, former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (7/5) to reach the second round.
Twice Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself in trouble trailing 5-1, but she summoned up her fighting spirit to save five set points before edging a tense tiebreaker.
“When you talk about first matches that are never easy this one was definitely at the top of the list,” Azarenka said. “I played an opponent who played really, really well today.
The Belarusian’s victory over her Ukrainian opponent set up a meeting with China’s Zheng Qinwen.
The WTA Newcomer of the Year for last year, Zheng saved a match point to battle past former world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), while former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova upset eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko later defeated former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-1 6-3 to reach the second round.
In women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Chinese partner Yang Zhaoxuan lost 4-6, 6-1, 10-5 to the Belarusian duo of Lidziya Marozava and Aryna Sabalenka.
Additional reporting by staff writer with Reuters
UNITED CUP
AP, SYDNEY
Matteo Berrettini yesterday beat world No. 3 Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 to lead Italy past Norway and into the Brisbane City Final of the United Cup.
Berrettini’s win gave Italy and unassailable 3-0 lead over Norway and ensured it would finish atop Group E at the mixed teams tournament and would face either Poland or Switzerland today.
In Perth, Maria Sakkari earned Greece a Perth City Final place with a 6-1, 7-5 defeat of Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
Greece required only two points from the final tie of Group A to advance and Sakkari’s win backed up compatriot Stefanos Tsitsipas’ defeat of David Goffin on Monday.
In Sydney, the US completed a 5-0 win over Germany with wins by Jessica Pegula against Laura Siegemund and Frances Tiafoe over Oscar Otte. Pegula and Taylor Fritz then combined to beat Julia Lohoff and Fabian Fallert in the mixed doubles as the United States topped Group C.
The US are today to play Britain in the Sydney City Final.
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