Novak Djokovic yesterday began his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam crown with an emphatic straight-sets victory as fellow Australian Open title contenders Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff also won, but with less sparkle.
Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev stayed alive, as did 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka, who rolled back the clock to reach the second round in his tournament farewell.
Serbian great Djokovic, 38, tamed Spain’s 71st-ranked Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena, a court where he has won a record 10 Australian Open crowns.
Photo: AFP
The world No. 4 owns 24 major titles, equal for the most ever with Australia’s Margaret Court, but a 25th has remained agonizingly out of reach.
“What can I say? I like the sound of it. Centurion is pretty nice,” he said after his 100th victory at the Australian Open.
“I always give my best whenever I’m on the court. Obviously, history-making is a great motivation, and particularly in the last five, 10 years of my career,” he added.
The 2014 champion Wawrinka lived to fight another day with a gutsy four-set victory.
The three-time major winner is playing his last season before retiring and gave his all to down Serbia’s Laslo Djere 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in front of a crowd willing him to victory.
“The passion is still intact, but I’m not young anymore, so I need to be careful also,” said the Swiss player, who made his Australian Open debut in 2006.
Medvedev, runner-up in 2021, 2022 and 2024, warmed up for Melbourne with victory in Brisbane and ground to a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) opening round win over Dutchman Jesper de Jong.
The famously feisty Russian said he was trying to be more “positive” on court.
“So far I’m doing it well,” he said.
Sixth seed Alex de Minaur, the big home hope, was also a straight-sets winner on another hot day where temperatures reached about 30°C and record crowds of more than 100,000 faced long queues to get into Melbourne Park.
However, the tournament is over for seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who retired from his match with cramp.
Auger-Aliassime won the opening set 6-3 against Nuno Borges, but then lost the next two before calling time.
“I want to be on the court competing with my opponent. I don’t want to be just standing there like a punching bag,” he said.
The same fate befell tearful compatriot Marina Stakusic, who was taken off in a wheelchair when she cramped up against home player Priscilla Hon.
In the women’s draw, six-time major winner Swiatek was made to work unexpectedly hard against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
The Polish second seed, who will complete a career Grand Slam of all four majors if she breaks her Australian Open duck, eventually saw off her spirited opponent 7-6 (7/5), 6-3. “I was a bit rusty at the beginning,” Swiatek said. “For sure many ups and downs, but overall, I have some stuff to work on.”
Gauff beat Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3, but was also less than convincing at the start and struggled with her serve.
“I am only satisfied if I win, but I am proud of myself regardless of how I get on,” Gauff said.
Her reward is a clash next with Venus Williams’ conqueror Olga Danilovic.
Like Swiatek, Gauff has yet to go past the last four in Melbourne.
However, former champion Sofia Kenin crashed out and so did Alexandra Eala despite manic support from Philippine fans.
The 20-year-old Eala was in the main draw for the first time, and even practice sessions were mobbed by large numbers of her compatriots.
“I think this week definitely there were elements that were a bit overwhelming,” she said of the support following a three-set loss to Alycia Parks.
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