The first Grand Slam title of the year is at stake at the Australian Open. We'll keep you up to date every day in our ticker.
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Stan Wawrinka fails against Lorenzo Sonego
Stan Wawrinka is eliminated in the starting round of the Australian Open. The soon-to-be 40-year-old Swiss lost to Lorenzo Sonego from Italy 4:6, 7:5, 5:7, 5:7 in three and a quarter hours.
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1st set: Wawrinka has to concede the first break in his second service game - and this at zero. Subsequently, both players get through their service games without any problems and there are no more break points. And so Sonego takes the opening set 6:4 after just over half an hour.
2nd set: The Swiss player manages to respond to the lost opening set. Wawrinka gets his very first break chance in Sonego's first service game - and strikes immediately. Shortly afterwards, he easily confirms the break and takes a 3:0 lead. At 4:2, the Swiss was able to fend off a break point and defend his lead. But when Wawrinka serves for the set shortly afterwards, it still happens: Sonego gets the rebreak and equalizes to 5:5. Wawrinka's reaction followed promptly. The Swiss earned several break chances at 6:5 - and was able to convert his fifth set point.
3rd set: The match is evenly poised in the third set. There are no break points for a long time until Wawrinka creates a chance at 4:3. The Swiss was unable to convert it. Sonego then turns on the heat out of nowhere, gets two break chances and converts one of them with a dream shot. Shortly afterwards, the third set is over - Sonego takes it 7:5.
4th set: As in the third set, the two opponents give each other nothing away and there are no break chances until Wawrinka is 5:4 up. But then the Swiss earned three break points and set points in a row at an opportune moment. But Sonego fends them all off, equalizes at 5:5 and shortly afterwards gets his first break chance of the set. Wawrinka gives up his serve with a double fault. Shortly afterwards, Sonego converted his first match point and won the hard-fought match 6:4, 5:7, 7:5, 7:5.
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The three-time finalist's nail-biter
The Russian Daniil Medvedev, three-time finalist at the Australian Open, needs five sets against the Thai Kasidit Samrej, the world number 416.
Medvedev was even 6:2, 4:6, 3:6 behind against Samrej, who made it into the main draw thanks to a wild card, before clearly winning the fourth and fifth sets (6:1, 6:2). In the third set, Medvedev destroyed the net camera in frustration over a missed volley. At the Australian Open, including his last three matches last year, Medvedev had to go through five sets for the fourth time in a row. Medvedev lost two of his three finals in Melbourne - 2022 against Rafael Nadal and 2023 against Novak Djokovic - in five sets after leading 2:0.
![Daniil Medvedev remains in contention at the Australian Open.]()
Daniil Medvedev remains in contention at the Australian Open. Picture: sda -
Rybakina loses only 2 games
Kazakh Yelena Rybakina (25), the 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 7, won the opening match against 16-year-old Australian Emerson Jones 6:1, 6:1. Rybakina has now won 90 sets either 6:0 or 6:1 in her professional career.
More interesting than Rybakina's victory, however, was her coaching situation. Newly signed Goran Ivanisevic, the ex-coach of Novak Djokovic, coached her. Stevano Vukov, her second coach who was provisionally suspended by the WTA, was not present. "But," says Rybakina, "he coaches me too. We talk on the phone every day." Rybakina apparently hired Vukov, under whose wing she had won Wimbledon, behind Ivanisevic's back.
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Dimitrov gives up
Like Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov (ATP 10) is also continuing a less than pleasing series. The Bulgarian had to retire from his third Grand Slam tournament in a row due to an injury. Francesco Passaro (ATP 104), who truly lives up to the term "lucky loser", had to kiss his hand. He had lost in the last round of qualifying and had only slipped into the main draw due to another withdrawal. Dimitrov was already complaining of hip pain last week and retired injured in the semi-finals in Brisbane the week before.
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Tsitsipas fails in the first round
The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (ATP 11) lost to the up-and-coming Alex Michelsen (ATP 41) in 2:45 hours 5:7, 3:6, 6:2, 4:6. The 20-year-old American celebrated his first victory over a top 20 player at a major tournament. However, Michelsen showed nerves in the end: in the fourth set, he twice squandered a break lead with four double faults. However, Tsitsipas also handed his opponent the decisive break to make it 5:4 in the fourth set with a double fault.
Stefanos Tsitsipas lost very early at a Grand Slam tournament for the third time in a row: at Wimbledon last summer in the second round and now in Australia, as at the US Open, in the starting round.
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Viktorija Golubic's winning streak comes to an end
After 15 victories, Viktorija Golubic's winning streak at the Australian Open comes to an end. After missing two match points, the 32-year-old from Zurich loses to Elise Mertens from Belgium.
After two hours and 50 minutes, Mertens converted her second match point to win 4:6, 7:6 (10:8), 6:4. She thus maintained her astonishing streak. In the last seven years, Mertens has only failed once in the first round of all Grand Slam tournaments.
Viktorija Golubic came close to knocking the Hobart finalist (last week) out of the tournament. Golubic, who ended last season with tournament victories in Jiujiang (WTA 250) and Limoges (Challenger) and opened the new year with three wins without dropping a set in the qualifiers for Melbourne, played extremely strongly for two hours. She had match points in the tiebreak of the second set at 6:4 and 6:5.
Golubic reached the 3rd round in Melbourne for the first time a year ago. Prior to that, she had lost 13 times in the starting round at major tournaments on hard courts (Australian Open, US Open). The Swiss will drop around 13 places in the world rankings in two weeks' time.
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Novak Djokovic corrects false start
1st set: A false start for Novak Djokovic: The Serb loses the first set against 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy 4:6 and has to chase a deficit.
2nd set: Basavareddy also holds his own in the second set and the match remains evenly poised until 3:3. Then the clear favorite finally manages his first break - and serves the set home with a commanding 6:3. The false start is corrected.
3rd set: Djokovic gets the next break in the very first game and then defends it confidently. Without having to fend off a break point, the Serb wins the third game 6:4.
4th set: Djokovic gets his first march balls at 5:1. The 19-year-old Basavareddy fends them off. One game later, Djokovic closes out the set and secures victory.
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Alcaraz wins, Kyrgios is eliminated
Carlos Alcaraz starts the first Grand Slam tournament of the year with a commanding victory. The Spaniard was only really challenged by the Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko in the second set and won 6:1, 7:5 and 6:1 after just under two hours.
Nick Kyrgios, on the other hand, has already been eliminated. The local hero surprisingly had no chance against Britain's Jacob Fearnly and lost 6:7, 3:6 and 6:7.
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Bencic beats Ostapenko and gets her first win as a mom
Belinda Bencic makes her Grand Slam comeback. One and a half years after her last appearance at the US Open, she beats Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia 6:3, 7:6 (8:6) in two hours at the Australian Open.
The finish in this match between two 27-year-olds was thrilling. Belinda Bencic dominated the match until 6:3, 5:3. At 5:4 in the second set and on her own serve, she missed five match points. Jelena Ostapenko improved in this phase. The Latvian fended off all of the match points with some clean winning shots. Ostapenko equalized the score at 5:5 with her third break point.
Belinda Bencic was somewhat fortunate to prevail in the tie-break. The Swiss player led 3:1 and 4:2, but then fell behind 4:6. Ostapenko was also unable to capitalize on her two set points, and a little later the edge of the net helped Bencic to victory on her sixth match point.
Despite the drama at the end: Bencic (WTA 421) proved in Melbourne that she is already approaching her 2023 level of play again. Ostapenko, the world number 17, failed to reach the round of 16 at her preparatory tournaments in Brisbane and Adelaide, but narrowly lost to the eventual tournament winners (Marie Bouzkova and Madison Keys) at both tournaments.
In the second round on Wednesday, Bencic will face the 25-year-old Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens, the world number 80, quarter-finalist two weeks ago in Brisbane and tournament winner last fall in Osaka.
![True joy: Belinda Bencic beats world number 17 Jelena Ostapenko at the Australian Open.]()
True joy: Belinda Bencic beats world number 17 Jelena Ostapenko at the Australian Open. Picture: sda -
Another disappointment for Dominic Stricker
Dominic Stricker (ATP 298) is eliminated in the starting round at the Australian Open in Melbourne. He clearly loses to Australian James Duckworth (ATP 94) 2:6, 4:6, 2:6 in just 94 minutes.
In short: the season opener in Melbourne ended in another bitter disappointment for Dominic Stricker. During the short month in Australia, he didn't even win a set at the United Cup, in the qualifiers in Auckland and in the main draw in Melbourne.
Dominic Stricker only managed one break point against the 32-year-old Australian. By then, however, the 22-year-old from Bern was already 2:6, 4:6, 0:2 down.
![Dominic Stricker is still not in the best of health. He had to be treated by a physiotherapist against James Duckworth.]()
Dominic Stricker is still not in the best of health. He had to be treated by a physiotherapist against James Duckworth. Picture: sda -
Sinner masters difficult starting task - Swiatek confident
Jannik Sinner is through to the second round. The Italian defending champion showed nerves of steel in his difficult opening match against Chile's Nicolas Jarry and won 7:6 (7:2), 7:6 (7:5), 6:1. It is Sinner's 15th win in a row.
The Polish world number two Swiatek, who is allowed to compete in Melbourne after serving her doping ban, also won 6:3, 6:4 against the Czech Katerina Siniakova.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas already eliminated
Stefanos Tsitsipas (ATP 11) lost to the up-and-coming Alex Michelsen (ATP 41) in 2:45 hours 5:7, 3:6, 6:2, 4:6. The 20-year-old American celebrated his first victory over a top 20 player at a major tournament.
However, Michelsen showed nerves in the end: in the fourth set, he twice squandered a break lead with four double faults. However, Tsitsipas also handed his opponent the decisive break to make it 5:4 in the fourth set with a double fault.
Stefanos Tsitsipas lost very early at a Grand Slam tournament for the third time in a row: at Wimbledon last summer in the second round and now in Australia, as at the US Open, in the starting round.
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The Swiss Down Under
Dominic Stricker against the Australian James Duckworth and Belinda Bencic against the Latvian number 16 seed Jelena Ostapenko will play their first singles match on Monday night. A little later on Monday, qualifier Viktorija Golubic will play Belgian Elise Mertens. Stan Wawrinka does not enter the tournament until Tuesday against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
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Ruud struggles on in 5 sets
The world number six Casper Ruud, on the other hand, needed five sets to overcome the Spaniard Jaume Munar (ATP 61). The Norwegian has never made it past the round of 16 in Melbourne.
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Nishikori with strong nerves
Former star Kei Nishikori (ATP 74) also won in five sets against Thiago Monteiro (ATP 106). The Japanese player is back at the Australian Open for the first time in four years and celebrated his first victory since 2019, when he reached the quarter-finals.
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Zverev unchallenged
Alexander Zverev started his title mission at the Australian Open with a commanding opening victory. The world number two won 6:4, 6:4, 6:4 against Frenchman Lucas Pouille and reached the second round of the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne for the ninth time in a row. There, the Hamburg native is also the clear favorite in his duel with Pedro Martinez from Spain.
Zverev looked focused and physically fit against Pouille. After 2:21 hours, the 2021 Olympic champion converted his second match point against the wild card holder, who had reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2019. The bicep injury that had forced Zverev to retire in the quarter-finals of the United Cup a week and a half ago no longer seemed to be holding him back.
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Sabalenka and Zheng confident
Defending champion and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka gave Sloane Stephens (ATP 84), the 2017 US Open winner, no chance with a 6:3, 6:2 win. Sabalenka's opponent in last year's final, Zheng Qinwen from China, beat Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni (WTA 110) 7:6, 6:1 without any major problems.
