MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner began his quest to defend his Australian Open title with a compelling performance, defeating Nicolas Jarry in straight sets. After momentarily straying from his strategy by attempting a drop shot during a critical moment in the second tiebreaker, Sinner quickly regained focus and secured a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory on Rod Laver Arena. This win marked his 15th consecutive victory on tour and on hard courts in Grand Slam events.
Much attention had been focused on Sinner and Iga Swiatek, the long-time women’s No. 1, regarding doping cases leading into the tournament. Both athletes commenced their campaigns on adjacent courts on Day 2. “I was curious to see how it was,” Sinner reflected on the crowd’s reception at Rod Laver, a venue where he earned admiration last year. “You never know what’s going to happen. I was pleased with the crowd; it created a nice atmosphere.”
Ranked No. 1, Sinner faced a testing match against No. 35 Jarry, a 29-year-old from Chile. The tense tiebreak sets demanded significant effort from Sinner before he eventually found his rhythm. “The first sets were quite close and could have easily gone either way,” he noted. Once he broke Jarry’s serve in the third set, Sinner felt a surge of confidence. “I’m satisfied with how I managed the tough situations,” he added.
Sinner’s history at Melbourne Park includes a victory during last year’s final, where he came back from two sets down to triumph over Daniil Medvedev, having previously upset ten-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
As Sinner progressed in his match, Iga Swiatek was also in action, defeating top-ranked doubles player Katerina Siniakova with a solid score of 6-3, 6-4 on John Cain Arena. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff faced initial challenges in bright sunlight during her opening match but steadied herself to secure a 6-3, 6-3 win over 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.
The third-seeded Gauff, who recently claimed the WTA Finals title by defeating Swiatek, began her season with a team victory for the U.S. at the United Cup against the same player. Gauff, who showcased a striking Marvel-inspired outfit, conveyed her satisfaction after the 1-hour, 20-minute match, stating, “I knew it would be difficult, but I’m happy with how I performed,” while acknowledging some serving struggles.
In another remarkable performance, young American Alex Michelsen achieved a significant milestone in his career, upsetting 2023 Australian runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas with a score of 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Michelsen’s powerful service returns during a pivotal game helped him secure a crucial break against the 11th seed Tsitsipas, leading to his first win over a top 20 player in a Grand Slam.
Prior to Gauff’s match, she had a noteworthy streak of victories against players ranked lower than the Top 50, dating back to her loss to Kenin at Wimbledon 2023. Unfortunately for Kenin, she wound up facing a former Grand Slam champion in the first round for the third consecutive year at the Australian Open, leading to her fourth straight first-round exit.
Gauff now looks forward to her next encounter with Britain’s Jodie Burrage. Other players advancing in the tournament include No. 7 Jessica Pegula, No. 12 Diana Shnaider, No. 28 Elina Svitolina, and Belinda Bencic, who eliminated No. 16 Jelena Ostapenko. Lucia Bronzetti also progressed, defeating two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.
