Osaka was with the after their emotional farewell U.S Open and a subsequent four-month break only returned to the tour in January.
Ashleigh Barty was not naked at the next attempt at the longed-for home title. The world number one won her first roundmatch against the Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko 6:0, 6:1.
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic from Switzerland, who won 6:4, 6:3 against Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic, is also through. The Ukrainian Elina Switolina beat Mladenovic’s compatriot Fiona Ferro 6: 1, 7: 6 (7: 4).
Nadal wins Grand Slam comeback
Rafael Nadal also mastered his comeback on the big one Grand Slam-Stage without problems. The 35-year-old Spaniard defeated the American Marcos Giron convincingly with 6:1, 6:4, 6:2.
“It’s fantastic to be back“Said Nadal, who the Australian Open has won once so far in 2009. He can now expect a duel with Karlsruher Yannick Hanfmann or Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is currently in Adelaide his first ATP– Won the title.
Last year Nadal struggled with a foot injury and ended his season prematurely in August. After returning from the show tournament in Abu Dhabi, a corona infection was also found in mid-December.
In preparation for the first Grand Slam-Tournament of the year won 13 times French Open Champion but then sovereign one ATP-Tournament in Melbourne Park. Also at the start of Australian Open Nadal now seemed ready and in full possession of his powers.
Nadal now against Hanfmann
Nadal is now dealing with the German Yannik Hanfmann in the second round. The 30-year-old qualifier from Karlsruhe defeated the Australian crowd favorite Thanasi Kokkinakis surprisingly clearly 6: 2, 6: 3, 6: 2 and is now challenging the Spanish Grand Slam record winner in the second round.
Hanfmann was not disturbed by the loud Australian audience against Kokkinakis, who recently won his first ATP title in Adelaide. The professional, who played against Nadal at the French Open in 2019 and lost in three sets, converted his third match point to his first win in a major tournament after 2:07 hours.
Also Koepfer and Otte in round two
With Oscar Otte, another German tennis pro reached the second round. The 28-year-old from Cologne prevailed in Melbourne against wildcard holder Tseng Chun Hsin from Taiwan 6: 4, 6: 3, 6: 2. In the fight for a place in the third round, Otte meets Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who is 25th.
Previously, Dominik Koepfer had also won his opening match. The 27-year-old from Furtwangen beat the Spaniard Carlos Taberner 6:1, 3:6, 6:4, 6:1 in the first round after a concentrated performance over long stretches.
In his previous two appearances in the main field of Melbourne was for the Davis Cup-player at the latest in the second round. Now the German number three sends itself in a duel Reilly Opelka (USA/No. 23) or Kevin Anderson (South Africa) to take the next step.
Gojowczyk and Maria failed in Melbourne
Tatjana Maria and Peter Gojowczyk, on the other hand, said goodbye on the first day of the tournament Melbourne. Munich’s Gojowczyk clearly lost 3:6, 3:6, 3:6 against the French Benjamin Bonzi. Despite a good performance by the clearly favored Greek Maria Sakkari, Maria had to admit defeat 4:6, 6:7 (2:7).
Early end for Petkovic too
Andrea Petkovic must also continue on her first victory in the Australian Open waiting since 2018. The 34-year-old from Darmstadt lost 2: 6, 0: 6 against the French Open-Winner Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic and had no chance. Also in 2019 and 2021 Petkovic had in the first round of the Australian Open lost, two years ago she hadn’t competed. In the world rankings Krejcikova in fourth place, Petkovic is number 73. Krejcikova was still in the final in Sydney on Saturday, but just missed out on winning the tournament.
This means that two of the three German women who made it into the main field have already been eliminated. Angelique Kerber, the 2016 in Melbourne had triumphed, only enters the action on Tuesday. Nine German first-round participants are at the start for the men.
Status: 01/17/2022, 13:21