Australian Open 2024 Day 1: Djokovic, Rublev survive first round upsets; Sabalenka-Sinner through to 2nd round

Australian Open 2024 witnessed no main upset in males’s and ladies’s singles round one fixtures on Day 1. Tournament favourites Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev had to struggle of their opening video games in opposition to unseeded opponents whereas the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner loved a clean experience to the subsequent round.

The world no.5 Rublev confronted surprising resistance from the unseeded Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild within the first-round recreation. Russia clinched the first set by 7-5 and the second by 6-4 however the Brazilian confirmed nice composure to register spectacular comebacks by successful the subsequent two units by 6-3, 6-4. But Rublev survived a serious upset by taking the fifth set dwelling by 7-6 (10-6). 

In the boys’s singles most-awaited recreation on Day 1, chasing his eleventh Australian Open title and record-breaking twenty fifth Grand Slam, Djokovic was drawn in opposition to the 18-year-old Croatian Nico Prizmic within the first round who was making his debut in majors. Djokovic began with a dominating 6-2 win within the first set however the teen made the Serbian pay for his cash by clinching the second set by 7-6.

Djokovic saved his calm to win the subsequent two units and walked away with a win by 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, not a convincing begin for the world no.1. 

In different huge video games, USA’s top-ranked Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe struggled for dominance however survived an early exit with hard-fought wins in opposition to Facundo Diaz Acosta and Borna Coric respectively. The world no.4 Jannik Sinner witnessed no hassle reaching the second round with a straightforward 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 win in opposition to world no.59 Botic van de Zandschulp. 

In the ladies’s singles occasion, the returning Caroline Wozniacki noticed the world no.20 Magad Linette retiring due to harm. The world no.8 Maria Sakkari additionally reached the second round with a straightforward 6-4, 6-1 win in opposition to Japan’s Nao Hibino. The world no.1 and the defending champion Aryna Sabalenka concluded Day 1 by thrashing unseeded German teen Ella Seidel by 6-0, 6-1.