Aleksandar Vukic played inspired tennis to know I out Lloyd Harris. Photo: Tennis Australia
Aleksandar Vukic stunned 30th seed Lloyd Harris to become the first Australian through to the second round at Melbourne Park on Monday. Elsewhere, Thanasi Kokkinakis and James Duckworth were knocked out in first round encounters.
Vukic backed up his quarter-final run at the Adelaide International by starting the Australian Open in top form on Monday. The 160th-ranked Australian stunned 30th seed Lloyd Harris, knocking out the South African in four sets.
Harris, the world No. 32, took the first set before tripping and seemingly injuring his non-dominant hand early in the second set. Vukic would pounce, winning the next three sets in powerful style on a vocal Court 3, 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-6(3).
Vukic was thrilled to play in front of such a rowdy crowd, saying all of his dreams were coming true.
“It was one of the loudest atmospheres I’ve ever seen and it was all for me,” he said post-match.
The 25-year-old will face qualifier Radu Albot in the second round, with a potential matchup against world No. 3 Alexander Zverev looming in the third round.
World No. 1 Ash Barty hosted Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in the first night match on Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
The Adelaide international champion was terrific from the beginning, annihilating her 32-year-old opponent 6-0 in the first set.
Tsurenko avoided the dreaded snake-eyes in the penultimate game of the match, but was unable to capitalise, going down 6-0 6-1.
Barty will play Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti in the second round.
Playing in his 20th consecutive Australian Open, 40-year-old Spaniard Feliciano Lopez came up against John Millman. The Aussie, ranked 80th in the world, came out firing on Margaret Court Arena and took the first two sets comfortably.
The left-handed Lopez, who was playing in his 79th-consecutive Grand Slam, was in obvious discomfort throughout the third set but was able to snatch it, stretching the match to a fourth set.
But it was Millman, with a one-sided Aussie crowd behind him, who would clinch the win, 6-1 6-3 4-6 7-5.
Lopez walked off the court and waved to the crowd in what may be the last time he plays a professional match in Australia.
Millman will face third seed Alexander Zverev in the second round.
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Kokkinakis explodes on the big stage in Adelaide triumph
Following his incredible run that led him to a maiden ATP title at the Adelaide International, Kokkinakis played German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the twilight session on Monday.
Perhaps understandably, the South Australian was lethargic from the beginning. Unable to get any rhythm in his strokes, an error-riddled Kokkinakis was dispatched by the 30-year-old Hanfmann, 6-2 6-3 6-2.
Despite the loss, Kokkinakis has shown what he is capable of this summer, and will look to build throughout 2022 as he looks to break into the Top 100.
Hanfmann will play former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the second round on Wednesday.
French veteran Adrian Mannarino knocked James Duckworth out in an emphatic come-from-behind five-setter in front of a parochial Australian crowd on Court 7.
After dropping the first set, Duckworth was back in the match and led two sets to one, before the 70th-ranked Mannarino stepped up a level to win, 6-4 2-6 3-6 6-2 6-1.
World No. 45 Ajla Tomljanovic played Spanish eighth-seed Paula Badosa on Margaret Court Arena late on Monday night. It was a tight battle early, but Tomljanovic was unable to keep up with the power of Badosa, going down 6-4 6-0.
Highlight of the Day
A pair of German tennis stars take out today’s highlight of the day. Third seed Alexander Zverev and compatriot Daniel Altmaier played out a sensational 23-shot rally under the lights on Rod Laver Arena. Check it out in the video below.
Aussies in Action on Day Two
11:00am: Robin Anderson [WC] vs Samantha Stosur [WC] Kia Arena
11:00am: Daria Saville [WC] vs Rebecca Peterson Margaret Court Arena
11:00am: Chris O’Connell [WC] vs Hugo Gaston Court
12:30pm: Marketa Vondrousova [31] vs Priscilla Hon [WC] Court 5
12:30pm: Steve Johnson vs Jordan Thompson Court 3
1:30pm: Maddison Inglis [WC] vs Leylah Fernandez [23] 1573 Arena
3:30pm: Clara Tauson vs Astra Sharma Court 3
5:30pm: Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Rinderknech Court 3
6:00pm: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Alex Bolt [WC] Court 6
7:00pm: Storm Sanders vs Aryna Sabylenka [2] Rod Laver Arena
7:00pm: Lorenzo Musetti vs Alex de Minaur [32] Margaret Court Arena
7:00pm: Liam Broady [Q] vs Nick Kyrgios John Cain Arena
Times are subject to change at the discretion of the Australian Open.
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