Alexei Popyrin stunned fans in a five set upset against 13th seed David Goffin Source: Tennis Australia www.tennis.com.au
The first round of the Australian Open saw several upsets and expert performances from the Australian players.
Following the first two days of play, The Inner Sanctum has recapped the results of the Australians in round one.
Day One
Source: Tennis Australia www.tennis.com.au
The first day at the Australian Open was headlined by a dominant performance by Nick Kyrgios, defeating Portuguese debutant Frederico Ferreria Silva. Serving 14 aces and only double-faulting just once.
Some of the men struggled to finish off their matches, with both Marc Polmans and John Millman stretching thier matches before both going down in five sets respectivley. Bernard Tomic caught a break in his match against Yuichi Sugita when the Japanese player retired hurt at a set apiece.
Alex Bolt had an electric performance in his four-set victory over Norbert Gambos and James Duckworth produced a solid victory in straight sets against lucky loser Damir Dzumhur.
On the women’s side, Lizette Cabrera had a tough match, losing to world number two Simona Halep. Kim Birrell struggled to start but turned the second set into a contest despite losing in straight sets to Canadian Rebecca Marino. Aija Tomljanovic was the sole winner from the Australian ladies on day one downing Misaki Doi in straight sets.
| Frederico Ferreria Silva | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Nick Kyrgios | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Lizette Cabrera | 2 | 1 |
| Simona Halep | 6 | 6 |
| Yuichi Sugita | 6 | 1 | 1 | RET |
| Bernard Tomic | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Damir Dzumhur | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| James Duckworth | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Marton Fucsovics | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6[3] | 6 |
| Marc Polmans | 6 | 3 | 1 | 6[7] | 3 |
| Misaki Doi | 2 | 1 |
| Ajla Tomljanovic | 6 | 6 |
| Alex Bolt | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Norbert Gambos | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Corentin Moutet | 6 | 6[4] | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| John Millman | 4 | 7[7] | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| Rebecca Marino | 6 | 7[11] |
| Kimberly Birrell | 0 | 6[9] |
Day Two
Source: Tennis Australia www.tennis.com.au
The stand out performance from an Australian on day two came from Alexei Popyrin. Breaking the streak of Australian men falling short in the 5th with his victory over 13th seed David Goffin. Popyrin looked like he was out of the match in the fourth before breaking back and taking control in a tiebreak. This is the third consecutive Australian Open Popyrin has managed an upset against a seeded player.
World number 1 Ash Barty showed her class. only dropping 10 points and wrapping up her match against Danka Kovinic in 44 minutes.
Sam Stosur won her first match at Melbourne Park since 2015, progressing in straight sets over fellow Australian Destanee Aiava. Madison Inglis managed to challenge defending women’s champion Sofia Kenin. Inglis was able to break Kenin’s serve in the first set before the American found her grove and prevailed in straight sets.
Astra Sharma won the first set and was looking strong before Japanese opponent Nao Hibino seized control and won in three sets. Arina Rodionova failed to take charge against world number 85 Madison Brengle, beaten comprehensively in straight sets. Daria Gavrilova rounded out the second day’s play with a straight-sets victory against Sara Sprrobes Tormo, earning a second-round match against Barty.
Grand slam debutants Li Tu and Alex Vukic, provided challenges for both Feliciano Lopez and Karen Khachanov respectively, each taking a set and forcing multiple tiebreaks before losing in four sets.
Australian number 1 Alex De Minaur wasted no time beating American Tennys Sandgren in straight sets. Thanasi Kokkinakis’ return to the Australian Open after two years of setbacks due to injury was a success beating Korean Kwon Soo- Woo in straight sets.
Jordan Thompson was forced to retire due to a neck injury after going two sets down to Norweigan Casper Ruud. Chris O’Connell provided another upset turning out his best performance of his career, beating German Jan Lennard- Struff in straight sets.
| David Goffin | 6 | 4 | 7[7] | 6[6] | 3 |
| Alexei Popyrin | 3 | 6 | 6[4] | 7[8] | 6 |
| Ashleigh Barty | 6 | 6 |
| Danka Kovinic | 0 | 0 |
| Tennys Sandgren | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Alex de Minaur | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Sofia Kenin | 7 | 6 |
| Maddison Inglis | 5 | 4 |
| Li Tu | 7[7] | 4 | 6[4] | 4 |
| Feliciano Lopez | 6[1] | 6 | 7[7] | 6 |
| Karen Khachanov | 6 | 6[4] | 7[7] | 6 |
| Aleksandar Vukic | 3 | 7[7] | 6[2] | 4 |
| Madison Brengle | 6 | 6 |
| Arina Rodionova | 1 | 2 |
| Christopher O’Connell | 7[7] | 7[7] | 6 |
| Jan-Lennard Struff | 6[2] | 6[5] | 1 |
| Nao Hibino | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Astra Sharma | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| Thanasi Kokkinakis | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Soonwoo Kwon | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Casper Rudd | 6 | 6 | 2 | |
| Jordan Thompson | 3 | 3 | 1 | RET |
| Destanee Aiava | 4 | 4 |
| Samantha Stosur | 6 | 6 |
| Sara Sorribes Tormo | 1 | 5 |
| Daria Gavrilova | 6 | 7 |
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