Nine Australian tennis players won their first-round singles matches at the Australian Open, marking a successful day for home fans. However, Nick Kyrgios faced a disappointing straight-set loss to British player Jacob Fearnley.
Nine Australians have won their first round singles matches on a superb day of tennis at the Australian Open for the home fans, although Nick Kyrgios fell in straight sets to British player Jacob Fearnley. Novak Djokovic had to dig deep to beat American teenager Nishesh Basavareddy, as Naomi Osaka hits Rod Laver Arena. Tristan Schoolkate (WC) After losing the first set 7-5, Aiava showed character to win the second 5-7 and take it to a decider.
I have played Wii tennis before! Do you think I have a shot at competing at the next Australian Open? Benjamin Bonzi, the French world number 64, has beaten David Goffin, the Belgian former world number seven in straight sets out on Court 15. Goffin is ranked 54 now, but remains the Belgian number one, and a four-time grand slam quarterfinalist. In the second set it looked like O'Connell had found his groove, but that was soon shut down. Could be a quick finish here. Caroline Garcia is the women opposite - which is not ideal for Osaka, who actually lost to the Frenchwoman at this stage of the Australian Open last year. Wow, Fearnley really had to delete his socials in the lead up to the NK match? It’s one thing to feel anxiety or pressure in the lead up to a match with a talented opponent, but throw in online trolls and a potential hostile crowd - imagine what that would feel like for the players coming to do their job. “I was getting a lot of messages. I wanted to try and stay as centred as possible,” he said. “It’s not a match you want to see in Australia,” Fearnley said. “I know that the crowd’s going to be against me. Obviously there was a lot of excitement, as well, because it’s not a common match.” He was the better player for the first set and a half. He deserves all the credit. These sorts of matches are always tricky, always dangerous, a player with nothing to lose. He didn't get carried away with the significance of the moment. He handled himself really well. Thrilled to have him in my corner. It was a little bit of a strange experience to have him right courtside in my box. It's great to have him on my side of the net. He gave me some great advice mid-match. I think its really good that we have allowed to have coaching, to exchange some feedback. Currently he finds himself 1-3 down, and despite holding his serve in the latest game, American Tommy Paul looks on top here. It was a remarkable performance from 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, who gave everything to win that first set - and it turned out it was probably a little more than he had to give, as Djokovic came over the top of him to win in a minute under three hours. It gives the Djokovic-Murray combination their first victory together in what is, officially, their first match together - at least with Andy Murray courtside. I can see the coaches are sitting right beside the players and coaching during set breaks. Have the rules changed? There have been trials at various tournaments since 2017. Coaching is allowed between points and at change of ends and set breaks, and at any other time (except during the playing of a point) permitted by the sanctioning body. For off-court coaching and on-court coaching between points, communication may be verbal (when the coach(es) and player(s) are at the same end of the court) or by hand signals (at any time when coaching is permitted) only. Good on you Fearnley for your win. Had to turn the sound off the commentary on the TV, painfully biased (not the ABC I know), however 'King' Kyrgios? He had to delete his social media when he found out that he drew Nick Kyrgios in the first round. There was a distinct difference in O'Connell in the second set to the version of himself we saw in the first. Simply put, he was more aggressive in the second. And it worked. More of the same needed in the third. The Aussie lost the first set, and was down 5-2 in the second but she found an extra gear and won five successive games to claim the set 5-7. The crowd starts chanting loudly 'Let's go Destanee, let's go,' as the players have a break ahead of the deciding set. The hometown favourite, clearly laboured with an apparent abdominal injury, battled gamely, but it was not enough. Terrific effort from Fearnley, who held his nerve in two separate tiebreakers in a very hostile environment. Fearnley tells John McEnroe in his on-court interview that it's probably the best he's played in his entire career. He let out an almighty roar as he won the set, as Nishesh Basavareddy makes his way off the court for a bathroom break. You may remember American Danielle Collins from her loss to Ash Barty in the 2022 Australian Open final. Or perhaps you remember her having a long and successful farewell tour after announcing her retirement last year. Collins won the biggest titles of her career in Miami and Charleston in 2024, but remained committed to retiring until late in the year. The 31-year-old had planned to retire in order to start a family but has had to put those plans on hold due to fertility issues
AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS NICK KYRGIOS NOVAK DJOKOVIC
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