Irregular title contender Coco Gauff and three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev reached the second round of the Australian Open on Monday ahead of a defiant Novak Djokovic launching his latest bid to win a record 25th Grand Slam title.
A stellar second day at the season-opening Grand Slam also sees six-time major winner Iga Swiatek, local hope Alex de Minaur and fourth seed Amanda Anisimova enter the fray.
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But the tournament is over for seventh-seeded FĂ©lix Auger-Aliassime, who abandoned his opening match due to cramping.
Gauff won against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova on center court 6-2, 6-3, but was not convincing, with seven double faults and 31 unforced errors.
“I tried not to put too much pressure on myself,” she said. “I’m only satisfied if I win, but I’m proud of myself no matter how I do.”
Her reward will then be a clash with Venus Williams’ conqueror Olga Danilovic.
Gauff beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros last year for her second major crown, but her best performance on Melbourne’s hard courts was a semi-final in 2024.
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As she progressed, 2020 winner Sofia Kenin crashed 6-3, 6-2 to fellow American Peyton Stearns as temperatures soared above 30C and fans once again faced long queues to enter Melbourne Park.
Canada’s Auger-Aliassime was another casualty, calling on the coach while trailing 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 against Portugal’s Nuno Borges and bowing out.
“I want to be on the field competing with my opponent,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I don’t want to stand there, you know, like a punching bag.”
Russian 11th seed Medvedev, runner-up in 2021, 2022 and 2024, warmed up for Melbourne with a win in Brisbane and cruised to a 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) opening victory over Dutchman Jesper de Jong after being broken twice on serve in the match.
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“The most important thing is to win,” he said.
Men’s 13th seed Andrey Rublev also advanced, but women’s 15th seed Emma Navarro fell.
– ‘I like my chances’ –
Serbian great Djokovic, 38, will face 71st-ranked Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the final match of the day at Rod Laver Arena.
Former world number one, now ranked fourth, Djokovic is the undisputed king of Melbourne, having won a record 10 Australian Open crowns.
He has 24 major titles, a record with Australian Margaret Court, but a 25th remains woefully out of reach.
With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner now dominant, Djokovic’s last Grand Slam victory came at the US Open in 2023.
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Despite age and injuries catching up with him, Djokovic said on the eve of his favorite tournament: “I know that when I’m healthy, when I’m able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anyone.”
He added: “I always like my chances in any tournament, especially here.”
Australian De Minaur, seeded sixth, will be welcomed by the crowd at Rod Laver Arena against American Mackenzie McDonald, 113th.
Poland’s Swiatek, second seed, has never made it past the final four in Melbourne.
Like Alcaraz, she is pursuing a Grand Slam career with all four major titles, having already triumphed at Wimbledon, the US Open and Roland-Garros.
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Swiatek faces Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue while American Anisimova, runner-up last year at Wimbledon and the US Open, meets Swiss Simona Waltert.
Other notables in action include 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, who received a wildcard at the age of 40 in his final Australian Open before retirement.
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