Alexander Zverev progressed to the second round of the Australian Open with a straight-sets victory over Lucas Pouille. Following a rain delay, Tatjana Maria also advanced after defeating Bernarda Pera. Matches for Daniel Altmaier and Yannick Hanfmann were postponed due to weather. Casper Ruud narrowly won his match, and Hady Habib made history as Lebanon’s first player to reach the second round of a Grand Slam. Aryna Sabalenka dominated Sloane Stephens, while Zheng Qinwen and Mirra Andrejewa both secured their places in the next round.
Alexander Zverev showcased his confidence in the opening round of the Australian Open, defeating French player Lucas Pouille. Following a lengthy rain delay, Tatjana Maria also secured her spot in the next round.
A powerful thunderstorm and heavy rain led to an extensive delay on the tournament’s inaugural day. As the storm raged, spectators took cover in nearby tents and shelters, while lightning illuminated the skies in the vicinity of the venue.
Zverev Advances with Conviction
Alexander Zverev has successfully moved into the second round after a commendable performance against Lucas Pouille, winning with scores of 6:4, 6:4, 6:4. The 27-year-old now prepares to face Spain’s Pedro Martínez. Zverev, eager to clinch his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, described his performance as a ‘relatively solid match’ in an interview with Eurosport, adding that the start of the tournament was ‘actually quite okay.’
The Hamburg native is determined to secure his first Grand Slam trophy on his 36th attempt. He will be up against world number 43 Pedro Martínez, who advanced after his opponent Luciano Darderi from Italy withdrew from the competition.
Late-Night Practice for Zverev
Zverev delivered a dominant performance against Pouille, demonstrating his fitness and focus. After just over two hours of play, he converted his second match point. Remarkably, the German star took to the court again just before midnight (local time) for a practice session. Zverev explained, ‘I had an arm injury and haven’t played much tennis’, emphasizing his desire to ‘improve a few things.’
Maria Triumphs Over Pera
Tatjana Maria was the first of the three German competitors to seize her opportunity, moving on to the second round by defeating American Bernarda Pera with a score of 7:6 (7:3), 6:4. She secured her victory on her fifth match point.
Maria remained unfazed by the thunderstorm and the lengthy rain delay. Prior to the interruption, she frustrated Pera with her signature sliced shots in the first set. In the second set, Pera struggled to find a response. Maria’s next matchup will be against Danish player Clara Tauson on Wednesday.
Postponements Due to Weather
Due to adverse weather conditions, the matches involving Daniel Altmaier and Yannick Hanfmann, originally slated for Monday, have been rescheduled to Tuesday. Jule Niemeier, who was supposed to compete on the first day, will now play on Monday instead.
In addition to Niemeier, Laura Siegemund, Jan Lennard Struff, and Dominik Koepfer will also be making their first-round appearances on Monday, with forecasts promising more stable weather for the second day of the tournament.
Ruud’s Narrow Escape
World number six Casper Ruud faced a significant challenge in his opening match, narrowly defeating the resilient Spaniard with scores of 6:3, 1:6, 7:5, 2:6, 6:1. Despite his impressive track record with two French Open finals and one US Open final, Ruud has yet to progress beyond the round of 16 at the Australian Open.
Kei Nishikori celebrated a hard-fought victory, saving two match points to overcome Brazilian Thiago Monteiro with scores of 4:6, 6:7 (4:7), 7:5, 6:2, 6:3.
Historic Achievement for Hady Habib
Lebanese player Hady Habib made history as the first athlete from Lebanon to reach the second round of a Grand Slam tournament, winning against Chinese Yunchaokete Bu with scores of 7:6 (7:4), 6:4, 7:6 (8:6). Habib is only the second Lebanese player to make it into the main draw of a Grand Slam since Karim Fawaz at the US Open in 1962.
Sabalenka’s Strong Start
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is displaying impressive form early in the tournament. The Belarusian star easily defeated Sloane Stephens from the USA with a score of 6:3, 6:2 in just 71 minutes. The world number one aims to become the first player since Swiss Martina Hingis to win the Australian Open three times consecutively.
Successful Debuts for Zheng and Andrejewa
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen also overcame her first hurdle, triumphing over Anca Todoni with a score of 7:6 (7:3), 6:1. The Chinese player became the first top-ten player to advance to the second round, initially facing challenges from her Romanian opponent.
Rising star Mirra Andrejewa confidently secured her victory, defeating Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic with a score of 6:3, 6:3.