MELBOURNE (AFP) – Former champions Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber turned on the style to sweep into the Australian Open second round Tuesday, but it was curtains for lanky Canadian Milos Raonic.
With temperatures heating up in Melbourne, the two Grand Slam winners wasted little time on court.
Sharapova, still working her way back from a 15-month ban for taking the performance-enhancing substance meldonium, showed glimpses of the tennis that made her a five-time major winner.
The 2008 Melbourne Park champion, now ranked 48, battled past Germany’s Tatjana Maria, 6-1, 6-4 and will next play either 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko.
Fellow former world number one Kerber, who won the tournament in 2016, was also impressive in dismissing Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4.
Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova and eighth seed Caroline Garcia also progressed, in contrast to the other side of the draw that saw Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe crash out on Monday.
American woes continued with Madison Brengle sent packing by British ninth seed Johanna Konta.
Auckland Classic champion Fernando Verdasco was among men to make the second round, with a straight-sets win over 20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
But Raonic, who has made at least the last eight over the past three years in Melbourne, was bundled out by 86th-ranked Slovakian Lukas Lacko in four sets.
It was his earliest Grand Slam exit in seven years as he fights back from a wrist injury.
Roger Federer, rated as favorite to win his 20th Grand Slam title even at the venerable age of 36, makes his entrance in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
The second seeded Swiss, who is coming off an extraordinary 2017, when he won a fifth Australian Open title and a record eighth at Wimbledon, faces Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene.
World number one Simona Halep takes the court later as she chases a first Grand Slam title, with Wimbledon champion and third seeded Garbine Muguruza making her bow in an evening match.
DJOKOVIC WINS
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic came through his opening match with flying colors, beating American Donald Young, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, on Margaret Court Arena.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka was taken to four sets before winning his first match since knee surgery in July.
The three-time Grand Slam winner downed Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) on Hisense Arena.
