Former champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer showed no mercy in their clinical first round thumpings but retiring Andy Murray suffered heart-breaking five-set defeat at the Australian Open on Monday.
On Day 2, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Milos Raonic will take the court.
Former champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer showed no mercy in their clinical first round thumpings but retiring Andy Murray suffered heart-breaking five-set defeat at the Australian Open on Monday.
The 17-time Grand Slam winner, who cut short his 2018 season to have surgery on a foot injury, cruised into round two of the year's opening major 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 against Australian wildcard James Duckworth.
The Spanish second seed is bidding to become the first man in the Open era, and only third in history along with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each Grand Slam on two or more occasions.
Defending champion Federer also spent little time on the court, defeating Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan straight sets 6–3, 6–4, 6–4.
The Swiss maestro continued his red hot from the successful Hopman Cup warm-up in Perth and at the grand old age of 37, he can still hope for a record seventh Melbourne crown and 21st major victory.
Fifth seed Kevin Anderson also progressed against Adrian Mannarino, with last year's Wimbledon finalist a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 winner. NextGen Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas also went through in four sets.
But it was the end of the road for Murray. The 31-year-old produced a superb fightback to win the third and fourth sets against Roberto Bautista Agut, only to lose the match in five sets 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (4-7) 6-2. This was probably his last professional match.
Other notable winners on Day 1 were: Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov, etc.
Seeds out: John Isner (9), Kyle Edmund (13), Steve Johnson (31)
On Day 2, world number one Novak Djokovic, number four Alexander Zverev, Milos Raonic will take the court