The fourth favorite of the Australian Open, the Italian Janik Siner easily qualified for the second round, as he defeated Dutchman Botik van de Zandschlupp in three sets in Melbourne - 6:4, 7:5, 6:3.
That's why the fifth skeleton player, Russian Andrey Rubjov, struggled, who won the Brazilian Tiago Sejbot Wild only after five sets - 7:5, 6:4, 3:6, 4:6, 7:6.
The Russian had four match points in the 12th game of the fifth set, but the 23-year-old Brazilian managed to break out on serve and gain a three-point advantage in the tie-break. He led with 6:4, but Rubljev won the next six consecutive points.
Marin Čilić, who has been unable to regain his form due to injuries for a couple of years, was eliminated. Hungarian Fabijan Marožan was better in four sets - 6:1, 2:6, 6:2, 7:5.
In the women's part of the tournament, the Czech teenager, 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova won with a reversal against Romanian Ana Bogdan - 2:6, 6:4, 6:3.
Marija Sakari is in the second round with a victory over the Japanese Hibino - 6:4, 6:1, and Amanda Anisimova showed that she was underestimated against the 13th skeleton player Ludmila Samsonova. Anisimova, who "fell" to 339th place in the WTA due to injury, won in two sets - 6:3, 6:4.
Bonus video:
