Grand Slam champion Marin Cilic, two-time major runner-up Kevin Anderson and former world No.7 Richard Gasquet began their respective Melbourne Summer Series campaigns on Monday.
MORE: Women's wrap: Serena, Simona on target
Aussie wildcard Jason Kubler sprung an upset over an opponent ranked more than 200 places higher to book his place in the second round, while Alex Bolt surged back to deny compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis under lights.
Match of the day
Kevin Anderson v (16) Feliciano Lopez – Great Ocean Road Open
At a combined 73 years in age, familiar foes Lopez and Anderson squared off for the fifth time on Monday. And as with all prior encounters, it fell the way of the big-serving South African in straight sets.
MORE: Great Ocean Road Open draw
After season-ending knee surgery in 2019, the former world No.5 – a US Open and Wimbledon finalist – went under the knife again last February, before a return in time for the US Open in August.
On Monday, he looked sharp as he clocked 18 aces on his way past the 39-year-old Spaniard 6-4 7-5.
Murray River Open
After reaching the fourth round or better at the Australian Open for the third straight year in 2020, Cilic’s season took a dive as he won only two more matches at the majors and finished the year outside the top 40. And on Monday night, the 2014 US Open champion fell to French former world No.25 Jeremy Chardy 2-6 6-3 7-6(8).
The 11th-seeded Croat had claimed four of the pair’s six previous meetings, including their most recent in Moscow in 2019, yet squandered a total of five match points in the final set tiebreak after leading it 6-3 to hand Chardy victory in a contest lasting more than two-and-a-half hours.
Seeds watch
Great Ocean Road Open
More than five years since the pair crossed paths in the final of a lowly Futures event in Egypt, Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak avenged a defeat to 12th seed Laslo Djere 6-3 6-4 at Melbourne Park. The 25-year-old, the day’s first winner, led former top-10 player Kei Nishikori in the opening round of the Australian Open two years ago before being forced to retire due to injury.
No.13 seed Aljaz Bedene followed Majchrzak through to Round 2 after he eked out a 7-6(5) 7-6(5) victory over Yasutaka Uchiyama. The Slovenian beat the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov in the weeks following last year’s Australian Open before a pandemic-altered tour.
Murray River Open
Kubler cast aside a 231-gap in the rankings to send world No.34 Lorenzo Sonego packing at the first hurdle on Monday.
The 27-year-old, on yet another comeback from injury, overcame the ninth-seeded Italian 3-6 6-3 6-4 for his second career top-50 win.
French former world No.7 Gasquet’s first Melbourne Park tour-level match as a 16-year-old ended in defeat at Australian Open 2003. Some 18 years and three Grand Slam semi-finals later, the 34-year-old again come up short at the first hurdle – this time against American Mackenzie McDonald, 7-6(2) 7-5 – in his Australian Open lead-up event.
US 15th seed Tommy Paul fared better as he rebounded for a 4-6 7-6(2) 6-3 win over Cameron Norrie of Great Britain. Norrie failed to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second set.
Going the distance
Corentin Moutet’s talents stretch well beyond the court, with the Frenchman an accomplished pianist and guitarist. On Monday, it was his racquet skills on song as he forged his way back to claim his opening hit-out of 2021 against former top-30 American, Frances Tiafoe, at the Murray River Open.
The world No.80 prevailed 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a little more than two hours as his compatriot Benoit Paire watched on from the stands.
Moutet similarly hit the ground running to open last season when he won through qualifying and went on to beat the likes of Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka en route to the Doha final.
Quote of the day
“Definitely, I guess I can think back on those moments I had out here. I’ve had some good wins and that gives me all the confidence in the world to come back out on these courts and play well.”
- Alex Bolt feels right at home Court 3 at Melbourne Park after seeing off fellow South Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.