MEN’S singles champion Rafael Nadal advanced into the second round of the Australian Open today along with several top women contenders.
Nadal defeated Jack Draper in four sets of 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to avoid an early upset and shake off his poor form at the start of 2023.
In the women’s singles, Coco Gauff reached the second round in Melbourne with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Katerina Siniakova.
The American teenager has won all six matches she has played in 2023 without dropping a set.
With the win, Gauff set up a high-profile second round clash against Emma Raducanu.
The 20-year-old Briton, who won the US Open in 2021, beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 6-2.
Raducanu allayed any concerns an ankle injury sustained in Auckland had impacted her too heavily as she needed just 85 minutes to take down Korpatsch.
Also, Bianca Andreescu opened her third Australian Open campaign with a 6-2 6-4 victory over 25th seed Marie Bouzkova.
The 2019 US Open champion missed the entire Australian summer swing last year but is back into the top 50 in the nine months since she returned.
The 22-year-old has the chance to pass the second round at Melbourne Park for the first time when she next meets Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa.
Jessica Pegula is also through to the second round after a 6-0 6-1 victory over Jaqueline Cristian.
