Australian Open: Osaka claims stylish win, China’s Wang, Wu progress to second round

In the last match of the day in the first round at the Australian Open, former world number one Naomi Osaka emerged at Rod Laver Arena and stole the show clutching a white parasol and wearing a matching wide-brimmed hat and veil. The 28-year-old from Japan is well known for her on- and off-court fashion statements. She wore her latest outfit as she came out for her night match against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Tuesday. She waved regally to the crowd and the four-time grand slam champion then folded up the umbrella and neatly put the hat and veil to the side. Osaka, a two-time former champion, went on to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and said of her eye-catching outfit: “It is modelled after jellyfish, it’s really beautiful.” Wang Xinyu underlined her status as China’s highest-ranked player at the Australian Open with a straight-sets victory over qualifier Anhelina Kalinina to reach the second round. Compatriot Wu Yibing also reached the second round after defeating Italy’s Luca Nardi. Popular Frenchman Gael Monfils meanwhile bid farewell to Melbourne Park with an epic defeat. Great entertainer Monfils was bundled out in the first round in a brave goodbye to a tournament he has lit up so many times down the years. The 39-year-old, one of the most colourful and popular players in men’s tennis, battled all the way but Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny prevailed 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 in an epic lasting nearly four hours. There was an on-court presentation and standing ovation afterwards for Monfils, who said: “Somehow it is the finish line, but thank you so much for an amazing ride.” Monfils, who has won 13 ATP titles in a career stretching back to 2004, said in October that this year would be his last in tennis. Ranked No 46 in the world, Wang hit 10 aces in a 6-3, 6-3 first-round victory in one hour and 33 minutes. Wang will play former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round. The 24-year-old has yet to advance beyond the fourth round at a grand slam. Wu hit 45 winners in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory in just under three hours. The 26-year-old will next face Eliot Spizzirri, who upset No 28 seed Joao Fonseca. Wu won three qualifying matches to reach the main draw, his first appearance in a grand slam main draw since 2023. Australian wild card Taylah Preston beat China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 for her first grand slam match win. Jannik Sinner strolled into the second round when his opponent retired with the two-time defending champion in full control. The Italian second seed led 6-2, 6-1 when France’s Hugo Gaston called it quits with an apparent injury after 68 minutes at Rod Laver Arena. Sinner faces Australian qualifier James Duckworth next. “I saw that he was not serving at pace. It’s not the way you want to win the match, but he’s such a talented player,” Sinner said. “So I knew from the beginning that I had to play a very high level and was trying to be as aggressive as possible, which I’ve done. “I’m very happy to be back here, it’s a very special place for me.” Sinner had made a sticky start, falling 40-0 down on his serve in the first game of the match, before rattling off three aces to hold. It was about the only blip as the 24-year-old quickly found his devastating range to assert his authority over the No 93 ranked Frenchman. Sinner, who comfortably defeated Alexander Zverev in the final 12 months ago, raced to the first set in 37 minutes. The 25-year-old Gaston had brief treatment between sets from the trainer, and when they resumed, Sinner tightened his grip on the contest. Should he win three titles in a row in Melbourne, Sinner would join Novak Djokovic as the only men in the Open era to do so. Madison Keys began her Australian Open title defence with a nervy 7-6(6), 6-1 victory over Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova, while fellow American Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert in a battle of left-handers to reach the second round. A year on from her triumph on the blue courts Down Under, Keys was in all kinds of trouble early on at Rod Laver Arena in her opener against Oliynykova, who was appearing at a grand slam for the first time. A double break down thanks to some untimely double faults, Keys trailed 4-0 before fighting back, drawing level at 4-4, but the American was dragged into a tiebreak where the unorthodox Oliynykova caused chaos with her deep, looping shots. Oliynykova brought up two set points but Keys erased the deficit with some trademark big-hitting to eventually snatch a tense tiebreak, punctuating her escape with a roar. The second set was much more routine as Keys closed out the victory to set up a second-round match against compatriot Ashlyn Krueger. “It was incredible to walk out for the first time since walking off of the court a year ago,” a relieved Keys said. “Obviously I was very nervous at the start but I’m just so happy to be back and playing here. “I spoke to Lindsay Davenport the other day and she reminded me that not many people get to go out there and defend a grand slam. So I’m just trying to embrace it and enjoy it. As nervous as I was at the start, I’m glad I got through that match.” Eighth seed Shelton, who lost to Sinner in last year’s semi-finals, battled to a 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) win over Humbert. Former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez exited after the No 22 seed lost 6-2, 7-6(1) to Janice Tjen, who became the first Indonesian to win a match at the Australian Open in 28 years. Lorenzo Musetti advanced after Raphael Collignon retired while trailing 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5, 3-2, the fifth seed’s win setting up an all-Italian match-up with Lorenzo Sonego.

Australian Open: Osaka claims stylish win, China’s Wang, Wu progress to second round

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Popular Frenchman Gael Monfils bids farewell to Melbourne Park, Jannik Sinner strolls on after France’s Hugo Gaston retires after 68 minutes

Popular Frenchman Gael Monfils bids farewell to Melbourne Park, Jannik Sinner strolls on after France’s Hugo Gaston retires after 68 minutes