Gauff romps, Vondrousova crashes out as qualifiers thrive in Melbourne

 

[January 15, 2024]  By Nick Mulvenney

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff romped into the second round of the Australian Open on Monday but Wimbledon title-holder Marketa Vondrousova made a humbling exit at the hands of qualifier Dayana Yastremska on the second day of the Grand Slam.

Fourth seed Gauff admitted to making a nervous start in the first match on Rod Laver Arena but soon hit her stride to rattle off the last nine games for a convincing 6-3 6-0 win over Anna Schmiedlova.

"I think I just freed up and everything started to fall in place," said the American, playing her last Grand Slam as a teenager.

Gauff first made a big splash at Melbourne Park in 2020 with an upset of defending champion Naomi Osaka, who plays her first Grand Slam match since 2022 against Caroline Garcia in the final match of the day on the main showcourt.

Vondrousova was the first unseeded player to win the women's title at Wimbledon last year but found the shoe on the other foot on Monday as she succumbed to a 6-1 6-2 upset loss at the hands of Yastremska.

"I didn't practise much before the tournament because I was injured," said Vondrousova, who pulled out of a warm-up with a hip issue.

The 2024 crop of qualifiers have caused a host of problems for top players on the first two days of the tournament, not least Dino Prizmic's defiance of 10-times champion Novak Djokovic over four hours on Sunday night.

Third seed Daniil Medvedev was perhaps fortunate that his opponent, Terence Atmane, retired injured during his opening match on a sunbathed Margaret Court Arena.

The French world number 144, who had taken the first set off the 2021 U.S. Open champion before Medvedev levelled up the contest at 1-1, was holding his own in the third when he started suffering severe cramps in his thigh.

The 22-year-old struggled on for almost an hour but finally called time on his first Grand Slam main draw match while trailing the Russian 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0.

"Tough match, he played pretty well," Medvedev said of the qualifier.

"I played badly at the start of the first set. When I started feeling better physically, he started cramping. It was brutal conditions out there."

Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also went a set down in his match against lucky loser Zizou Bergs but produced a remarkable shot from his opponent's side of the net to help turn the tide before running out a 5-7 6-1 6-1 6-3 winner.

"It wasn't easy out here," said the 2023 runner-up at Melbourne Park.

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2024 Russia's Daniil Medvedev with France's Terence Atmane after their first round match REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

"But that determination and that fire sparkled in the second set. I was able to keep him moving, I really felt on top of my game after the first set."

'AMAZING FEELING'

There were emotional scenes on Court 13 where Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli won his first Grand Slam main draw match with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 2-6 7-5 upset of Chilean 18th seed Nicolas Jarry.

Sebastian Korda, the 29th seed, needed five sets to get past Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-4 2-6 4-6 6-2, while French lucky loser Hugo Gaston ousted Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-4.

Stan Warwinka, the only man apart from Djokovic in the field to have won the title, took Italian Adrian Mannarino to five sets before bowing out 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-0.

"Even after the loss, I think there is some good opportunity for me to keep pushing, keep playing some good result, and hopefully I can come back next year," said the 38-year-old, who won the title a decade ago.

Andy Murray, who has lost five finals at Melbourne Park, followed his fellow veteran onto Kia Arena but also fell at the first hurdle, losing 6-4 6-2 6-2 to Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

In the women's draw, Australian qualifier Storm Hunter beat former French Open finalist Sara Errani 6-4 6-3 to claim her first victory in the Melbourne Park main draw at the sixth attempt.

"To qualify and win my first round of main draw here at Aussie Open, it's insane. It's an amazing feeling," the 29-year-old world number 180 said.

In an all-Australian tie on John Cain Arena, Alexei Popyrin beat Marc Polmans 6-3 7-6(3) 6-2 to set up a second-round clash with Djokovic.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Addiotional reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]
 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.