Greek world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas put on a clinical show against familiar opponent Mikael Ymer of Sweden during a 6-2 6-4 6-3 victory in the opening round of his Australian Open campaign.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Britain's teenage sensation Emma Raducanu cleared a dangerous first-round hurdle, while her US Open finals opponent Leylah Fernandez was beaten.
Tsitsipas said he considered himself one of the best on hardcourts with nine-time Australian Open winner and world number one Novak Djokovic deported from the country over his COVID-19 vaccination status and no longer in the mix.
"I have a great net game, and most of the players don't have the ability to come to the net the way I do and to cover the court and win a lot of points with volleys," the Greek said.
"They simply don't have it. It's something that is in my advantage, and I have been working my entire lifetime to perfect that. Perhaps other things they might have better than me, but in this department, I think I'm in favour."
Tsitsipas broke his fellow 23-year-old, someone he has grown up playing on the junior circuit, seven times and hit 30 winners to seal the contest in two hours and 10 minutes in the final match of the second day at Rod Laver Arena.
The French Open finalist also showed no signs of discomfort from a right elbow issue that forced him to miss a number of matches at the end of last season and also did not allow him to play at full tilt at the start of 2022.
The Greek will next meet Argentina's 21-year-old Sebastian Baez, ranked 88th, for a place in the third round.
Raducanu beat experienced American Sloane Stephens 6-0 2-6 6-1 in a topsy-turvy contest.
Emma Raducanu Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Raducanu, who rocketed to fame in September with a fairytale run to the U.S. Open title as a qualifier without dropping a set in what was only her fourth senior tournament, raced through the opening set in 17 minutes, leaking only four points.
But former world number three and 2017 U.S. Open champion Stephens finally found her rhythm and range to take charge of the second set from 2-2, reeling off four games as errors began creeping in to 17th seed Raducanu's game.
It looked ominous at that point for the 19-year-old Raducanu whose build-up to her Australian Open debut had hardly been ideal, having had COVID-19 and suffering a heavy defeat in her opening match in Sydney.
But she showed the same coolness under pressure that swept her to the title in New York, settling down and finding another gear to dominate the decider with some precision baseline hitting as Stephens unravelled again.
However there will be no Australian Open fairytale for Leylah Fernandez this year after a bad day at the office saw the Canadian teenager bundled out in the first round by Maddie Inglis.
The 6-4 6-2 loss to the Australian wildcard marked the third straight year Fernandez had fallen at the first hurdle at the year's opening Grand Slam.
On day two there were also first round wins for second seed Aryna Sabalenka, third seed Garbine Muguruza, men's second seed Daniil Medvedev, fifth seed Andrey Rublev and Brit Andy Murray.
-Reuters
