Barely launched, the Australian Open, nicknamed the Australian Summer, was somewhat cooled by violent storms on Sunday January 12. Rain hit Melbourne Park an hour after the gates opened, interrupting matches for almost six hours. Only the matches on the three large courts, which benefit from a roof, were able to continue without interruption.
Arthur Fils and Hugo Gaston, first qualified tricolors
For his second participation in the Australian Open, Arthur Fils did not tremble. Just wobbled. The 20th player in the world qualified for the second round of the first Major of the year against the Finn Otto Virtanen (92nd). Despite losing the first set, the French number 2 quickly settled to win between four sets 3-6, 7-6 [4]6-4, 6-4. “Excuse me for the term but I played like a b**** until the break, reacted the number 20 seed during his post-match interview in front of the spectators at Margaret Court. At one point, I had to put the ball in the blue. (…) I’m going to go back to training”, he smiled, causing a general burst of laughter from the audience. In the next round, he will face either his compatriot Quentin Halys (71st) or the Australian Adaw Walton (91st).
Later in the day, or in the morning in France, Hugo Gaston imitated his compatriot, but with a little more mastery. Strong in defense and well inspired, he disposed of the Australian Omar Jasika, 179th player in the world, in four sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2), in a match interrupted six hours by the rain between the first and second rounds. Like last season, he reached the second round in Melbourne, where he will face Jiri Lehecka (seeded number 24).
Diane Parry and Chloé Paquet dead end
Diane Parry couldn’t do anything. Facing her opponent of the day, the Croatian Donna Vekic (19th in the world), the Tricolore 66th in the WTA lost as soon as she entered the fray in two sets 6-4, 6-4. Arriving in Melbourne unprepared (due to a knee injury contracted during the Billie Jean King Cup in mid-November), and falling ill before her departure, Diane Parry “didn’t expect much” for this first match. “I made do with what I had,” confided after her match the Frenchwoman who has never gone beyond the 3rd round in four appearances.
-Chloé Paquet, 122nd in the world, who benefited from a wild card to enter the main draw, also lost in the first round, against the Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, 110th player in the world (6-2, 6-3).
The favorites at the rendezvous
No surprises among the favorites entered from the first day. In the first round clash between Aryna Sabalenka, world number 1, and the American Sloane Stephens, winner of the US Open in 2017, the Belarusian logically won, 6-3, 6-2. Double reigning champion in Melbourne, she is aiming for a third consecutive victory at the Australian Open, a feat that has not been achieved since Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1999. Her opponent in the final in 2024, the Chinese Qinwen Zheng, has also entered the running, with a victory against the Romanian Anca Todoni, 7-6 [3]6-1.
Among the men, Casper Ruud, sixth in the world, had some difficulties against Jaume Munar but passed in five sets (6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1).
