“I started my match very slowly, it frustrated me a little and made me doubt. I felt that I wasn’t hitting the ball hard enough today,” regretted the Greek at a press conference.
With a second round within his reach, against the Australian guest James McCabe (258th) or the Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce (142nd), Michelsen can hope to match his performance of 2024, when he reached the 3rd round where he was stopped by Alexander Zverev (2nd).
Winner of his first Grand Slam trophy in Melbourne in 2024 and favorite to succeed him, world No.1 Jannik Sinner started the defense of his title around 2:00 p.m. (03:00 GMT) against Chilean Nicolas Jarry, 36th in the world.
Djokovic expected to face Basavareddy and Alcaraz against Shevchenko
It will then be the turn of ten-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic to take to the hard court at the Rod Laver Arena, where he will face the American Nishesh Basavareddy (107th).
The Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (3rd), in search of the last Grand Slam title in Melbourne which is missing from his record, also begins his tournament on Monday, early in the evening against the Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko (77th).
Gauff in the second round
World No.3 Coco Gauff won an all-American duel in Melbourne on Monday against Sofia Kenin (74th) to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open.
Winner of the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals at the end of last season, the 20-year-old Floridian beat her compatriot, who won the Australian Open in 2020, 6-3, 6-3.
After this successful start on the Rod Laver Arena, the main court in Melbourne, Gauff will face in the second round the British Jodie Burrage (173rd), who dismissed the French qualifier Léolia Jeanjean (149th) in two sets.
Iga Swiatek joins the 2nd round
Second player in the world, Iga Swiatek qualified on Monday in Melbourne for the second round of the Australian Open thanks to a victory in straight sets against the Czech Katerina Siniakova, world No.1 in doubles and 50th in singles. The Pole won 6-3, 6-4 in 1h20.
The five-time Grand Slam winner joins in the 2nd round her Belarusian rivals Aryna Sabalenka (1st), qualified on Sunday, and American Coco Gauff (WTA 3), who validated her ticket on Monday against Sofia Kenin (WTA 74), winner of the Australian Open in 2020, with a 6-3 doubles. She was also able to return to the locker room after 1 hour and 20 minutes of play.
Swiatek will challenge the Slovak Rebecca Sramkova (49th), who defeated the American Katie Volynets (60th) on Monday with a score of 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Winner of four Roland-Garros and one US Open, Swiatek reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2022 but was eliminated in the 3rd round in 2024.
The five-time Grand Slam winner joins in the 2nd round her Belarusian rivals Aryna Sabalenka (WTA 1), qualified on Sunday, and American Coco Gauff (WTA 3), who validated her ticket on Monday against Sofia Kenin (WTA 74), winner of the ‘Australian Open in 2020, on a doubles 6-3.
Semi-finalist last year, Gauff will challenge Briton Jodie Burrage (WTA 173).
