For the 113e edition, the Australian Open opened under a capricious sky, Sunday January 12, with rain interrupting the first matches at Melbourne Park. Quite a symbol when we know that the period is not good for world tennis, against the backdrop of doping cases which affect two of its headliners: the Polish Iga Swiatek (world no. 2 ), suspended for one month in November 2024 and the Italian Jannik Sinner (world No. 1, titled last year in the tournament), still subject to potential sanctions.
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While waiting for their entry into the competition, scheduled for Tuesday, their playmates have already set foot on the courts, with few surprises, but still the first French victories. Arthur Fils (seeded No. 20) qualified for the second round, overthrowing Finnish Otto Virtanen in four sets (3-6, 7-6 [7-4]6-4, 6-4), imitated a little later by Hugo Gaston, winner of the local Omar Jasika at the end of a duel paused by bad weather for almost seven hours (6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2).
The rest of the French contingent still occupies the field, notably the number 14 seed Ugo Humbert, opposed to the Italian Matteo Gigante, or even Lucas Pouille, who has a hard time facing the German Alexander Zverev (head seed n° 2), for the main duel of this opening day.
The favorites are doing well
Fate was less kind to Diane Parry, who lost on Sunday without a solution against Croatian Donna Vekic (4-6, 4-6), seeded No. 18. For the rest of the women’s table, no No shock has been recorded so far, despite a sometimes tricky first round. The double winner of the Australian Open (2023, 2024) and world No. 1, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, lost to the American Sloane Stephens (6-3, 6-2). Followed by the finalist of the previous edition and reigning Olympic champion, the Chinese Zheng Qinwen (seeded No. 5), for a time held by the Romanian Anca Todoni (7-6 [7-3]6-1).
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Highly anticipated after her amazing 2024 season, the Russian Mirra Andreeva (17 years old, seed no 14) also made her debut against the Czech Maria Bouzkova (6-3, 6-3).
Australian Open: the opponents and results of the French in the first round
The draw for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, took place on Thursday January 9. Here are the opponents of the French in the running, and the first results.
Men
Sunday January 12
- Hugo Gaston (81e) – Omar Jasika (Australia/180e) : 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
- Otto Virtanen (Finland/92e) – Arthur Son (n° 20) : 3-6, 7-6 [7-4]6-4, 6-4.
- Adam Walton (Australia/91e) – Quentin Halys (71e)
- Ugo Humbert (n° 14) – Matteo Gigante (Italy/n° 146)
- Lucas Pouille (104e) – Alexander Zverev (Allemagne/n° 2)
Monday January 13
- Arthur Rinderknech (60e) – Frances Tiafoe (United States/n° 17)
- Alexandre Muller (56e) – Nuno Borges (Portugal/36e)
- Sebastian Baez (Argentina/n° 28) – Arthur Cazaux (80e)
- Benjamin Bonzi (70e) – David Goffin (Belgium/n° 53)
Tuesday January 14
- Adrian Mannarino (73e) – Karen Khachanov (Russia/seeded no. 19)
- Gaël Monfils (52e) – Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard (n° 30)
- Alexei Popyrin (Australia/n° 25) – Corentin Moutet (69e)
Dames
Sunday January 12
- Diane Parry (66e) – Donna Vekic (Croatie/n° 18) : 4-6, 4-6.
- Cristina Bucsa (Spain/21e) – Chloé Paquet (123e) : 2-6, 3-6.
Monday January 13
- Léolia Jeanjean (149e) – Jodie Burrage (UK/173e)
- Naomi Osaka (Japan/50e) – Caroline Garcia (58e)
Tuesday January 14
- Varvara Gracheva (69e) – Catherine McNally (United States/540e)
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