Sentimental value for Osaka and Williams
Reigning Australian Open champion wins for father. Williams begins personal bid.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Naomi Osaka won the tournament-opening match for her dad at the Australian Open. Serena Williams won hers for her daughter.
The first two matches on center court at the Australian Open were all about families for two champions.
For something new, Osaka’s father, Leonard Francois, was in the crowd watching as the defending champion reeled off the last four games after dropping serve for the only time to beat Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.
Next up, Williams started her bid for a first major title as a mom when she beat 18year-old Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-3. Williams has won the title seven times in Australia and is aiming for an all-time record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles title. She hasn’t added to her career tally since a victory at the 2017 Australian Open, and then becoming Olympia’s mom. She managed to end one drought last week when she won the title in Auckland, New Zealand — her first since the Australian title three years ago.
“I hadn’t been able to win as a mom, so it was nice to finally be able to win a tournament with a 2-year-old now,” Williams said of her Auckland win. “I’ve been pretty close, but it was special for me and for her. I hope for her.”
Williams has lost four Grand Slam finals since her last title and is determined to end that streak.
Her sister didn’t fare as well on the first day. Coco Gauff followed up her upset of Venus Williams at Wimbledon last year with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory in the evening match. It was Gauff’s first appearance in the Open main draw.
Osaka thanked the crowd after her match, saying, “You probably didn’t come for me, but thanks for filling up the stadium.”
There was one person in particular who was there only for Osaka.
“My dad watched my match from my box for the first time during a Grand Slam,” Osaka tweeted. “I feel so happy.”
She later explained: “He’s just superstitious. Because, like, he literally — because, like, before when he used to sit in my box I would just look at him and complain a lot, but I have matured over the past, like, three or four years he hasn’t sat in my box.”
Roger Federer took another step toward a 21st Grand Slam singles title with a routine 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Steve Johnson at Rod Laver Arena.
Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova is also through to the second round after beating Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-0. Former No. 1ranked Caroline Wozniacki beat Kristie Ahn 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of what will be the last tournament of Wozniacki’s professional career.
Denis Shapovalov lost an ill-tempered match 6-3, 7-6 (7), 6-1, 7-6 (3) to Marton Fucsovics, who has made a habit of taking out the No. 13 seed in Melbourne. Shapovalov berated the umpire and received a code violation for spiking his racket after the third set.
In other men’s results, Sam Querrey beat 25thseeded Borna Coric 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and No. 8 Matteo Berrettini advanced 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 over wild-card entry Andrew Harris.
There were several rain delays in the midafternoon, prompting organizers to close the roof on the three show courts. Play was suspended on the others when heavy rain fell shortly after the first delay.