Williams overcomes tricky first hurdle
Alexis Ohanian ia a happy man after fiancee Serena WIlliams won her opening round match.
For the first five games in the second set, Serena Williams played almost flawless tennis in her first-round match at the Australian Open.
Then came the rustiness that tends to follow a lengthy layoff, giving Belinda Bencic a glimmer of hope, before Williams regained her composure to win 6-4, 6-3 yesterday. The six-time Australian Open champion improved her impressive record in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments to 65-1.
The No 2-ranked Williams’ priority in Melbourne is an Open era record 23rd major title. She’s one win down — beating a player who was seeded 12th last year and reached a career-high No 7 ranking last February — and is targeting six more at Melbourne Park.
‘‘She was just recently in the top 10. I knew it would be one of the toughest first-round matches I’ve ever played,’’ the newly engaged Williams said.
In round two Serena will meet Lucie Safarova, who beat Yanina Wickmayer 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1.
Rafael Nadal, also on the comeback from a couple of months on the sidelines following the US Open with an injured left wrist, had a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Florian Mayer to go one better than he did last year in Australia. He was upset in the first round by fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco last year.
‘‘Great. I’m happy to do an interview with you — last year, I didn’t have the chance!’’ Nadal said in his on-court interview. ‘‘Very happy this year.’’
Third-seeded Milos Raonic, who reached the semifinals in Australia last year and the final at Wimbledon, opened with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Dustin Brown.
Also advancing were No 24 Alexander Zverev held off Robin Haase 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, No 25 Gilles Simon beat US wildcard entry Michael Mmoh 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 and No 32 Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Two women who had breakout seasons in 2016, and opened this season with tournament titles, advanced in straight sets.
US Open finalist Pliskova following her title win at the Brisbane International with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Johanna Konta, a surprise semifinalist in her debut at the Australian Open last year, won the Sydney International last week and opened at Melbourne Park with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Kirsten Flipkens.
‘‘I definitely love playing here. It’s a dream,’’ Konta said. ‘‘A lot has happened in the last year, but I’m just enjoying playing and getting better each day.’’
Lucie Safarova beat Yanina Wickmayer 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1 and will next play Williams.
Also progressing to the second round were No 14 Elena Vesnina, No 21 Caroline Garcia, No 28 Alize Cornet, No 30 Ekaterina Makarova and Naomi Osaka, of Japan, beat Thai wildcard entry Luksika Kumkhum 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5.
Meanwhile, the most miserable summer of Samantha Stosur’s 15-year career is over following another forgettable first-round Australian Open loss in Melbourne.
Britain’s Heather Watson sent the Australian No 1 packing with a rollercoaster 6-2 3-6 6-0 victory, the win also consigning Stosur to her ninth successive defeat since the US Open five months ago.
Stosur’s latest flop followed firstround exits in Brisbane and Sydney.