» MURRAY EXITS AUSTRALIAN OPEN IN 1ST ROUND

MELBOURNE, Australia — Top seeds Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber launched their Australian Open campaigns on Monday with straight-sets victories, even as Andy Murray made an emotional exit.

The 31-year-old was defeated 6-4, 6-4, 67 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 by Roberto Bautista Agut in what was potentially his last competitive outing.

Murray, a former world No. 1, said last week that a hip injury was giving him so much pain he was not sure he could continue on to Wimbledon, which is where he would prefer to make his exit.

“If this was my last match, (it was an) amazing way to end. I gave literally everything I had, it wasn’t enough tonight,” Murray said in a post-match interview. “Maybe I’ll see you again, I’ll do everything possible to try, if I want to go again I’ll need to have a big operation, which there’s no guarantees I’ll be able to come back from anyway,” he added.

The three-time Grand Slam champion made a valiant comeback in the third and fourth sets, just as it appeared he would have to concede defeat, cheered on by a crowd that clearly favored him.

But his hip appeared to get the better of him in the final set of the four-hour match, as his gait became increasingly stiff and he repeatedly grimaced in apparent pain.

Meanwhile, defending champion Federer defeated Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in his opening match on Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s great to be back out here, I’m very happy with the match, I think I brought good energy, I played some good shots, I was solid overall,” said the 37-year-old, who is seeking his 21st grand slam title.

“Dennis made it tough, he serves well and he’s a good ball striker so I’m just really happy to be as healthy and playing as well as I am after another dream run last year,” Federer continued.

Earlier Nadal beat wild card James Duckworth 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 in a match that was not all smooth-sailing.

The 26-year-old Australian broke the 17-time Grand Slam champion early in the second set to lead 2-0 and when the Spaniard was up 5-2 in the third, the Australian won the subsequent three games to level at 5-5.

“When I got broken, (it) was not because of the serve,” Nadal, who was using a revamped serve for the first time in a competitive match, told reporters afterwards.