Thanasi overcomes umpire clash in first-set struggle

With a couple of matches left in the opening set, Kokkinakis appeared to argue with the umpire about an issue related to his towels.

But after being pushed to a tiebreak by the Austrian, Kokkinakis fired under pressure to take the tiebreak 7-1.

After 59 minutes, Kokkinakis banks the first set 7-6.

5.10PM: OPEN FAVOURITE’S PARTY COURT CRITICISM

Stefanos and Petros Tsitsipas have slammed the lively atmosphere at the Australian Open’s new court six, saying the extra noise and movement at the “party court” was highly distracting.

Players have lined up to criticise the new rule at the tournament which allows fans to move between seats at the end of games rather than waiting for each change of ends.

But one of the most popular new spots for tennis fans which includes an open bar and DJ setup alongside court six has also come under a fresh attack from one of the biggest names on the tour.

After losing his first-round doubles match alongside his brother on Tuesday, Stefanos Tsitsipas said tennis was the wrong sport to put a courtside bar and DJ booth within earshot of players, saying “I’m not a fan” of the buzzing party court.

“You could argue that it should be imposed and done in other sports,” Tsitsipas said.

“Tennis is a very different sport to football for example, or even basketball.

“Yes it (party courts) would be a new change towards the direction which modernises tennis and makes it more entertainment-style.

“But when you are trying to zone in and get in the zone, it is difficult when you see movement and you see stuff happening.

“There is a tiny little yellow ball flying around and it requires your concentration sometimes over 100 per cent.

“And if that can affect you even at five per cent we are in trouble.

“It is why Wimbledon is one of my favourite tournaments because there is silence and you can just focus and concentrate on your game.

“Hopefully one day (it works) but for now (it is) not quite there.”

His brother, Petros, was also blunt in his assessment of the tournament’s new outside court initiative, with fans pouring in early on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of Stefanos, who was last year’s Australian Open singles finalist.

“It is a very weird concept in my opinion,” Petros Tsitsipas said of the party court.

“It is too accessible in a way for the public. It was noisy as well.

“So it was not so easy to concentrate. Obviously the smaller courts are always like that.

“There is a lot going on, with people shouting also and other courts.”

There were about 400 fans in attendance to watch on as the Tsitsipas brothers went down to Daniel Altmaier and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela 7-5 7-5 in 95 minutes.

But the attack on the party court came as a surprise to the onlookers who were well behaved and only chanted “Tsit-si-pas” once in support of the Greek pair during a break in play early in the first set.

4.55PM: AUS OPEN CONTENDER GAMBLES ON SUCCESS

Casper Ruud says avoiding Melbourne’s Crown Casino will help his push for a maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne.

The Norweigian star, who will meet Max Purcell in the second round, said he had been trying “not to get dragged to the casino every night”.

“That’s been helping. Yeah, it’s tempting when you pass by every night, but I haven’t

gambled too much this time, so I guess that’s helping,” he said.

“But, in all seriousness, I love coming here, even though I haven’t had the best results compared to other slams.”

Ruud crushed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1 6-3 6-1 earlier today.

Ruud was the second seed at last year’s Open when he lost in the second round.

4.30PM: AUS OPEN STAR’S TOUCHING GESTURE FOR BALL KID

American Peyton Stearns has been praised for coming to the aid of a ball kid who was struggling in Melbourne’s heat on Tuesday.

Just as she was set to serve for the second set, Stearns rushed from the court and took an ice towel to a ball kid who had to be treated in the heat.

The crowd applauded her gesture and Stearns was rewarded when she served out the third set.

She then lost the third to 14th seed Daria Kasatkina, going down 2-6, 6-3, 2-6.

One fan called Stearns “the best and nicest”.

4.20PM: PURCELL OVERCOMES FOURTH-SET IMPLOSION

— Ed Bourke

Australian world No. 45 Max Purcell has overcome a slow start to book a maiden second-round singles appearance at Melbourne Park with a grinding four-set win over his qualifier opponent.

Purcell squandered five match points but held his nerve to conquer Hungarian world No. 214 Mate Valkusz in four sets, bringing a packed Kia Arena crowd to its feet with an ace to win the match 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 7-5.

The 25-year-old Sydneysider was the sixth Australian through to the second round after wildcards Olivia Gadecki and James McCabe were both sent packing on Tuesday.

Purcell’s win sets up a second-round bout with 11th seed Casper Ruud, who he beat last August at the Cincinnati Open to claim his first ever victory over a top-10 opponent.

The former Wimbledon doubles champion had Valkusz on the ropes at 5-4 on his serve in the fourth set but failed to win any of his five match points as he handed the Hungarian a break with a double fault.

But Purcell bounced back to take the next game to 0-40 before another double fault from Valkusz handed him another opportunity to seal the match.

“I definitely needed you guys’ support here deep in the fourth, I was gagging it so hard so you guys really helped me get over the line in that last game,” he said on court after the match.

“The guy was pummelling me (in the first set), I didn’t really stand much of a chance there … he cracked, and I got through it.”

In commentary, John Fitzgerald noted: “Purcell has been really erratic in some of this match…some strange choices on shot selection. It’s tough to read him.”

4.15PM: BARTYS ROLE IN SWIATEK RISE

Top seed Iga Swiatek credited Australian tennis star Ash Barty for changing her mindset and providing the “huge inspiration” that drove her to the world No.1 ranking after passing the first hurdle in her quest for a maiden Melbourne Park crown.

After an early struggle against former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, the Polish star booked her ticket to the second round with a straight sets win on Rod Laver Arena.

Swiatek was forced into a tie-break in the opening set against the American 2020 Melbourne Park champion, but cruised through the second set to advance with a 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 win.

The 22-year-old has been in ominous form leading into the opening grand slam of the year and has now claimed 17 straight wins.

After a victorious start to her Melbourne campaign, Swiatek hailed the influence of former world No.1 and Australian Open champion Barty for helping elevate her game.

The French and US Open champion said Barty, who retired from tennis in March 2022, had motivated her to add more variety to her game.

“Ash changed my mindset going into 2022 and I think that was like a breakthrough for me,” Swiatek said after her first-round win.

“I was a top-10 player, but I was feeling that she had such a great tennis (game) that even though I knew what she was going to play it was still tough to play against her and to win points.

“She really motivated me and it’s not obviously the only reason, but I felt like it’s one of the reasons I later became world No.1 because I just felt I had more variety because I started practising this sort of stuff to be able to play against her, getting back slices and everything.

“So for sure I am really grateful for her and I don’t know if I would be world No.1 if she was still playing, but for sure she was a huge inspiration.”

3.58PM: DARE TO DREAM?

A boilover could be brewing on Rod Laver Arena.

Yoshihito Nishioka has taken the second set against eighth seed Holger Rune 6-4.

The Japanese world no.61 prevailed 6-4, fighting back in impressive fashion after being blown away 6-2 in the first.

3.48PM: TOMORROW’S KEY MATCHES

Aussie Alexei Popyrin will have to wait until the last match on Rod Laver Arena for his clash with Novak Djokovic.

Here is a look at the key matches for Wednesday:

PURCELL TRIUMPHS

Max Purcell is through to th Australian Open’s second round for the first time after a four-set victory over Mate Valkusz.

The much-improved Aussie had to overcome a sluggish start, dropping the first set 3-6.

But from that point he was the dominant player on court, peeling off 19 games to 1 in the remaining sets to prevail 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2.

3.35PM: AUSSIE CHAMP’S ONLY MAJOR REGRET

Retired Aussie favourite John Millman says not being able to reach the Paris Olympics will go down as the greatest regret of his career.

Millman, whose singles career ended with an Australian Open qualifying loss last week, featured at the Tokyo Olympics, where he reached the second round.

Reflecting on his career on Channel 9, Millman said: “The tennis is going to be played at Roland-Garros. It will be my one regret in my career that I couldn’t extend it one more year and get to Paris.”

Millman said clay king Rafael Nadal would have been eyeing the Paris Olympics “for three years”.

“He will desperately want that Olympic gold and more so the Olympic gold in singles. It’s the Olympic gold in singles. It’s the only thing that’s missing,” Millman said.

3.17PM: PURCELL ON THE CHARGE

Max Purcell is one set from the Australian Open’s second round.

The Aussie has fought back from a set down and now leads Mate Valkusz 3-6 7-6 6-4 on Kia Arena.

Meanwhile, there’s an inrtiguing game going on across at John Cain Arena where Grigor Dimitrov is serving to try and take the third set to a tiebreak against Marton Fucsovics.

On Rod Laver Arena, Holger Rune cruised through the first set 6-2 against Yoshihto Nishioka.

3PM: LEGAL OR NOT? TENNIS DIVIDED OVER STUNNER

It has been hailed ‘the shot of year’.

Which, considering 2024 is only 16 days old, is some endorsement.

Melbourne Park favourite Stefanos Tsitsipas was trailing Belgium’s Zizou Bergs when he pulled off an incredible shot which had the tennis world in awe.

With Bergs serving to go 1-1 in the second set – after claiming the opener – Tsitsipas hustled to the net and audaciously slammed a forehand sideways across the court and passed his opponent.

The Greek star had to pull out moves which would have been fitting of a dance floor not to touch the net, spinning on the spot and then dodging the net like he was Neo in the Matrix.

Tennis rules state that a player loses the point if they touch the net.

The other key rules relating to a player being that close to the net are:

– The ball can’t be hit before it passes the net.

– A player’s swing is allowed to finish on their opponent’s side of the net.

Replays appear to show Tsitsipas leaning across the net a split second after the ball had viciously spun back from the Greek’s side of the court.

Channel 9’s commentary team were in no doubt about the legality of the shot.

“He made it. It was legit. It was incredible,” the commentators noted.

But the little-used ruling confused tennis fans on social media.

“I’m confused (because) the ball never got to stef’s side of the net, it was always going down on the opponent’s side. is the reach in this case not a penalty?” asked Jay.

Another said: “Reach over. Contact on opponent’s side of the net. Point to opponent.”

Tsitsipas claimed the last three sets 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 to storm into the second round.

2.40PM: PURCELL FIGHTS BACK, RUUD CRUISES

Max Purcell has pulled a set back in his battle with Mate Valkusz.

Purcell rebounded after dropping the first set by grinding out a 7-6 second set, coming up trumps with a dominant tiebreak.

He finished the breaker by repelling an attempted passing shot from Valkusz with a pinpoint volley in a sign of intent.

Meanwhile, 11th seed Casper Ruud has crushed Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 to surge into the second round.

Ruud hit 42 winners to 16 and was commanding at the net.

2.30PM: AUSSIE OPEN HALTED BY BIZARRE DELAY

Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov was forced to wait to begin his tournament over a bizarre hold-up concerning his opponent’s outfit.

There was a brief delay at John Cain Arena as Hungarian veteran Marton Fucsovics was ordered to change his shirt before the first-round match could begin.

The issue appeared to be the number of logos visible on Fucsovics’ top – players are not restricted when it comes to the advertising of approved tennis clothing manufacturers on their kit, but can only display up to two commercial logos of a certain size.

Fucsovics was allowed to continue the warm-up in the illicit shirt as his team retrieved another for him to wear in the match.

Tennis Australia was contacted for comment regarding the order to Fucsovics.

The intervention from the official did the 31-year-old no harm as he claimed an early break over Dimitrov, the 13th seed.

The Australian Open is the favourite grand slam of the former world No. 3, who has made the quarter-finals three times and reached a semi-final in 2017.

Dimitrov enters the Open fresh off his triumph in the Brisbane International, where he didn’t drop a set after Andy Murray took the first off him in his opening match of the tournament.

2.20PM: SWIATEK OVERCOMES FIRST-ROUND DANGER GAME

World No.1 Iga Swiatek has passed the first hurdle in her quest for a maiden Australian Open crown after an early struggle against former Melbourne Park champion Sofia Kenin.

After being forced into a tie-break in the opening set, the top women’s seed cruised through the second set to book her ticket to the next round of the season-opening grand slam with a straight-sets win.

Swiatek was forced to claw back from a slow start against the American 2020 Australian Open champion, before taking the first set 7-6 (7-2) in a tie break on Rod Laver Arena.

But the 22-year-old found her groove in the second set, which she won 6-2.

Kenin showed her frustration at times throughout the match, swinging her racquet at the ground in dismay and talking to herself animatedly.

Swiatek has been in ominous form leading into the Australian Open and has now claimed 16 straight wins dating back to September last year.

The 22-year-old is chasing her first Australian Open crown, having reached the semi-finals here in 2022, to add to her three French Open crowns and 2022 US Open win.

2.10PM: SHOCK WIN HERALDS TENNIS’ NEXT BIG STAR

Mirra Andreeva – remember the name.

Women’s tennis’ rising star has officially arrived after winning her first Australian Open match at less than 17 years of age.

At 16 years and 261 days, Czech world No.47 is the youngest player since Coco Gauff to win a match at every Grand Slam.

And we know how that has worked out for Gauff, who is now ranked fourth in the world and likely one of the major threats to Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka at Melbourne Park.

Andreeva has already racked up prizemoney of more than $800,000 in her short career, which included reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon last year.

Her next opponent, Ons Jabeur, had this to say: “I know she’s 16 years old, but she’s very tough. I might be her idol, but she wants to go there and kick my ass, for sure.”

1.55PM: MORE AUSSIES FACING THE EXIT

World No.45 and Aussie Max Purcell faces an uphill battle to avoid a first round Australian Open exit after dropping the opening set against Mate Valkusz.

The Hungarian did not drop a second serve during an impressive set on Court 3, denying Purcell 6-3.

Meanwhile, fellow Aussie James McCabe could be two games away from having his tournament ended by Alex Michelsen.

McCabe claimed the second set but the American leads two sets to one and 4-1 in the fourth.

1.44PM: ANOTHER SEED ON THE ROPES

Grigor Dimitrov is officially in trouble on John Cain Arena.

The Bulgarian ace went down a set and a break to Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics and, generally, looked a little out of sorts.

He’s managed to break back, from 0-30 down, to level matters at 2-2 in the second set but the pressure is on for the one-time Australian Open semi-finalist.

1.20PM: WOMEN’S TOP SEED IN A FIRST-ROUND SCRAP

Life is tough at the top – and Iga Swiatek is having a rough old time of it on centre court right now.

The world No.1 copped a pretty awful first-round draw, matched up against Sofia Kenin – an Australian Open champion just four years ago.

And she’s being made to work for her victory at the moment, forced to save set point on Kenin’s serve.

The top women’s seed clawed back from a slow start , before taking the first set 7-6 (7-2).

Kenin showed her frustration as she swung her racquet at the ground in dismay after the Polish star opened up a 5-2 lead in the tie-break.

Swiatek has been in ominous form leading into the Australian Open, claiming 16 straight wins dating back to September last year.

The 22-year-old is chasing her first Australian Open crown, having reached the semi-finals here in 2022, to add to her three French Open crowns and 2022 US Open win.

12.55PM: AUSSIE PUNISHED IN BRUTAL 56-MINUTE BEATDOWN

Australian Olivia Gadecki’s bid to improve on a second-round appearance at Melbourne Park has fallen at the first hurdle after she was knocked out in straight sets by American Sloane Stephens.

After breaking Stephens in the opening game of the match, Gadecki held serve – and then lost 12 of the following 14 games to go down 6-3 6-1 as Stephens booked a ticket to the second round at the Australian Open for the first time in five years.

The world No.43 took just 56 minutes to dispatch the 21-year-old Gadecki, who reached the second round of the Australian Open last year.

A semi-finalist at the Australian Open in 2013, former US Open winner Stephens has been bundled out in the first round at Melbourne Park the past four years.

12.35PM: SEAGULLS TAKE OVER AUSTRALIAN OPEN

It’s not just rowdy fans that are distracting players on the opening days of this year’s Australian Open – there are other local nuisances.

On match point in Australian Rinky Hijikata’s defeat to Jan-Lennard Struff on Monday night, a local seagull entered the fray.

During the tense deciding tiebreak, with Struff on match point, the seagull landed in the edge of the court.

It put the German off, momentarily, as Hijikata saved the first of two match points – but ultimately Struff was able to see off the young challenger.

12.10PM: DASHA’S TEARFUL AUSSIE OPEN EXIT

Daria Saville has taken her first-round exit to Poland’s Magdalena Frech to heart, pouring her heart out on Instagram.

After winning the first set in a tie-break, Saville went down 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 5-7, and she was still feeling the pain on Tuesday morning.

“Yesterday hurt. This morning it still hurts,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Struggling to come up with anything positive to say about my performance except for fighting real hard in the end.

“Thanks to everyone who came and supported me and I’m really sorry but hey … at least I’m healthy and woke up feeling half decent.”

11.40AM: AUSSIE WILDCARD WIPED IN UGLY FIRST SET

That first set got ugly fast for Australian wild card Olivia Gadecki.

After breaking Sloane Stephens in the opening game, and jumping out to a 2-0 lead, she conceded the next five games – including a double break – before losing the first set 6-3 in just 25 minutes.

It’s a tough ask against a grand slam champion, but the 21-year-old will need to regroup quickly to avoid a first-round exit here.

11.25AM: GADECKI TRADES BREAKS WITH US STAR

Olivia Gadecki jumped out to the perfect start against 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, breaking her more experienced rival in their opening game.

The Australian wildcard quickly consolidated for an early 2-0 lead but was broken on the next attempt in a tense opening to their first-round encounter.

11.15AM: AUS OPEN BOSS RESPONDS TO ‘WOKE’ BARB

Jordan Thompson on Monday night slammed the Australian Open as the ‘wokest tournament ever’ for allowing a controversial new rule change which allowed fans to move around at the end of games – rather than the change of ends.

And, on Tuesday, Australian Open boss Craig Tiley returned serve, saying the move was made to avoid the ‘worst situation’ for fans.

“It just disrupts everyone’s rhythm,” a fired-up Thompson said after his round-one win.

“If someone is walking out the back and you are throwing the ball (for the) toss-up it is impossible to see because you have got a moving person behind it.

“It is in my opinion not good.”

World No.1 Novak Djokovic was another vocal critic of the increased crowd movement.

When asked specifically about Thompson’s ‘woke’ comments and criticism from players, Tiley defended the decision and said there’d been ‘no rule change’.

“What we’ve said is we want fans to sit in their seats when play is on – that’s the expectation coming into the stadium and that’s always been the case. And that hasn’t changed this year either,” Tiley told Channel 9.

“What we have done is try to get their fans into their seats quicker – the worst situation you can have as a fan is waiting outside the stadium for three games, for five games, you could be waiting for up to 20-30 minutes before you get in.

“We don’t want that for the fans either.

“There’s been no rule change other than trying to get the fans into the stadium as quickly as possible.

“The fans know, that come and watch tennis, when you’re in your seat the idea is not to disrupt play.”

11.00AM: DAY TWO UNDERWAY AT MELBOURNE PARK

The first matches are about to get underway this morning, with Australia’s Olivia Gadecki facing a stiff challenge on John Cain Arena against American Sloane Stephens.

Women’s 14th seed Daria Kasatkina is also up against an American, with Peyton Stearns her first-up opponent.

In the men’s, Australian James McCabe will be looking to join the likes of Alex de Minaur, Chris O’Connell and Alexei Popyrin in the second round when he takes on American Alex Michelsen.

Later tonight, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ajla Tomljanovic will fly the Aussie flag through until the early evening.

10.40AM: THE END? TENNIS GREAT’S SAD ADMISSION

– AFP

Five-time finalist Andy Murray said Monday there was a “definite possibility” that he has played his final Australian Open after slumping out at the first hurdle.

The 36-year-old put up stiff resistance in a 61-minute first set against Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry, but the 30th seed slowly ground him down to win 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

Murray had a frustrating end to 2023, winning just one match in his last four tournaments, and said previously that unless his form picked up the curtain could be coming down on his career.

“Yeah, it’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here,” he said.

“In comparison to the matches that I played here last year, it’s the complete opposite feeling walking off the court. Wish I involved the crowd more. Just disappointed with the way I played. Tough, tough way to finish.”

10.15AM: NADAL TAKES SAUDI CASH AMID SPORTWASHING CRITICISM

– AFP

Rafael Nadal was named ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation on Monday, as the Gulf kingdom aims to host more professional tournaments as part of a broader sports push.

“Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I’m excited to be part of that,” the 37-year-old Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slams, said in a federation press release.

“I continue to play tennis as I love the game. But beyond playing I want to help the sport grow far and wide across the world and in Saudi there is real potential.”

Nadal was due to feature in the ongoing Australian Open having been out of the game since injuring his hip at the 2023 edition.

After winning his opening two matches at the warm-up event in Brisbane, however, to tore a muscle and was forced to miss the first grand slam of the year.

Sport is a major component of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a tourism and business hub while transitioning the world’s biggest crude oil exporter away from fossil fuels.

Saudi Arabia has lured football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to play in the Saudi Pro League, hosted heavyweight bouts and funded the upstart LIV Golf tour to take on the PGA Tour.

The kingdom has also been named host of the 2034 World Cup.

But Saudi Arabia has been accused by its critics of “sportswashing” by using sport to improve its international reputation after widespread criticism for its human rights and environmental record.

9.50AM: ZVEREV SET TO FACE TRIAL IN GERMANY

German tennis player Alexander Zverev is set to go on public trial in May over allegations he allegedly assaulted former partner Brenda Patea in 2020.

News of the hearing broke ahead of the current six-seed at the Australian Open’s first round match against fellow German Dominik Koepfer.

Zverev has been “accused of physically abusing a woman and damaging her health during an argument” in Berlin over three years ago.

Zverev, the sixth seed at Melbourne Park, begins his Australian Open tournament on Margaret Court Arena tonight against countryman Dominik Koepfer.

9.30AM: MCENROE SLAMS ‘LAUGHABLE’ MONEY-GRABBING PLOY

Tennis legend John McEnroe has hit out at suggestions Saudi Arabia could host this year’s WTA Finals – calling the move ‘laughable’ as he pointed out the Petrostate’s questionable treatment of women.

Jeddah will host the ATP Next Gen Finals until 2027, and it has been speculated that more tournaments are on the radar of the oil-rich nation.

McEnroe, who is in Australia to commentate on the Australian Open, has also seen reports that Saudi Arabia is eager to purchase high-profile tennis tournaments the Miami Open and Madrid Open, and was not afraid to voice his opinion on that development.

“It wouldn’t shock me,” McEnroe told ESPN prior to the tournament starting.

“Let’s put it this way: money talks. ‘Oh, no, I wouldn’t do that. How much was I offered? On second thought maybe I will do that.’

The move that truly offends McEnroe is that of moving the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia.

“Personally, I disagree with it completely, with the golf and the tennis,”

“The ladies are going to play the WTA Finals there? Are you kidding me?

“Because they treat women so well? That part is to me laughable.

“At the same time, which is also laughable, is the people that can criticise tennis players or golfers for doing something that virtually every business and the government do, which is deal with Saudi Arabia.

“This idea that tennis players have to set the moral standard, or golfers for that matter, when they’re all making the money, it’s a total joke as far as I’m concerned. We’ll see what happens.”

One player who went on record recently as having touted the positives of a LIV Golf-style tennis breakaway tournament was controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios.

“I would have been the first one to jump off. I would have gone. I would have just let the ATP ship sink,” Kyrgios told the Athletic of a hypothetical Saudi-backed tour.

9.00AM: RADUCANU RETURNS, IGA’S OMINOUS THREAT

Women’s world number one Iga Swiatek is in imperious form, with 16 straight wins under her belt, including five at the recent United Cup. She begins her Australian open journey today, as Emma Raducanu makes her grand slam comeback from injury.

The Polish player, 22, opens her account with a rematch of the 2020 Roland Garros final against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, which Swiatek won.

“It was nice to play some high-quality matches against the top players (at the United Cup),” said Swiatek, who has never gone past the fourth round in Melbourne.

“I realised that I’m feeling pretty confident, a little bit better than last year. Hopefully this feeling is going to stay with me.”

Last year’s beaten finalist Elena Rybakina, fresh from winning the Brisbane International, takes on former world number one Karolina Pliskova.

Fifth seed Jessica Pegula is also in action and two-time champion Victoria Azarenka faces Italy’s Camila Giorgi.

Former US Open champion Raducanu, now ranked a lowly 296, is an unknown quantity after an eight-month layoff.

The British player stunned the tennis world when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2021 as a qualifier but only on one other occasion has she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

However, she is confident she can recover her best form after a frustrating period.

“I think my level, to be honest, is just too good not to come through if I put consistent work together.”

8.45AM: ALCARAZ KEEN TO TOPPLE RLA KING

– AFP

Carlos Alcaraz is the headline acts in the men’s draw on day three of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is vying with Novak Djokovic for the coveted number one spot during the tournament at Melbourne Park.

The Spaniard, 20, edged the Serbian great in a thrilling final at the All England Club last year to win his second major.

Since that meeting at Wimbledon world number one Djokovic, a 10-time winner in Melbourne, has come out on top twice against his young opponent, including at the ATP Finals in November.

But Alcaraz, who missed last year’s Australian Open with a hamstring injury, is undaunted as he prepares for his first match against veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

He said the challenge of toppling Djokovic – king of Rod Laver Arena – gave him “extra motivation”.

“I always want to play against the best players in the world to see what my level is,” he said.

“Obviously it’s a good test, playing against him in the places or in the tournament that he’s almost unbeaten.

“Yeah, I am looking to reach the final and hopefully playing a final against him. It would be great, obviously.”

Elsewhere, sixth seed Alexander Zverev makes his bow while Grigor Dimitrov launches his campaign fresh from a title success in Brisbane.

8.30AM: ‘NO REGRETS’ FOR OSAKA AFTER FIRST-ROUND EXIT

Naomi Osaka said she had no regrets and had done “the best that I could possibly do” after her Grand Slam comeback came to an abrupt halt at the Australian Open on Monday.

A single break proved enough for French 16th seed Caroline Gracia to win the opening set against her rusty opponent before dominating a second set tie-break to win 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the first round.

Japanese star Osaka, who has won four Grand Slams, stepped away from tennis in September 2022, citing mental health concerns.

After giving birth to a baby girl, Shai, in July, she decided to return for the 2024 season.

“I felt like I did the best that I could possibly do. It was just really nice to be on Rod Laver again, hear the audience, how much they interacted with the match. That was fun,” she said.

“Of course I have to tell myself, ‘Hey, like six months ago you were pregnant’, stuff like that. Of course, there’s a voice in my head that is, ‘Who are you to think you can come back and immediately start winning matches?’

“I don’t know. I kind of always expect myself to stand a chance anyways. So I guess just being nicer to myself is like a key thing that I learned in my time away.”

Originally published as Australian Open 2024 day 3: Latest news, results and highlights from Melbourne Park