Matteo Arnaldi’s experience at the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, ends in the first round. The Ligurian world no.65 was clearly beaten 6-4 6-2 6-3 by Andrey Rublev (no.15 and seeded no.13). Meanwhile in Melbourne another retirement: Felix Auger Aliassime abandoned in the first round when the match was at 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in favor of the Portuguese Borges, due to cramps. “It’s never happened to me to have them so early in a tournament,” the No. 7 seed later explained. The temperature during his encounter was 30°. Daniil Medvedev also goes to the second round, in a difficult match against the Frenchman Quentin Halys; 7-5 6-2 7-6 the final score with several missed passes from the Russian. «I made a great effort to try to be more positive on the pitch. So far I’m succeeding,” he said, recalling the outburst that last year cost him a hefty fine.
Coco Gauff easily passes the first round of the Australian Open, jokes about her new look with Sinner-style red hair and is already thinking about what to improve to achieve her goal: winning the first Slam of the season. «Why this hair color? There is another tennis player here who goes great with hair like that, here…”, he joked, referring to the two Aus Opens in a row won by the blue tennis player. «I had to erase the initial hesitations on serve», explained the American tennis player, seeded no.3 in the Melbourne draw after overcoming the Uzbek Kamilla Rakhimova, born in Russia, 6-2, 6-3 in a hot Rod Laver Arena. The American will face Serbian Olga Danilovic, winner of Venus Williams, in the second round. “I tried not to put too much pressure on myself,” Gauff said. «I want to win this tournament. I’m only satisfied if I win, but I’m proud of myself regardless of how it ends.”