By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Coco Gauff kicked off her bid for a maiden Australian Open title with a thumping first-round win on Monday but men’s contender Felix Auger-Aliassime exited abruptly with a bout of cramp on a hot afternoon at Melbourne Park.
After record crowds crammed into Melbourne Park on the opening day on Sunday, the venue was heaving again under cloudy skies, with home fans buzzing as local hero Alex de Minaur motored into the second round.
There was also an encouraging win for three-times finalist Daniil Medvedev, while the high-seeded American duo of Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula breezed through to the second round.
With Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic headlining in the evening, twice Grand Slam champion Gauff had top billing during the day and lived up to it with a 6-2 6-3 win over Kamilla Rakhimova at Rod Laver Arena.
After racking up 431 double-faults in 2025, by far the most of any player on the women’s tour, third seed Gauff sent down seven against world number 93 Rakhimova and was broken as she served for the match.
However, Gauff was otherwise in fine form as she set up a second-round encounter against Serbian lefthander Olga Danilovic, who knocked out Venus Williams on day one.
Rakhimova switched nationality to Uzbekistan in December, joining a slew of Russian players competing for other nations.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been banned from competing under their own flags following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground.
Gauff said Rakhimova’s switch had taken her by surprise, months after beating her in Beijing in September.
“It did catch my eye, because I didn’t realise she changed until my coach sent the schedule screen-shot, and I saw she had a different flag,” the American told reporters.
“I mean, I’m sure there is obvious reasons why a lot of players are switching countries.”
PUNCHING BAG
Though Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated men’s tennis in the past two years, Canadian seventh seed Auger-Aliassime generated his own buzz in 2025 with deep runs in the Grand Slams.
Monday was a setback, though, as the 25-year-old retired after falling 3-6 6-4 6-4 behind Portugal’s Nuno Borges at John Cain Arena.
“I want to be on the court competing with my opponent,” he said. “I don’t want to be just standing there, you know, like a punching bag. So there’s no point.”
His exit may have been quietly cheered by former world number one Medvedev, who could well have met the Canadian in the fourth round.
After three consecutive first-round exits at the Grand Slams, the Russian was relieved to pass a 7-5 6-2 7-6(2) test against Dutchman Jesper de Jong at Margaret Court Arena, continuing a winning streak in the new season which included the Brisbane International title.
He will meet Frenchman Quentin Halys for a place in the third round.
Medvedev earned a six-figure fine for smashing his racket and a net camera in last year’s Australian Open first round but said he was trying to keep it mellow on court this season.
“So far I’m doing it well, but I’m never the guy to say, ‘okay, now, not anymore’,” he told reporters.
Originally drawn to play former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, sixth seed De Minaur instead faced lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald after the Italian pulled out injured.
De Minaur thrashed the American 6-2 6-3 6-3 in less than two hours in the second match at Rod Laver Arena and will next face Serbia’s Hamed Medjedovic.
Women’s fourth seed Anisimova comfortably beat Swiss Simona Waltert 6-3 6-2 while fellow American Pegula steamrolled Russian Anastasia Zakharova 6-2 6-1.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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