Defending champion Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were in domineering form with straight-set victories on the opening day of the Australian Open on Monday as Venus Williams outshone her rivals on day one. Federer was in sublime touch as he launched his title defence with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 canter over Lukas Lacko, while third seed Djokovic blasted Spaniard Marcel Granollers, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.
The Swiss maestro took just 1hr 24min to dispose of the 97th-ranked Slovakian, broke Lacko's serve seven times and hit a stream of 37 winners and just 18 unforced errors to dominate his opening match. Federer looked ominous in his first outing on Rod Laver Arena since beating Andy Murray in last year's final.
"I thought it was a good match. I don't think he played too bad himself," Federer said. "I saw some talent in him and that's why I think I was really happy I chose those tactics early on to pressure him." Djokovic, who conquered Federer on the way to winning the 2008 Australian Open, gave the 42nd-ranked Granollers no chance in their first meeting and strolled through the night match in 1hr 31min.
Djokovic, who spearheaded Serbia to their first Davis Cup triumph in Belgrade last month, broke Granoller's serve seven times and reeled off 34 winners. Meanwhile, America's number one Andy Roddick went through in straight sets and Gael Monfils of France came from two sets down to oust injured Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker. But it was a disastrous day for Russia's Nikolay Davydenko, the 23rd seed and a quarter-finalist last year, who crashed out against Germany's Florian Mayer 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) 6-4.
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych went through in straight sets and American Mardy Fish recovered from two sets down to beat Victor Hanescu. In the women's draw, blown open by five-time champion Serena Williams' injury withdrawal, her sister Venus Williams overcame a slow start to overpower Italy's Sara Errani 6-3, 6-2.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki was unconvincing in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentina's Gisela Dulko, while French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and 2008 winner Maria Sharapova also had some uncomfortable moments. Seven-time major-winner Justine Henin, who is recovering from an elbow injury, made heavy weather of her 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory over India's Sania Mirza, who came through qualifying.
Sharapova, pursuing a lengthy comeback from injury, admitted she was jittery during her 6-1, 6-3 win over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn after last year's shock first-round exit. Schiavone, the sixth seed, came from a set down to beat Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4. Collated results from day one of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park here Monday (x denotes seeding):
Men's single Tomas Berdych (CZE x6) bt Marco Crugnola (ITA) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2; Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Tobias Kamke (GER) 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-4; Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4; Richard Gasquet (FRA x28) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Florian Mayer (GER) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x23) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4; Kei Nishikori (JPN) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4; Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x9) bt Rainer Schuettler (GER) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2; Nicolas Almagro (ESP x14) bt Stephane Robert (FRA) 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Flavio Cipolla (ITA) 6-1, 7-5, 6-1; Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x17) bt Peter Luczak (AUS) 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2); Viktor Troicki (SRB x29) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0; Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Brian Dabul (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Ivan Dodig (CRO) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4; Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-1, 6-3, 6-1; Andy Roddick (USA x8) bt Jan Hajek (CZE) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2; Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) bt Michal Przysiezny (POL) 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6); Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; Frederico Gil (POR) bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 4-6, 6-3, 9-7; Lukasz Kubot (POL) bt Sam Querrey (USA x18) 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6; Albert Montanes (ESP x25) bt Dustin Brown (GER) 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5; Xavier Malisse (BEL) bt Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3); Gilles Simon (FRA) bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-1, 6-1, 6-3
Women's single Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x1) bt Gisela Dulko (ARG) 6-3, 6-4; Vania King (USA) bt Tamira Paszek (AUT) 6-7 (4/7), 6-0, 6-3; Alberta Brianti (ITA) bt Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 6-4, 7-5; Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x29) bt Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4; Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x21) bt Jarmila Groth (AUS) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5); Vesna Manasieva (RUS) bt Laura Pous (ESP) 7-5, 6-2; Marion Bartoli (FRA x15) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-0, 6-0; Justine Henin (BEL x11) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1; Elena Baltacha (SCO) bt Jamie Hampton (USA) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Arantxa Rus (NED) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x23) bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-3, 6-2; Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL x32) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Monica Niculescu (ROM) bt Timea Bacsinszky (SWI) 6-0, 6-3; Rebecca Marino (CAN) bt Junri Namigata (JPN) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Francesca Schiavone (ITA x6) bt Arantxa Parra (ESP) 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4; Venus Williams (USA x4) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-3, 6-2; Sandra Zahlavova (CZE) bt Renata Voracova (CZE) 6-3, 6-1; Anne Keothavong (GBR) bt Arina Rodionova (RUS) 7-5, 6-4; Andrea Petkovic (GER x30) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 6-1, 6-2; Kaia Kanepi (EST x20) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3; Julia Gorges (GER) bt Edina Gallovits (ROM) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3; Virginie Razzano (FRA) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Maria Sharapova (RUS x14) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 6-1, 6-3; Na Li (CHN x9) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-1, 7-5; Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) bt Olivia Rogowska (AUS) 6-3, 6-1; Jelena Dokic (AUS) bt Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2; Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) bt Aravane Rezai (FRA x17) 6-0, 3-6, 7-5; Regina Kulikova (RUS) bt Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x28) 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 9-7; Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) bt Karolina Sprem (CRO) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) bt Patricia Mayr (AUT) 7-5, 6-4; Victoria Azarenka (BLR x8) bt Kathrin Woerle (GER) 6-0, 6-2.
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