3 minute read
US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz and Danish 13th seed Holger Rune have won through to the second round of the Australian Open in hot conditions at Melbourne Park.
Red-hot world No.4 Taylor Fritz has franked his strong finish to last season, opening his Australian Open account with a straight-sets win.
The 2024 US Open and ATP Finals runner-up ran roughshod over countryman Jenson Brooksby in their all-American affair in the beaming sunshine on John Cain Arena on Tuesday.
Brooksby, 24, had won the only previous meeting between the pair in the second round of the 2021 US Open.
But their career trajectories have gone in opposite directions since then, with Fritz breaking into the top 10 last year and Brooksby sidelined for two years after surgery on both his wrists and serving a 13-month doping ban.
Fresh from leading Team USA to to their second United Cup victory, Fritz hit 34 winners and kept his unforced error count to 21 to win 6-2 6-0 6-3 in an hour and 46 minutes.
The 27-year-old, who capped his blazing 2024 campaign with a loss to world No.1 Jannik Sinner in the season-ending championship in Turin, said he was happy with how he had opened up in Melbourne.
"That first match of a slam, there's a bit of nerves," he said.
"So I did really good job of shaking those off and played a really solid match to win in straights."
His second-round opponent will be Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin, who streamrolled to a 7-5 6-1 6-2 victory over Croatian Borna Coric.
Danish 13th seed Holger Rune had a much tougher time against China's Zhang Zhizhen, fending him off in five-gruelling sets on Margaret Court Arena.
The big-serving Zhang slammed down 21 aces but fell short of one of his biggest career wins, losing 4-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6.
Rune said three hours and 10 minutes on court in hot conditions had left his body feeling weary.
"Right now (they're) not great," the 21-year-old said of his legs with a laugh.
"But it's all worth it. It was a great match. (We) played some amazing tennis. It got very close in the end.
"The sun was very hot today, I don't know if you guys noticed."
Matteo Berrettini is waiting for him in the next round after the Italian battled back from a set down to triumph over Brit Cameron Norrie 6-7 (7-4) 6-4 6-1 6-3.
Earlier, Karen Khachanov was the first man to progress to the second round on day three, cruising past French journeyman Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes.
The 19th seed from Russia, who made a run to semi-finals in Melbourne two years ago, will face Canadian Gabriel Diallo for a spot in the the third round after he down Italian Luca Nardi 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (7-3) 5-7 6-1 6-2.
