Djokovic and Alcaraz through, Kyrgios sinks in the first round of Australian Open

It was an action-packed day in Melbourne as the top seeds fought their opening round battles at the Australian Open. The second day of the main draw opened with Stefanos Tsitsipas suffering a shock upset as Alex Michelsen beat the 11th seed. The scenes following next included Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Jannik Sinner upholding their ranks as the top threats in the season. As the day neared conclusion, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios were put to play their first-round hurdles in their respective draw. Off the field confidence didn't translate into a victory for the homeboy Nick Kyrgios, who entered the Grand Slam arena after a two-year long hiatus. Djokovic and Alcaraz, meanwhile, clinched commanding victories as they bid for a record-breaking title victory at the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz win their opening round matches at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic played Nishesh Basvareddy in the opening round as he looks for the record 25th Grand Slam of his career. In a gripping encounter, the 10-time Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic, battled past American wild card with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory. Nole, subsequently, secured a spot in the second round in Melbourne for the 18th year in a row. Though not always at his best, Djokovic frequently turned to an enthusiastic Andy Murray in his coaching box for motivation, drawing energy from his presence throughout the match.

Despite a few hiccups, Djokovic’s intensity grew as the match progressed, especially in the third and fourth sets, where he elevated his serving and efficiently converted all three break points. After nearly three hours of play, the seventh-seeded Djokovic secured the win and will now continue his pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title. He’ll face qualifier Jaime Faria in the next round, who advanced comfortably with a 6-1, 6-1, 7-5 victory over Pavel Kotov.

In another match, Carlos Alcaraz registered a breezy victory as he stands on the verge to become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam on the ATP Tour. Playing his first match of the 2025 season, the Spaniard bounced back from a dip in form during the second set to comfortably defeat Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-5, 6-1. Alcaraz delivered a commanding performance, hitting 37 winners to quickly recovering after a brief slump in the second set.

Leading 6-1, 3-1, Alcaraz lost his rhythm for about 20 minutes on Margaret Court Arena, allowing Shevchenko to seize the momentum and take a 5-3 lead. However, Alcaraz's resilience shone through, as he regained his consistency and aggression. With a return to control, he showcased his incredible skill in the third set securing the win in 1 hour 54 minutes.

Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios couldn't materialize his dream of winning his maiden Grand Slam title. Following a two-year injury-marred hiatus, Nick Kyrgios entered the Australian Open main draw with a protected ranking of 21. In the draw, he met Great Britain's 92nd-ranked Jacob Fearnley. However, the Brit proved a significant challenger to Kyrgios who met discomfort on he court. Fearnley triumphed with a 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(2) victory as Kyrgios struggled with an abdominal injury during the second set, calling for the physio twice. Despite his efforts, he was unable to recover, as Fearnley played with impressive confidence, having enjoyed a standout year leading up to the match.