ADELAIDE: Novak Djokovic swept to victory in his first singles match on Australian soil since being deported a year ago, crushing Constant Lestienne here at the Adelaide International on Tuesday to kick-start his bid for another Grand Slam title.

The Serbian superstar was given a warm welcome when he played a losing doubles clash on Monday and received similar treatment on a packed centre court.

He beat the Frenchman comfortably 6-3, 6-2 in 74 minutes, breaking once in the first set and twice in the second.It was his first singles clash in the country after being kicked out before the 2022 Australian Open for not being vaccinated for Covid-19. Djokovic was subsequently barred from re-entering for three years.

The ban was lifted in November, allowing him a chance to win an unprecedented 10th Australian Open crown at Melbourne Park later this month.

Daniil Medvedev, who lost to Djokovic in the 2021 Australian Open final, also tasted victory, saving an incredible nine set points on his way to a 7-6 (8-6), 2-1 win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego who retired hurt.

Jannik Sinner, Denis Shapovalov and Victoria Azarenka were among other winners.

Fourth seed Andrey Rublev was cruising, up a set and 3-1 against Roberto Bautista Agut when the Spaniard began to turn the tables, emerging with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Rublev’s game fell apart as his opponent earned his 19th career win over a Top 10 player.There was disappointment for Andy Murray 17 years after his only previous Adelaide appearance.

The three-time Grand Slam winner failed to fire in a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 defeat by American Sebastian, who earned a second victory over the veteran.

Top seed Djokovic served to love to open his account and it went with serve until he pounced in game six, working two break points with Lestienne netting a forehand to go 4-2 behind.

He calmly closed out the set in 38 minutes and took full control in the second, quickly breaking twice to move 3-0 clear before cruising home.

Djokovic will play another Frenchman Quentin Halys next for a place in the quarter-finals of a tournament he won in 2007.

Before his haul of 21 major trophies, the then 19-year-old Serb beat Chris Guccione in the final ahead of his breakthrough triumph over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open a year later.

Former world number one Medvedev, seeded two, also progressed but was given a tough workout by Sonego, a champion in Metz last year.

They played a cracking 80-minute first set in their maiden meeting.

Sonego fended off three break points, but the tables were turned in game nine with the Russian forced to save six set points after a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors.

He saved another three set points in the next game before prevailing in the tiebreak.

They exchanged breaks in the second set before Sonego retired after treatment on his right arm.

Medvedev will next meet Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

Sixth seeded Italian Sinner beat Britain’s Kyle Edmund in straight sets while Canadian seventh seed Shapovalov ground out a three set win over Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata.

AZARENKA SURVIVES

On the women’s side, former world number one Victoria Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in a gruelling match and reach the second round of the WTA 500 tournament.

Twice Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself in trouble trailing 5-1 but she summoned up her fighting spirit to save five set points before edging a tense tiebreaker.

The Belarusian secured an early break in the second set, but surrendered the advantage before winning another tiebreaker against her Ukrainian opponent to wrap up victory on her fifth match point and set up a meeting with China’s Zheng Qinwen.

WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2022, Zheng saved a match point to battle past Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(7), while former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondro­usova upset eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko later defeated former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-3 to reach the second round.

Published in Dawn, january 4th, 2023