Andy Murray ground out a hard-earned straight sets win over plucky Illya Marchenko to open his campaign for a first Australian Open title in Melbourne on Monday.
Read: >Murray underwhelmed by sluggish start in Melbourne
The World No. 1, who has lost five Australian finals -- four of them to his key rival Novak Djokovic -- carved out a 7-5, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 victory in two hours and 47 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
It was an unforgiving physical workout for the British top seed, who fought back after a wobbly beginning to wear down his 93rd ranked Ukrainian opponent in draining heat. > Australian Open: Women’s round-up
Murray will take on Russian qualifier Andrey Rublev in the second round.
FEDERER BEATS MELZER 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
Roger Federer made a winning return to Grand Slams with a four-set win over Austria’s Jurgen Melzer. Federer, playing his first Slam since Wimbledon last year, fired 19 aces against Melzer. The 17th seed hit 46 winners, 20 more than his opponent.
He will next face USA’s Noah Rublin in the second round.
WAWRINKA BEATS KLIZAN 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka held on under extreme pressure to beat Martin Klizan in five sets. The Swiss star won the next two sets, 6-4 and 7-5, to take a seemingly commanding lead, but Klizan struck back in the fourth, 6-4, to set up a dramatic denouement.
And Wawrinka was broken to make it 4-3 in the final set, setting up what could have been the biggest shock on day on in Melbourne.
However, the Swiss broke back straight away and took the fifth set 6-4.
NISHIKORI BEATS KUZNETSOV 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2
Japan’s big hope Kei Nishikori survived a gruelling five-set examination in the first round to advance in scorching conditions.
The fifth seeded Nishikori came through a dogfight with 48th-ranked Russian Andrey Kuznetsov to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2 in three hours and 34 minutes to maintain his unbeaten record in five-set matches in Melbourne.
It was Nishikori’s fourth five-set win at the Australian Open, and set him up for a second-round encounter with Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.
“It wasn’t easy, especially mentally and I should have finished it in four sets,” Nishikori said, “I was more relaxed and really focused in the fifth set and I’m really happy to get through the first round.”
KYRGIOS BEATS ELIAS 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
Nick Kyrgios shrugged off a nosebleed as he turned on the after-burners in a withering 85-minute demolition of Gastao Elias.
The supremely-talented yet combustible Australian, 21, ripped apart the 81st-ranked Portuguese, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 on Hisense Arena to storm into the second round of his home Grand Slam.
Kyrgios, who teed up a second round match with experienced Italian Andreas Seppi, said he didn’t have any problems with a knee injury that has troubled him in recent weeks.
“I’m getting some great treatment for it from my team and it didn’t cause me any problems tonight,” Kyrgios said.
OTHER MAIN RESULTS
Marin Cilic rallied from two sets down to beat Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. The seventh seed clinched the victory in three hours, four minutes.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga reached the second round after a four-set win against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro. The Frenchman, seeded 12th, won 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 to meet Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in the next round.
Tomas Berdych , seeded 10th, progressed to the next round after Italy’s Luca Vanni retired after the first set, which he lost 1-6. Berdych will meet USA’s Ryan Harrison in the next round.
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