Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Coco Gauff progress on day two at the Australian Open, however, Naomi Osaka went out to Caroline Garcia.
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Medvedev turns match around before Atmane retirement
Russian third seed Medvedev faced a challenging Australian Open first-round match, recovering from a set down against qualifier Terence Atmane. Atmane initially won the opening set, but Medvedev turned the tide, leading 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0 when the Frenchman retired due to cramps.
Medvedev, the 2021 and 2022 runner-up, acknowledged Atmane’s potential and resilience, stating that if he continues to play like this, he can achieve significant success. The match unfolded in hotter conditions in Melbourne, with outside temperatures reaching 27°C.
In another comeback, Greek seventh seed Tsitsipas overcame Belgian lucky loser Zizou Bergs with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. Tsitsipas, a finalist in the previous year’s Melbourne final, highlighted his quick recovery from a back injury that led to his withdrawal from the ATP Finals in November.
Osaka bows out, Gauff cruises through
Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Grand Slam return of two-time champion Osaka ended in a narrow first-round defeat to France’s Garcia, losing 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). Osaka, competing in her first major since the 2022 US Open after giving birth, felt she did her best but admitted to some overthinking during the match.
On a positive note, US Open champion Gauff sailed through her first-round match, defeating Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3, 6-0. Gauff credited her success to a positive mindset, reminding herself to have fun on the court.
In an unexpected turn of events, Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova suffered a shock exit on day two at Melbourne Park. The Australian Open has already witnessed both thrilling comebacks and surprising upsets, setting the stage for an intriguing tournament.
Australian Open Betting
Novak Djokovic remains favourite at the time of writing, priced at 1/1 with bet365, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz, 3/1 and Jannik Sinner, 11/2. Medvedev is now rated as 17/2 fourth favourite. Tsitsipas is priced at 33/1.
Gauff, at the time of writing, is third favourite with bet365, priced at 4/1 behind Iga Swiatek 21/10, and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Elena Rybakina is currently priced at 9/2.
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