Australian Open 2018 : Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advance to second round on Day 2

Australian Open 2018 : Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advance to second round on Day 2

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Defending champion Roger Federer eased past Slovenian Aijaz Bedene in straight sets of 6-3 6-4 6-3 while Djokovic swept across American Donald Young with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 win. World number 19, Ash Barty defeats Aryna Sabalenka in the first round at Rod Laver Arena in the first round.

Ranked at number 14 in the world, Novak Djokovic had not played an ATP World Tour event since Wimbledon last July because of an elbow injury, but the six-time Australian Open champion showed little sign of rust as he easily beat Donald Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 51 minutes in the opening round of the 2018 Australian Open.

World number two and defending Champion, Roger Federer made it 19 successive tournament opening wins at the Australian Open after disposing of Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3 6-4 6-3 on the Rod Laver Arena in one hour and 39 minutes. He set up a second round meeting with German Jan-Lennard Struff in his quest to win his 20th major, and a record-equalling sixth at Melbourne Park.

In other results, fourth seed Alexander Zverev scrapped his way to a straight-sets win over Thomas Fabbiano. The 20-year-old German started brightly against Fabbiano, who made it a contest in the second set before succumbing 6-1, 7-6, 7-5 at the Rod Laver Arena.

Canadian Milos Raonic made a shock exit in the first round itself to Slovakia's Lukas Lacko 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Raonic, currently ranked 22 in the world, was an Australian Open semi-finalist two years ago, lost to Lacko, ranked 63 places below him.

World number 40 Verdasco coughed up an early exit as well to 20th-seeded Bautista Agut in a 6-1, 7-5, 7-5 defeat.

Number 13 seed, American Sam Querrey made short work of his opening-round match, thundering down 28 aces as he defeated Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Alex de Minaur's magical month came to an end as he lost to 19 seed, Tomas Berdych 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-1 in their first-round meeting at the Hisense Arena.

Amongst the Womensā€™ singles, Ash Barty defeated the ā€˜screamingā€™ Aryna Sabalenka in the first round at Rod Laver Arena. Barty, the world No. 19, prevailed, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 against Belarusian Sabalenka. Barty, The tenacious Australian pushed the game to a third and deciding set, breaking Sabalenka in the seventh game.

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