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Agence France-Presse

Associated Press

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins, but there was no fairy tale for 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.
On a hot Melbourne day in which a ball girl fainted, last year’s men’s beaten finalist Alexander Zverev dropped a set before easing into the second round.
World No 1 Alcaraz joined him, the Spaniard beating 81st-ranked home player Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.
Alcaraz, who is desperate to win the Australian Open to complete the career grand slam of all four majors, plays Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann next.
Sabalenka began her bid for a third Australian Open title in four years with a patchy start before coming good in the second set.

The world No 1, stunned by Madison Keys in the 2025 final, ultimately had too much power, guile and quality for French wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, winning 6-4, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.
The Belarusian next faces Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, who outlasted 2021 French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 in a two-hour, 43-minute match.
No 28 Emma Raducanu, who could potentially meet Sabalenka in the third round, beat Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1.
Bai’s compatriot Zhang Zhizhen was not as successful, losing 6-3, 7-6 (0), 6-3 to Argentinian No 18 seed Francisco Cerundolo.
In other matches, Hong Kong Open winner and world No 10 Alexander Bublik advanced over Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; No 29 Frances Tiafoe overpowered Jason Kubler 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 and Michael Zheng fended off Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3 in an all-American first-rounder.
Zheng, a college star at Columbia who advanced through qualifying to make his tour-level debut, will next face No 32 Corentin Moutet, who was booed after his underarm serve on match point in a 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 win over Tristan Schoolkate.
British qualifier Arthur Fery scored the first big upset by taking down 20th seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Alcaraz, who was playing his first competitive match for nine weeks, said: “I think this kind of level and the difficulties in the first round is pretty good for me.
“But overall just happy. I’m pleased about the level that I played today.”
Alcaraz has won the US Open, Wimbledon and French Open, but Melbourne is the one grand slam missing from his impressive resume.
Earlier, in steamy conditions approaching highs of 30 degrees C, Zverev threatened to implode in losing the first set to Canada’s Gabriel Diallo.
But the 28-year-old German recovered to win 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 and next meets Australian Alexei Popyrin or Alexandre Muller of France.
Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th major title, begins his title assault on Monday, as does three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev.

Venus makes history
Women title rivals Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff also start on Monday.
Safely through was seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini, who outclassed Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2.
Elina Svitolina, the Ukrainian 12th seed, eased past Cristina Bucsa of Spain 6-4, 6-1.
But seeded fellow Ukrainians Dayana Yastremska and Marta Kostyuk were dumped out early, as was the American great Williams.
The seven-time major champion was the oldest woman to play in the history of the Australian Open.
She showed glimpses of what once made her world No 1, but ultimately fell after an epic battle with an opponent more than 20 years her junior.
Olga Danilovic of Serbia outlasted the veteran 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 over a gruelling two hours and 17 minutes.
“It was such a great game, such a great moment. The energy from the crowd was amazing. That lifted me up so much,” Williams said.


Australian Open: Alcaraz beats Djokovic in men’s final, completes career grand slam

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz have tennis history in their sights in Australian Open final

Ice-cool Rybakina gets revenge over Sabalenka in tense Australian Open final

Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai win the Australian Open women’s doubles title

Australian Open

Australian Open: no Venus Williams fairy tale as Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka win openers

Venus Williams of the US waves as she leaves the court after her first-round loss to Serbia’s Olga Danilovic. Photo: Reuters

China’s Bai Zhuoxuan celebrates after beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Britain’s Emma Raducanu celebrates victory over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew. Photo: AFP-

Hong Kong Marathon: Wong Tsz-to, Tsang Hiu-tung not getting carried away with 10km wins

Hong Kong triathlete Wong Tsz-to reaches the 10km finish line first at Victoria Harbour Park. Photo: Dickson Lee

Tsang Hiu-tung winning the 10km for the third year in a row. Photo: Dickson Lee

Actor Chow Yun-fat (centre) was among the runners in the 10km race. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong Marathon organisers to look into turning event into 2-day affair

Almost all of the 74,000 runners who were awarded a place in the race, out of 120,000 applicants, turned up, organisers said. Photo: Karma Lo

Race winner Melaku Belachew finished just shy of the Hong Kong Marathon record. Photo: Dickson Lee

Chief Executive John Lee (centre) said the race cemented Hong Kong’s “position as an international sports capital”. Photo: Karma Lo

Sport

Tennis

Hong Kong Open champion Alexander Bublik also advances, as does Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, though compatriot Zhang Zhizhen is out


Hong Kong Open champion Alexander Bublik also advances, as does Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, though compatriot Zhang Zhizhen is out.


Australian Open: no Venus Williams fairy tale as Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka win openers

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong Open champion Alexander Bublik also advances, as does Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, though compatriot Zhang Zhizhen is out

Hong Kong Open champion Alexander Bublik also advances, as does Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, though compatriot Zhang Zhizhen is out