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Sinner Dominates Australian Open Opener as Rival Retires
20 Jan
Summary
- Jannik Sinner advanced rapidly in the Australian Open after opponent Hugo Gaston retired.
- Ben Shelton overcame a tough first-round match against Ugo Humbert.
- Veteran Gaël Monfils played his final Australian Open match, losing in a long battle.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner made a swift entry into the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday. His opponent, Hugo Gaston, retired after losing the first two sets 6-2, 6-1, allowing Sinner to advance in just over an hour. This marked Sinner's first match since his ATP Finals victory in November.
In a competitive clash between left-handers, Ben Shelton, a semi-finalist from the previous year, defeated Ugo Humbert in three sets. Shelton, the No. 8 seed, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Humbert, ranked No. 33, in the first round.
Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti also advanced due to an opponent's retirement, as Raphaël Collignon quit in the fourth set. Eliot Spizzirri, Karen Khachanov, and Sebastian Baez also secured their spots in the next round.
The tournament also marked the farewell of popular French player Gaël Monfils. The 39-year-old played his final Australian Open match, losing a nearly four-hour epic to Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny. Monfils received a standing ovation and expressed gratitude for his career.
