Murray, Federer cruise into round two
SERENA Williams advanced to the second round of the Australian Open without dropping a game as her right ankle gave her more trouble than her opponent, Edina Gallovits-Hall.
Andy Murray was relieved to have got through his opening grand slam match of the year after doing a “pretty good job” on Robin Haase.
On his part, Roger Federer also opened his challenge and his season with a routine straight-sets victory over France’s Benoit Paire.
Williams, five-time singles champion in Melbourne, won their only previous encounter 6-1 6-2 back in 2008, but here she was even more dominant, winning 6-0 6-0 against an opponent who simply had no answers to her power and precision.
The only bump in the road for the third seed was a heavy fall on the Hisense Arena court midway through the first set which led to a lengthy break in play as she had her ankle treated, but even that could not help Gallovits-Hall, ranked 110th in the world, get on the board.
The match could hardly have got off to a worse start for the Romanian as she double-faulted to give Williams a break in the first game.
And there was more of the same as the American overwhelmed her opponent with her powerful groundstrokes to make it 3-0.
At 4-0, Williams suffered a scare as she slipped on her heavily strapped right ankle while chasing down a forehand and crashed to the ground.
She eventually limped back to her seat and the trainer removed the bandaging from her foot to administer treatment.
After having the strapping re-applied, Williams was okay to continue and she showed there was no lasting damage by hammering three colossal forehand winners in the next four points on her way to a third break and a 5-0 lead.
Williams received more treatment at the change of ends but held to 15 to seal the first set.
The second set started just as the first had – with Gallovits-Hall double-faulting to give Williams an opening break.
She broke to love in game three and had help from yet another Gallovits-Hall double fault – her eighth – to make it 5-0, before serving out another love game to complete the most comprehensive of victories in 54 minutes.
Gallovits-Hall produced just one winner to Williams’ 18, and only won only 18 points in total.
Next up for Williams – assuming there is no lasting damage to her ankle – will be either Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova or Garbine Muguruza of Spain.
Haase represented a potentially tricky first assignment for the world number three but the Dutchman was never allowed to get into his stride as Murray dominated in a 6-3 6-1 6-3 victory.
It was as good a first-round performance as Murray has delivered in recent years and he was pleased with how he coped in the oppressive heat on Rod Laver Arena.
“It was a good start,” he said. “It was very different conditions to what it’s been like the last four, five days. The court was playing different, much livelier.
“But I thought I did a pretty good job from the start – dictating the points and not giving him too many freebies.”
It was Murray’s first grand slam match since he claimed his maiden major at the U.S. Open last year, but he claimed he was still nervous beforehand.
“I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t (get nervous)…Nerves are a good thing. If you aren’t nervous, it shows that you’re really not that bothered.
“It is always nice to get through the first round of any tournament but especially here.”
Benoit Paire, current second seed came to Melbourne having played no warm-up tournaments, but showed no signs of rustiness as he kicked off his bid for a fourth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-3 6-1 win over the world number 46 in just 83 minutes.
For Paire, who deals more in spurts of inspiration than the sustained brilliance of Federer, it was a painful experience and by the end he looked keen to get off court as quickly as possible.
Federer said: “Benoit’s a good player, a good talent. I haven’t played a match this season yet. You’re not sure [how you’re going to play] and that’s why you’re relieved when you get through the first one.”