Australian Open men's singles defending champion Roger Federer got quickly into his majestic stride with a straight-sets win over Slovenian Aljaz Bedene in his opening match at the Australian Open on Tuesday January 16.
The 36-year-old Swiss turned the evening clash on Rod Laver Arena into an exhibition as he breezed past Bedene with consummate ease 6-3 6-4 6-3.
A single break in each set was enough for Federer who looked in total control from beginning to end.
The world number two is bidding for a 20th grand slam title after claiming his 18th here last year and 19th at Wimbledon.
Djokovic brushes aside frustrating elbow injury
Novak Djokovic was delighted with his return to the grand slam arena after a long injury layoff, the Serb having dealt American Donald Young a 6-1 6-2 6-4 thrashing to reach the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Wearing a compression sleeve on his serving arm, Djokovic showed no signs of the elbow trouble that curtailed his 2017 campaign as he swung freely to amass 33 winners during the one hour and 51 minute romp at a sunbathed Margaret Court Arena.
The six-times Melbourne Park champion, seeded 14th, dropped to his knees and patted the blue court affectionately after completing his first match since retiring hurt from a Wimbledon quarter-final last July.
Sharapova starts on a high note
Maria Sharapova's previous match at the Australian Open sent her career spiralling to the darkest of depths but she returned in bright sunshine on Tuesday with a performance that went some way to banishing those demons.
The 30-year-old former champion, whose positive doping test after a quarter-final defeat by Serena Williams in 2016 resulted in a 15-month ban from the sport, was in dominant mood as she beat Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4 on Margaret Court Arena.
Kvitova's campaign ends
Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova's return to the Australian Open a year after being attacked by an intruder at her home ended in disappointment with a marathon 6-3 4-6 10-8 first-round loss to German Andrea Petkovic on Tuesday.
A former quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park, Kvitova missed last year's event as she recovered from surgery to her left hand which was injured by a knife-wielding assailant weeks before the tournament.
