Heat is on

Melbourne, January 16 

World No. 1 Andy Murray fought his way into the second round as several top players struggled in hot conditions on Day 1 at the Australian Open today.

As temperatures topped 32°C, Murray came through a two hours, 47 minutes test against Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko 7-5 7-6(5) 6-2.

He fared better than women’s fourth seed Simona Halep, who was an early casualty, and Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic, who were both taken to five sets.

Players draped themselves with towels packed with ice on a sweltering afternoon. Temperatures are set to rise further on Tuesday to a sizzling 38°C.

Halep is rated as the fastest player, male or female, over three metres but her usual zip was glaringly absent as she went down 6-3, 6-1 to American rising star Shelby Rogers. Afterwards she said a knee injury had slowed her down as she succumbed in the Australian Open’s first round for the second consecutive year.

Defending champion Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and blew a match point in the second set before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 5-7 6-2 to reach the second round.

Returning Federer passes test      

Roger Federer made a winning return to competitive tennis after six months out of the game, thrilling a packed Rod Laver Arena as he beat qualifier Jurgen Melzer 7-5 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round. 

Japan’s Nishikori, who says he is primed to win his first Major title this year, came through a five-set battle with Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov 5-7 6-1 6-4 6-7(6) 6-2.

Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner, also needed five as he came from two sets down to dispatch Jerzy Janowicz 4-6 4-6 6-2 6-2 6-3.

Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka survived a scare from Slovakia’s Martin Klizan, fighting back from a break down in the final set to move into the second round with a 4-6 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-4 victory. — Agencies

‘I’m dying, I guess’

Venus Williams, the oldest player in the women’s draw at 36, also found herself with a fight on her hands but she came through 7-6(5) 7-5 against 22-year-old Kateryna Kozlova. “Girl, I don’t know,” she told on-court interviewer Samantha Smith, who pointed out that Williams turned professional in 1994, the year that Kozlova was born. “I know how to play tennis. I like to think I’m good at this. She hasn’t had the years that I’ve had yet, the grey hairs and I’m dying, I guess. The wrinkles that I’m hiding... you’re trying to make me feel old!”

Muguruza on fighting through leg injury

“It was very tough. Suddenly you’re playing and you start to feel pain and you forget not to be nervous. You have to be calm and fight for the match,” French Open champion Garbine Muguruza after beating New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic 7-5 6-4.

Genie cruises through

Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, a 2014 semifinalist, moved into the second round with a 6-0 6-4 win over American Louisa Chirico in the late match at Margaret Court Arena, wrapping up action on Day 1.

Almagro denies money-grab 

Spain’s Nicolas Almagro strongly denied suggestions of a money-grab after he lasted just 23 minutes before retiring today. Almagro threw in the towel with a calf injury at 4-0 down in the first set against France’s Jeremy Chardy, but walked away with a Aus $50,000 cheque as a first-round loser. Australian doubles legend Todd Woodbridge, a TV commentator, ignited a debate when he said: “Questions to be asked. Did (Almagro) just turn up to take money?” But Almagro later insisted: “I went to court because I think I can play. I was top 10, I have more than 10 million dollars. I’m not going to play for $50,000. It is not the reason.”

Halep set for spell on sidelines with tendinitis

“I have tendinitis. The tendon (on the left knee). No, no, surgery. Not that bad. I need MRI again, and just maybe take some rest and physiotherapy to get it well. Can be, but I’m not sure now... But, yeah, probably need some time off to get it well, recovered, because it’s difficult to play with the pain, and the knees are dangerous. So I have to take care,” Simona Halep said after her loss to Shelby Rogers.