Day one of the 2025 Australian Open has concluded, as championship contenders and unseeded hopefuls commenced their bid for a slice of Grand Slam glory down under.
There was an early victory for one of the defending singles champions in Melbourne, but Sunday's action also saw the first elimination of one of the seeded players.
Here, Sports Mole looks at the winners and losers from day one of the Australian Open.
Alexander Zverev, Aryna Sabalenka safely through
© Imago
Reigning world number one Aryna Sabalenka is bidding to complete an Australian Open three-peat this year - a feat not achieved by any woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 - and the Belarusian kicked off her quest for glory in comfortable fashion.
Sabalenka suffered a couple of frustrating moments against the USA's Sloane Stephens but eventually came through 6-3 6-2 to stroll into round two, where she will be joined by the player she consigned to defeat in the 2024 championship match.
Runner-up Qinwen Zheng defeated Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni 7-6[3] 6-1 in her first-round battle, while Mirra Andreeva, Paula Badosa and Leylah Fernandez also made it through the first stage.
In the men's singles draw, second seed Alexander Zverev headlined Sunday's action and did not disappoint his travelling fans, defeating French wildcard Lucas Pouille 6-4 6-4 6-4.
Sixth seed Casper Ruud made much harder work of his contest with Spain's Jaume Munar, but the Norwegian dominated a deciding fifth set to triumph 6-3 1-6 7-5 2-6 6-1.
On the same side of the draw, 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori - who entered with a protected ranking - pulled off an astounding fightback against Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro, coming from two sets down to win 4-6 6-7[4] 7-5 6-2 6-3.
Linda Noskova the first seed to fall
© Imago
No seeded players suffered defeat in the men's singles on Sunday, but women's 29th seed Linda Noskova - a quarter-finalist last year - was condemned to an early exit by Denmark's Clara Tauson.
Noskova took the opening set against her 22-year-old foe but still slipped to a 7-5 3-6 4-6 loss to Tauson, who could meet Sabalenka in round three, but Sonay Kartal failed to set up a second-round meeting with the reigning champion.
Making her main-draw debut at the Australian Open, the British number three lost 1-6 6-7[5] to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain, managing a meagre six winners to her opponent's 23.
The biggest upset of day one came in the men's draw, where Lebanon's Hady Habib - the 219th-ranked qualifier - defeated world number 67 Bu Yunchaokete in straight sets.
While that result was chastening for the Chinese player, Habib is now the first-ever Lebanese player to win a main-draw Grand Slam match.
Ben Knapton
