Men’s top seeds Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and David Ferrer along with women’s top seeds Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova all eased into the second round of the Australian Open on Monday and Tuesday.
In the men’s, Argentine Juan Monaco was the highest-ranked seed - 11th - to exit, while seventh seed Sara Errani and 12th seed Nadia Petrova lost in the women’s.
However, the big names all progressed in comfortable fashion with Djokovic too good for Paul-Henri Mathieu 6–2, 6–4, 7–5 on Monday, while fourth seed Ferrer got past Olivier Rochus 6–3, 6–4, 6–2.
Second seed Federer cruised past Benoit Paire 6–2, 6–4, 6–1, while US Open champion Murray knocked off Robin Haase 6–3, 6–1, 6–3.
Murray said: “It was a good start, nice to win in straight sets. It was the hottest day we’ve had for a while so the court was playing much quicker.”
Meanwhile, in the first round for the women’s, Sharapova got past countrywoman Olga Puchkova 6-0, 6-0 while Williams also had a 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Romania’s Edina Gallovits-Hall.
Top seed and reigning champion Azarenka also progressed without any worries with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Monica Niculescu.