The defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced to the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday, taking just over an hour after his French opponent Hugo Gaston retired upon losing the first two sets 6-2, 6-1.
In his first official match since beating Carlos Alcaraz for the ATP Finals crown in November, the Italian world No 2 was in ominous form on Rod Laver Arena.
After losing the second set, Gaston gestured he could no longer continue and retired to his seat to cry under a towel. Sinner said he was surprised by the retirement but could see Gaston was not at his best.
Sinner will continue his bid for a third successive Australian Open crown against the winner of the first-round match between James Duckworth and Dino Prizmic.
In a match between left-handers, Ben Shelton, a semi-finalist in last year’s tournament, overcame Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) to reach the second round.
The No 8 seed said it was one of the toughest first-round matches he could have faced, with Humbert ranked No 33. Humbert had the highest ranking of the unseeded players. “I thought I stayed really calm today,” Shelton said. “On a court like this, playing Ugo in the first round is a tough draw. I felt I found some of my better tennis late in the match.”
Shelton will next face Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny, who ended the 20th and final Australian Open campaign for 39-year-old Frenchman Gaël Monfils.
Fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti advanced when Raphaël Collignon retired in the fourth set. The score was 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 3-2 when the Belgian player quit due to cramping and dizziness.
Also advancing were Eliot Spizzirri, who beat rising star João Fonseca, the 19-year-old Brazilian and No 28 seed, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. The world No 15, Karen Khachanov is also through as is Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, who outlasted Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3.
Popular Frenchman Monfils said farewell to Melbourne Park with an epic defeat and afterwards gave his thanks for “an amazing ride”.
Monfils was bundled out in the first round in a brave goodbye to a tournament he has lit up so many times down the years. The 39-year-old, battled all the way but Australian qualifier Sweeny prevailed 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 in an epic lasting nearly four hours.
There was an on-court presentation and standing ovation afterwards for Monfils, who said: “Somehow it is the finish line, but thank you so much for an amazing ride.”
Monfils, who has won 13 ATP titles in a career stretching back to 2004, said in October that this year would be his last in tennis.
