Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova glittered under lights at Melbourne Park last night after eight women's seeds crashed out in the afternoon sun on a manic opening day at the Australian Tennis Open.
Rafael Nadal at the 2015 Australian Open. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The most significant first round loser was the fifth-seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic, who dropped only one game in her opening set but lost the next two sets to the Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka.
In one of the biggest men's upsets the 18-year-old local Thanasi Kokkinakis saved four match points before eliminating the 11th seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis in a five-set epic, while the Spanish 15th seed Tommy Robredo had to retire only five games into his opening match.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer made short work of their first round opponents, the Spaniard beating the Russian veteran Mikhail Youznhy and Federer strolling past Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun.
New Zealand's Marina Erakovic plays her opening singles match today against the 24th seed, Garbine Mugurusa from Spain.
