Ons Jabeur survived a scare against Tamara Zidansek to make it through to the second round of the Australian Open with a 7-6 (10-8) 4-6 6-1 victory.
World No 2 Jabeur, who struggled through the opening set before dropping the second, claimed the final six games to seal victory against the Slovenian.
“I was pretty frustrated in the second set, but I’m glad I let it out. I just told myself to be number two in the world and to win this match,” Jabeur said.
With the temperature rising, fourth seed Caroline Garcia cruised into the second round with a 6-3 6-0 win over Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov, while Elise Mertens fought back from a set down to hold off 2020 finalist and former world No 1 Garbine Muguruza 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-1.
Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka wasted no time in her first match at the tournament with a convincing 6-1 6-4 victory over Tereza Martincova.
The Belarusian will next face American Shelby Rogers, who beat qualifier Arianne Hartono 6-4 6-3.
Camila Giorgi also spent as little time as possible on Court Six as she raced into the second round with a 6-0 6-1 humbling of Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in just 56 minutes.
Giorgi denies using fake Covid-19 travel certificate
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Camila Giorgi has denied obtaining a false Covid-19 vaccination
certificate in order to compete in tournaments
Giorgi has denied obtaining a false Covid-19 vaccination certificate in order to compete in tournaments.
Italian media reported last month that a doctor, Daniela Grillone, had named the 31-year-old as one of the people who came to her seeking fake documentation.
Speaking for the first time about the allegations, Giorgi insisted she had done nothing wrong.
“The doctor has been investigated and she had troubles this year with the law a few times,” said Giorgi, who is ranked 70th.
“I did all my vaccination in different places. So the trouble is hers. Not me. So with that, I’m very calm.
“She [said] my name, of course, but there is more than 300 people who she give the names.”
Several countries on the tennis circuit required players to be vaccinated to enter in 2021 and 2022, including Australia and the USA.
The Italian has denied deliberately seeking out false documents
Giorgi admitted one of her vaccinations had been administered by Grillone and that she had used paperwork given by the doctor.
But she denied deliberately seeking out false documents, saying: “No, not at all.”
Giorgi, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2018, appeared not to understand when asked if she had attempted to check on the veracity of her vaccination or received an extra dose.
She will take on former world No 26 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova next after the Slovakian qualifier ousted 21st seed Martina Trevisan 6-3 6-2.
Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 19th seed, was four minutes quicker in winning her first-round tie against Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure 6-2 6-1 on Court 13.
Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, earned her first main-draw win in Melbourne after beating last year’s quarter-finalist Alize Cornet 7-5 6-2.
Home favourite Kimberly Birrell, who was granted a main-draw spot after Venus Williams pulled out, produced a stunning comeback to beat 31st seed Kaia Kanepi 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.
