The first round of the 2024 Australian Open continued with 28 matches on the women's side, the highlight results being 16th seed Caroline Garcia defeating Naomi Osaka and Dayana Yastremska crushing Marketa Vondrousova.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff, sixth seed Ons Jabeur, 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, 19th seed Elina Svitolina, and 25th seed Elise Mertens also advanced to the second round.
Seeded players joining Vondrousova on the sidelines were 15th seed Veronika Kudermetova, 17th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, 21st seed Donna Vekic, 24th seed Anhelina Kalinina, and 31st seed Marie Bouzkova.
Garcia gets the better of Osaka to move into round two
The Frenchwoman avenged a loss to Osaka here from 2021 as Garcia came out on top 6-4, 7-6 (2) in a high-quality first-round match with the 16th seed hitting 34 winners, including 13 aces.
"I let it out, so that means I cried a lot", Garcia said. "I talked with my team. They gave me some positive energy, my partner, my coach. After you realized that you prepared, you trained well, I had a couple of match behind me.
"At 5-4, I told my coach, pressure is coming up, I have to serve it out, and I feel more and more stress. It was just really point at a time today."
Gauff, Jabeur start Melbourne campaign with impressive wins
Playing her first major match as a Grand Slam champion after winning the US Open last year, Gauff defeated Anna Schmiedlova 6-3, 6-0, winning the last nine games.
"I think I did well returning and then I found my serve towards the end", she said. "She's a tough player to play but I am happy with how I was able to manage my emotions today."
Jabeur kicked off her quest for a first major title in dominant fashion with a solid 6-3, 6-1 victory over qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva. The Tunisian is playing her first tournament of the year after vowing to play a lighter schedule in 2024.
"The season is very long", she said. "So I was like, 'OK, maybe it's better that I take my time, rest, take my time also to do a good preseason.
"Given what happened last year, I didn't want the risk and just come back and play a lot of tournaments."
The win sets up a mouthwatering second-round clash with Mirra Andreeva as the 16-year-old Russian defeated Bernarda Pera 7-5, 6-1.
"It's going to be a very difficult match", Jabeur acknowledged. "I know she's 16 years old, but she's very tough. I might be her idol but she wants to go there and [kick] my butt for sure.
"But it's an honor to play her, really. I'm a big fan of her and love her attitude on the court."
Wimbledon champion sent out by red-hot Yastremska
Yastremska dominated from the start, dismantling the seventh seed 6-1, 6-2, hitting 26 winners and breaking Vondrousova's serve five times en route to her fourth career Top 10 win.
"Last time I played with Marketa, I lost to her. It was a tough match", the Ukrainian said. "Today in the morning, I was a little bit nervous. I think I had a good focus and I just tried to show my best.
"I know I can play much better, but it was a good game. I really enjoyed to be there."
Beatriz Haddad Maia avoided the upset bug as the tenth-seeded Brazilian held off Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 while Svitolina won six consecutive games from 2-1 down in the first set en route to a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory over Aussie wild card Taylah Preston.
Mertens advanced when Mayar Sherif retired trailing 6-2, 2-0 and Paolini was an easy 6-3, 6-4 winner over Diana Shnaider.
Kudermetova joined countrywomen Liudmila Samsonova and Alexandrova on the sidelines as Viktorija Golubic defeated the 15th seed for the second time at a Grand Slam, winning 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-1.
Laura Siegemund rallied from 4-2 down in the third set to stun Alexandrova 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9) in three hours, one minute. The German is unbeaten in singles and doubles on the year.
Vekic fell victim to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as the former Roland Garros finalist was a 6-4, 6-4 winner as well as Linda Noskova, 6-1, 7-5 over countrywoman Bouzkova.
Kaja Juvan eased past 23rd seed Anastasia Potapova while Kalinina was nearly double-bagelled by Arantxa Rus, the Dutchwoman a 6-1, 6-0 victor.
Storm Hunter was the only Australian woman to win as she posted a routine 6-3, 6-4 win over Sara Errani but Daria Saville lost a heartbreaking three-setter to Magdalena Frech.
There were straight-set wins for Paula Badosa, Varvara Gracheva, Rebeka Masarova, Nadia Podoroska, Katerina Siniakova and Viktoriya Tomova while Anna Kalinskaya, McCartney Kessler, Marta Kostyuk, Tatjana Maria and Anastasia Zakharova were three-set victors.