Today’s first results Australian Open Tennis is cheap for the French but includes a surprise. At the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the year (alongside Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open), Alizé Cornet lost 7-5, 6-2 to Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

It’s her first first-round loss at the tournament since 2012. Weakened by health concerns, the 33-year-old made the following observation: “I saved a set… Also, it was a bit predictable in 40C. If I had won the first set, I might have gotten away with it because of a misunderstanding.”

That Tricolor disappointment is offset by Caroline Garcia’s second-round qualification. She defeated another Canadian, Katherine Sebov, in straight sets 6-3, 6-0. In the next round she meets Leylah Fernandez. The Franco-French duel against Cornet will therefore not take place.

Also, another Frenchwoman, Diane Parry, easily defeated American Taylor Townsend. It took her just 57 minutes to win 6-1, 6-1.

Games suspended due to heat

In the men’s tournament, the tournament started well for Benjamin Bonzi, 48th overall. He eliminates the Italian Mattia Bellucci, who is a hundred places behind him. But he missed a set along the way: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(7), 6-4.

The good surprise came from Jérémy Chardy. He, who had not played an official tournament since losing in the first round of the 2021 US Open, defeated Colombian Daniel Galan, ranked 70th in the world, in four sets 1-6 7-5 6-1-6 4. Formerly 25th in the world, the Frenchman is now unranked.

Additionally, matches on uncovered pitches have been suspended for three hours due to Melbourne’s ‘heatwave’ rule. Only the games at Rod Laver, Margaret Court and John Cain pitches continued with the roof closed. Temperatures and humidity can reach levels that make play very difficult, even dangerous, during the Australian Open in the middle of the southern summer.