Defending champion Jannik Sinner powered into the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday after French opponent Hugo Gaston retired in tears, having lost the first two sets 6-2, 6-1. The Italian world No 2, playing his first official match since winning the ATP Finals in November, was in dominant form on Rod Laver Arena.
Gaston gestured that he could no longer continue after the second set and retreated to his seat, crying under a towel. Sinner expressed surprise at the retirement but acknowledged that Gaston was not at his best. The Italian will next face the winner of the first-round match between James Duckworth and Dino Prizmic as he seeks a third consecutive Australian Open title.
In other action, eighth seed Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) to reach the second round. Shelton, a semi-finalist last year, described it as one of the toughest first-round matches he could face. He will next play Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny, who ended the 20th and final Australian Open campaign of 39-year-old Frenchman Gaël Monfils.
Monfils bowed out in an epic first-round defeat, losing 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 to Sweeny in nearly four hours. The popular Frenchman received a standing ovation and an on-court presentation, saying: 'Somehow it is the finish line, but thank you so much for an amazing ride.' Monfils, a 13-time ATP title winner, announced in October that this would be his last year in tennis.
Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti advanced after Raphaël Collignon retired in the fourth set due to cramping and dizziness, with the score at 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 3-2. Also progressing were Eliot Spizzirri, who beat 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca, the 28th seed, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, and 15th seed Karen Khachanov. Argentina's Sebastián Báez outlasted Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3.
