Venus, Sloane out of Australian Open
In-form Swiss Belinda Bencic has sent Venus Williams crashing out of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Runner-up to sister Serena in last year’s final, Venus won’t be keeping the trophy in the family after falling 6-3 7-5 in a first-round boilover yesterday.
With Serena unable to defend her crown in 2018 following the birth last September of her first child, Venus’s early exit means there will be no Williams sibling in the second round of the Open for the first time in 21 years.
Bencic, who lost to Serena in the first round last year, was jubilant in victory on Rod Laver Arena, after most didn’t give her a chance when the draw came out.
‘‘Oh, honestly, the first reaction from everyone was ‘oh bad luck’,’’ Bencic said.
‘Of course it would be nice to play someone easier first round; get your rhythm.
‘‘On the other hand, it’s a big court and when I was growing up I never thought I would get the chance to play Venus and Serena and now I’m getting the chance and I really enjoyed it.’’
Roger Federer’s family were conspicuous supporters in the stands as the men’s defending champion’s Hopman Cupwinning team-mate set up a second-round date with either Swede Johanna Larsson or Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum.
‘‘I was happy when I heard they wanted to watch,’’ said 20-year-old Bencic, a onetime world No 7 on the comeback trail from injury.
‘‘It was a difficult five months,’’ she said. ‘‘The perspective changes a lot. I can appreciate it more.
‘‘I’m not thinking about winning or losing. I’m just happy to be on court.’’
The 20-year-old Swiss outplayed the 37-year-old American great soaking up the fifth seed’s firepower and attacking her serve.
In a tense first round match that felt more like a final, Williams battled to keep touch, but Bencic unleashed two forehand winners to close out the match in the 12th game.
The resurgent Bencic will meet the winner of Johanna Larsson and Luksika Kumkhum in the next round.
Williams’ exit followed US Open champion Sloane Stephens’ 2-6 7-6 (2) 6-2 loss to Zhang Shuai.
Stephens, the 13th seed, was serving for the match in the 10th game of the second set but dropped her serve. She was outplayed in the tiebreaker and in the third set.
It always shaped as a tough opener for Stephens, who hasn’t won a tour-level match since her grand slam breakthrough triumph at the US Open last year and facing a player ranked No 34, two spots off being seeded for the first major of the season.
Stephens didn’t play last year’s Australian Open because of a left foot injury that kept her out of action until Wimbledon.
Since beating Madison Keys in the US Open final, Stephens has lost eight matches.
‘‘Sloane she plays so well, won the US Open – everyone knows – she’s a great player,’’ Zhang said.
‘‘I know how hard I’m working . . . coming to Australia I’m ready for every match, every player. That’s why I won today.’’
French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko made a positive start with a 6-1 6-4 win over 37-year-old Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open winner.
Ostapenko saved two break points in the third game of the opening set and clinched the set with an ace.
After an exchange of service breaks in the second, Ostapenko got the decisive break in the ninth game, then served out the match after double-faulting on her first match point.
Three other Americans went out in earlier matches, with 10th-seeded Coco Vandeweghe losing to Timea Babos 7-6 (4) 6-2, 12th-seeded Julia Goerges extended her winning streak to 15 matches with a 6-4 6-4 win over Sofia Kenin, and No 19 Magdalena Rybarikova beating Taylor Townsend 6-0 7-5.