Australian Open – First Week

The first week of the 2023 Australian Open has already seen monumental upsets, extreme weather disruptions, epic comeback wins, and statements from tennis’ rising stars. From Andy Murray turning back the clock to topple seeds, to top contenders like Nadal, Ruud, Jabeur and Sakkari crashing out early, it’s been a dramatic opening week marked by surprises.

Emerging young gun Coco Gauff has proven she’s ready to contend for the title after a big win over Emma Raducanu. With more shockers surely in store during the year’s first Grand Slam fortnight, the Australian Open’s thrilling first week has set the stage for an unforgettable event.

Upsets Galore In Early Rounds

Four of the top 8 men’s seeds, including world #1 Rafael Nadal and #2 Casper Ruud, have already been knocked out in major upsets. On the women’s side, top 10 seeds Ons Jabeur (#2) and Maria Sakkari (#6) also suffered surprising early exits.

Comeback Kid Andy Murray Defies Age

But the biggest storyline so far has been Andy Murray’s defiant comeback. At 35 years old, Murray has battled to gritty five-set wins against Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis. This is the same tournament where he revealed his career-threatening hip injury in 2019.

American Team Spirit Carries Over

The united American squads from the recent United Cup have brought great energy into Melbourne. While stars like Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz and Madison Keys lost before the fourth round, Jessica Pegula has been cruising. She is through to the second week, dropping just 15 games across her first three straight-set wins.

Three Giant American Men’s Upsets

Building on the team momentum, three American men have also notched huge upsets. On three consecutive days, Mackenzie McDonald took out Nadal, Jenson Brooksby upset Ruud, and Sebastian Korda beat runner-up Daniil Medvedev from last year.

Gauff Bests Raducanu In Future Rivalry Match

Coco Gauff reinforced that she should never be considered an underdog anymore. The world #7 beat 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in an enthralling second round battle. Still just 18, Gauff is chasing her first Grand Slam title after reaching last year’s French Open final.

Nadal’s Tournament Hopes Dashed By Hip Injury

An apparent left hip injury severely hampered top seed Nadal from the outset of his second round loss. He trailed by a set and break before awkwardly hitting a winner that seemed to aggravate the hip issue. While he continued, the injury dashed his hopes.

Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc On Schedule

Extreme heat policies and rain delays have also wreaked havoc on the tournament scheduling over the first five days. Players have been forced off outside courts repeatedly, setting the event behind.

Murray Shows Age No Barrier To Competitiveness

Just as in his exhausting opening round triumph over Berrettini, Andy Murray demonstrated that his age and mileage will never deter his fighting spirit and world-class competitiveness. He battled for nearly six hours to edge Kokkinakis in a fifth set tiebreaker, refusing to be beaten all match long.

Gauff Outlasts Raducanu In Future Rivalry Clash

One of the most anticipated early matches featuring two of tennis’ brightest young stars lived up to the hype, with 18-year-old Gauff prevailing over 20-year-old Raducanu in an impressive display. Gauff’s superior serving and defense at crucial moments helped her control the semifinalist from last year’s US Open.