By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Alexander Zverev launched his bid for a maiden Australian Open title with a shaky first-round win over Canadian Gabriel Diallo as disgruntled fans fumed over long queues and a surprise ticket sales halt on day one.
Third seed Zverev, the runner-up to Jannik Sinner last year, dropped the first set against the feisty world number 41 at Rod Laver Arena but rallied to a 6-7(1) 6-1 6-4 6-2 win on a steamy afternoon.
“Definitely when I saw the draw I wasn’t too happy, to be honest,” the German said of former U.S. college player Diallo, one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the men’s singles.
“I was thinking, ‘can’t get worse than that (first set)’.
“But …. it got a lot better after that for me.”
With extra security deployed at the tournament following the mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach last month, the patience of fans was tested as they lined up in long, snaking queues to the Melbourne Park gates under a hot sun.
Organisers delivered an unwelcome surprise by halting sales of the popular “ground pass” tickets within an hour of the first shot being hit, citing intense demand.
The move disappointed hundreds of fans who had queued for long periods expecting to buy the cheaper walk-up tickets which allow access to the minor courts.
“We tried to buy a ground pass and they just told us it was only tickets that were A$229 ($153) per person,” Melbourne resident Susan Walsh told Reuters. “Didn’t want to spend that much money … So, a bit disappointed.”
While it was slow going outside the gates, pocket dynamo Jasmine Paolini raced to a 6-1 6-2 win over Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in little more than an hour in the opening match at Rod Laver Arena.
The seventh seed, a Wimbledon and French Open runner-up, battled nerves before the match and was glad of the downtime on a sunny afternoon.
“I will enjoy my Sunday now,” the Italian scribbled on a courtside camera lens before exiting.
Other seeds found themselves at a much looser end.
Italian 20th seed Flavio Cobolli lost 7-6(1) 6-4 6-1 to British qualifier Arthur Fery after complaining of stomach problems during his match at John Cain Arena.
World number 186 Fery’s victory in his Australian Open debut was a reward for his mother Olivia, a former tennis professional, for flying to Melbourne after he qualified.
“Obviously it’s a long way, but at least I made it worth it,” the 23-year-old told reporters.
“She can see at least two matches – hopefully more.”
Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, the women’s 26th seed, fell 6-4 7-5 to Romania’s world number 79 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Melbourne Park’s rowdy Court Six with its courtside bar proved a challenge for Kazak Yulia Putintseva as she saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia and her passionate contingent of Brazilian fans 3-6 7-5 6-3.
Putintseva celebrated with an on-court shimmy and a sarcastic flourish, bowing deeply to fans in the terraces with a broad grin on her face.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz kicks off his bid for a first title at Melbourne Park against Australian Adam Walton in the evening session at Rod Laver Arena, after twice women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka takes on France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
($1 = 1.4970 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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