Australian Open 2023 week 1 updates

January 20, 2023
We’re less than a week into the first Grand Slam of the year and it’s already been a tournament full of underdog wins and epic comebacks.
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Australian Open 2023 week 1 updates
SOURCE: WILLIAM WEST/GETTY IMAGES

The GIST: We’re less than a week into the first Grand Slam of the year and it’s already been a tournament full of underdog wins and epic comebacks. But it’s all going down on Aussie time — here’s what you missed while you were taking Andy Murray’s advice and catching some Zs.

Serving upsets: No. 2 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia is leaving Australia early after being bested by No. 86 Marketa Vondrousova in a grueling three-set match yesterday. Jabeur was the runner-up at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, and many expected her to win her first major Down Under. Oi oi oi…vey.

  • On the men’s side, following his shocking loss to American Mackenzie McDonald earlier this week, No. 1 Rafael Nadal is out for weeks with a hip injury.
  • As for McDonald, an upset streak wasn’t meant to be. The unseeded American’s run was cut short by Japan’s No. 31 Yoshihito Nishioka last night.

Rapid rally recap: Unfortunately, all of Canada’s women are out of the tournament after Leylah Annie Fernandez lost in straight sets to France’s No. 4 Caroline Garcia yesterday. And things didn’t fare any better for No. 20 Denis Shapovalov either, losing to Poland’s No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz early this morning. Sacre bleu.

  • Luckily, No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime is holding down the Canadian singles court, overpowering No. 28 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in four sets overnight.