Australian Open 2021: Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams Win in Wednesday Play

The second round of the 2020 Australian Open got underway Wednesday, and already two top-10 seeds from the women's singles draw are out.

No. 8 Bianca Andreescu suffered a straight-set defeat to Su-Wei Hsieh, and Sorana Cirstea upset No. 9 Petra Kvitova in three sets. Otherwise, it was largely business as usual at Melbourne Park.

Novak Djokovic survived a difficult challenge from Frances Tiafoe, while Dominic Thiem, Naomi Osaka, Alexander Zverev and Serena Williams advanced in straight sets. 

Second-Round Results

Men's Singles

• (1) Novak Djokovic d. Frances Tiafoe; 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 6-3
• (3) Dominic Thiem d. Dominik Koepfer; 6-4, 6-0, 6-2
• (6) Alexander Zverev d. Maxime Cressy; 7-5, 6-4, 6-3
• (8) Diego Schwartzman d. Alexandre Muller; 6-2, 6-0, 6-3
• (11) Denis Shapovalov d. Bernard Tomic; 6-1, 6-3, 6-2
• (14) Milos Raonic d. Corentin Moutet; 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-1, 6-4
• (15) Pablo Carreno Busta d. Jiri Vesely; 6-3, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-4
• Marton Fucsovics d. (17) Stan Wawrinka; 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6(9)
• (18) Grigor Dimitrov d. Alex Bolt; 7-6(1), 6-1, 6-2
• (20) Felix Auger-Aliassime d. James Duckworth; 6-4, 6-1, 6-2
• (23) Dusan Lajovic d. Alexander Bublik; 6-4, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3
• (27) Taylor Fritz d. Reilly Opelka; 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-2
• Nick Kyrgios d. (29) Ugo Humbert; 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) 6-4
• (32) Adrian Mannarino d. Miomir Kecmanovic; 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
• Aslan Karatsev d. Egor Gerasimov; 6-0, 6-1, 6-0
• Pedro Martinez d. Emil Ruusuvuori; 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(5)

Women's Singles

• (2) Simona Halep d. Ajla Tomljanovic; 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
• (3) Naomi Osaka d. Caroline Garcia; 6-2, 6-3
• (7) Aryna Sabalenka d. Daria Kasatkina; 7-6(5), 6-3
• Su-Wei Hsieh d. (8) Bianca Andreescu; 6-3, 6-2
• Sorana Cirstea d. (9) Petra Kvitova; 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
• (10) Serena Williams d. Nina Stojanovic; 6-3, 6-0
• (14) Garbine Muguruza d. Liudmila Samsonova; 6-3, 6-1
• (15) Iga Swiatek d. Camila Giorgi; 6-2, 6-4
• Fiona Ferro d. (17) Elena Rybakina; 6-4, 6-4
• (19) Marketa Vondrousova d. Rebecca Marino; 6-1, 7-5
• (27) Ons Jabeur d. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova; 6-3, 6-2
• (32) Veronika Kudermetova d. Varvara Gracheva; 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
• Sara Errani d. Venus Williams; 6-1, 6-0
• Anastasia Potapova d. Timea Babos; 6-2, 6-4
• Ann Li d. Alize Cornet; 6-2, 7-6(6)
• Zarina Diyas d. Bernarda Pera; 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Djokovic made quick work of Jeremy Chardy in the first round but encountered more resistance from Tiafoe.

The 23-year-old struggled on serve, committing eight double faults and allowing Djokovic to have 14 break-point opportunities. However, he was strong from the baseline, using his power to keep the No. 1 seed on the back foot at times. Tiafoe finished with 49 winners.

Somewhat fittingly, though, a double fault on match point sealed the result.

On the women's side, Simona Halep had her hands full with Ajla Tomljanovic. The No. 2 seed lost her serve three times in the opening set and found herself down 5-2 in the third and decisive frame thanks to a pair of service breaks.

Halep reeled off the next five games to avoid her earliest Australian Open exit since 2017. Tomljanovic provided a helping hand, committing three double faults and 19 unforced errors in the final set.

"It's hard, very hard to talk about it right now and see any sort of positives," Tomljanovic said after the match. "At the end of the day, all I wanted to do was get a win in any way, even if it was the worst tennis ever. I think that's my emotions speaking now. I know it was a high-level match, but in the end, I lost, so that's the dominant feeling."

Elsewhere in the draw, Williams and Osaka had a far easier go of things. Williams lost only nine points in the second set against Nina Stojanovic, and Osaka piled up 10 aces as she overpowered Caroline Garcia.

Djokovic has reigned supreme in Melbourne, winning seven of the last 10 tournaments. 

Thiem pushed him to the brink in 2020, taking a 2-1 set lead in the final before falling short. Thiem went on to claim his first Grand Slam title in the 2020 U.S. Open, and the 27-year-old looks focused on a second Grand Slam triumph, easily dispatching of Dominik Koepfer.

Koepfer attempted to mount a charge in the first set, getting two break-point opportunities while up 3-2 in the sixth game. Thiem held and broke Koepfer's serve in the next game. It was smooth sailing from there as Koepfer failed to gain another chance to break for the remainder of the match.

Looking ahead to the rest of the second round, Ashleigh Barty and Rafael Nadal are among the stars taking center stage at Rod Laver Arena. Sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova will be looking to avenge her loss to Danielle Collins in the Yarra Valley Classic. Defending champion Sofia Kenin is also in action at Margaret Court Arena against Kaia Kanepi.