Simona Halep of Romania and former top-ranked women tennis players, Maria Sharapova of Russia, Angelique Kerber of Germany, Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic progressed to the second round of the Australian Open.
Former world No.1 Novak Djokovic, too, made a strong comeback to defeat Donald Young of the United States 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. After more than six months on the sidelines due to an elbow injury, the current World No.14 needed only one hour and 51 minutes to earn his third career win over Young in as many matches. In his bid for his seventh Australian Open title, Djokovic is scheduled to take on Gael Monfils of France in the second round.
Two-time French Open runner-up Halep of Romania had to fight to defeat Australia's Destanee Aiava 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 in the first round.
Despite twisting her ankle early in the first set, the Romanian top seed recovered from 2-5 down before sailing through the second set, sealing a place in the second round for the first time in three years.
The 26-year-old Halep is scheduled to play against Canada's Eugenie Bouchard for a place in the third round.
In Sharapova's return to the tournament after failing a doping test in 2016, the 30-year-old Russian prevailed over Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-1, 6-4. The five-time Grand Slam champion is scheduled to play in the second round against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia.
The 2016 champion Kerber defeated her compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4 in a little over an hour. Kerber's serve was broken twice in the second set, but she seized on three out of nine break points to seal the win.
The two-time Grand Slam champion is set to square off next against Donna Vekic of Croatia.
Novak Djokovic signs autographs after his victory against Donald Young of the US in their men's singles first round match on day two of the Australian Open | AFP
Muguruza of Spain defeated Jessika Ponchet of France 6-4, 6-3. Currently ranked world No.3, Muguruza played with a bandaged right thigh to prevent any further complications in her leg, having withdrawn from the Brisbane International due to leg cramps in her opening match.
The Spaniard is set to play against Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan, world No. 82, who prevailed over China's Lin Zhu 0-6, 6-0, 8-6. Pliskova, the 2016 US Open finalist, got rid of Paraguay's Veronica Cepede Royg 6-3, 6-4, to face Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil.
Britain's Johanna Konta, the ninth seed, also advanced to the second round after defeating Madison Brengle of the United States 6-3, 6-1.
Germany's Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed, defeated Italy's Thomas Fabbiano 6-1, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in two hours and 22 minutes.
Zverev, a two-time ATP Masters champion, is scheduled to play against Peter Gojowczyk of Germany, who defeated Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in straight sets.
Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka had a victorious comeback after undergoing surgery last season. The 2014 Australian Open champion defeated Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2). Wawrinka is set to play the Tennys Sandgren of the US in the second round.
