"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-01-10T12:09:26Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/01/10/roger-federer-interview-injury-australian-open-tokyo-olympics.cnn"
data-branding-key="tennis"
data-video-slug="roger federer interview injury australian open tokyo olympics"
data-first-publish-slug="roger federer interview injury australian open tokyo olympics"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,australian open,east asia,employee termination,grand slam tournaments,human resources and personnel management,japan,labor and employment,layoffs,olympics,personnel changes,personnel management,professional tennis,roger federer,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,summer olympics,tennis,tennis events,tokyo,sports organizations and teams,atp world tour,health and medical,diseases and disorders,wounds and injuries,sports injuries"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-01-10T12:09:26Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/01/10/roger-federer-interview-injury-australian-open-tokyo-olympics.cnn"
data-branding-key="tennis"
data-video-slug="roger federer interview injury australian open tokyo olympics"
data-first-publish-slug="roger federer interview injury australian open tokyo olympics"
data-video-tags="2020 tokyo olympics,asia,australian open,east asia,employee termination,grand slam tournaments,human resources and personnel management,japan,labor and employment,layoffs,olympics,personnel changes,personnel management,professional tennis,roger federer,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,summer olympics,tennis,tennis events,tokyo,sports organizations and teams,atp world tour,health and medical,diseases and disorders,wounds and injuries,sports injuries"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-09-09T08:43:43Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2018/09/09/serena-williams-us-open-defeat-sexism-brennan-sot-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="serena williams us open defeat sexism brennan sot vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="serena williams us open defeat sexism brennan sot vpx"
data-video-tags="discrimination,referees and umpires,serena williams,sex and gender issues,sex discrimination,societal issues,society,sports and recreation,sports figures"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-09-08T22:13:59Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2018/09/08/naomi-osaka-defeats-serena-williams-us-open-final-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="naomi osaka defeats serena williams us open final vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="naomi osaka defeats serena williams us open final vpx"
data-video-tags="andy scholes,asia,continents and regions,east asia,japan,misc people,osaka,serena williams,sports figures"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-05-29T13:49:47Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2018/05/29/rafael-nadal-by-the-numbers-intl-spt.cnn"
data-branding-key="tennis"
data-video-slug="rafael nadal by the numbers intl spt"
data-first-publish-slug="rafael nadal by the numbers intl spt"
data-video-tags="french open,grand slam tournaments,professional tennis,rafael nadal,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,tennis,tennis events"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-07-16T23:43:29Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2018/07/16/looking-back-on-the-scottish-open-and-wimbledon.cnn"
data-branding-key="rolex-minute"
data-video-slug="Looking Back on the Scottish Open, and Wimbledon"
data-first-publish-slug="Looking Back on the Scottish Open, and Wimbledon"
data-video-tags="angelique kerber,grand slam tournaments,novak djokovic,professional tennis,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,tennis,tennis events,wimbledon championships"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-05-31T12:46:05Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/05/31/roland-garros-french-open-pat-cash-unique-grand-slam-red-clay-open-court-spc.cnn"
data-branding-key="tennis"
data-video-slug="roland garros french open pat cash unique grand slam red clay open court spc"
data-first-publish-slug="roland garros french open pat cash unique grand slam red clay open court spc"
data-video-tags="french open,grand slam tournaments,pat cash,professional tennis,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,tennis,tennis events"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-09-11T03:00:19Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2017/09/11/rafael-nadal-1-on-1.cnn"
data-branding-key="tennis"
data-video-slug="Rafael Nadal 1 on 1"
data-first-publish-slug="Rafael Nadal 1 on 1"
data-video-tags="grand slam tournaments,new york (state),new york city,north america,northeastern united states,rafael nadal,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,tennis,tennis events,united states,us open (tennis)"
data-details="">
Roger Federer glided around the court as if he had never been away, each shot eroding any hopes Jurgen Melzer had of ending one of tennis’s most anticipated comebacks prematurely.
Federer, playing in his first official match after a six-month injury break, slammed 46 winners in a 7-5 3-6 6-2 6-2 defeat of the Austrian qualifier on the first day of the Australian Open.
“This year hasn’t been so tough yet, last year was tough,” Federer joked during a court-side interview at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
Earlier in the day, top seeds Angelique Kerber and Andy Murray were both given a workout in the Australian heat as they overcame tough Ukrainian opponents to reach the second round.
Happy
“It’s nice to be playing normal tennis again on a center court like this, it’s beautiful,” Federer said.
“Couldn’t be happier I am here now. It was a long road and I made it. I’m in the draw which is a beautiful thing and I hope I can stick around for a little bit. First rounds are never easy for anybody, just happy I live another day.”
The former top-ranked Swiss, the winner of 17 majors including four Australian Open titles, and 2010 French Open semi-finalist Melzer first played each other when they were juniors.
Now both 35 years of age and recently having overcome surgery – Federer on his knee a year ago and Melzer on his shoulder in 2015 – the Swiss was in command for most of the match.
Firing off 19 aces and rushing to the net 24 times, Federer was at times so dominant, he even won 16 points in a row from 4-5 in the first set.
His concentration lapsed in the second set, which he lost despite leading 3-1.
He then quickly restored order as he won the next two sets in just under an hour with attacking play that had the crowd roaring with delight at times.
The Australian Open got underway Monday. The day also marked Roger Federer's first official match since Wimbledon in July following his recovery from injury.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
It was as if Federer had never been away as the Swiss star beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria in four sets.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Britain's Andy Murray -- recently knighted and playing his first grand slam as world No. 1 -- was off to a winning start.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
The Scot had to work hard for his straight-sets victory, overcoming Ukraine's Illya Marchenko 7-5, 7-6, 6-2. He faces 19-year-old Andrey Rublev in the second round.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Angelique Kerber, the female No. 1, also struggled against Ukrainian opposition. She eventually beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.
PETER PARKS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
There was an early upset elsewhere in the women's draw, as No. 4 seed Simona Halep lost to Shelby Rogers of the US.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
The unseeded American breezed past Halep 6-3, 6-1, setting up a second-round clash against Ashleigh Barty.
PETER PARKS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Elsewhere in the men's competition, home favorite Nick Kyrgios -- who had a tumultuous 2016 -- kick-started his first grand slam of the year with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Gastao Elias.
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori -- who has never progressed past the quarterfinals of the Australian Open -- battled through to the second round in a five-set epic against Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov ...
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
... while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a previous finalist in Melbourne, beat Brazilian Thiago Monteiro in four sets: 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2.
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Svetlana Kuznetsova cruised into the second round with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Mariana Duque ...
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
... while Venus Williams, who turns 37 this year, edged out Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova 7-6, 7-5.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic begins his title defense with a tricky draw against Spain's Fernando Verdasco on Tuesday.
Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
The city of Melbourne towers in the skyline behind Melbourne Park and the Rod Laver Arena -- the tournament's main show-court.
Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
Australian Open: Action from day one in Melbourne
Stan’s body shot
Competing in his 18th Australian Open, Federer faces another qualifier, 200th-ranked American Noah Rubin, in the second round.
Meanwhile on Hisense Arena, Swiss No. 1 and former Australian Open former champion Stan Wawrinka overcame a five-set scare against Martin Klizan, 4-6 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-4.
There was a controversial moment in the match, as reigning US Open winner Wawrinka drilled a blistering forehand into Klizan standing at the net which had the Slovak doubling up in agony.
Defending champion Kerber of Germany squandered a match point in the second set before battling past 51st-ranked Lesia Tsurenko, 6-2 5-7 6-2.
“First rounds are always tough,” Kerber said in a televised court-side interview. “But I always enjoy it here.”
Kerber’s ascent to the top of the women’s rankings started a year ago in Melbourne, when she came back from a match point down in the opening round to win the tournament.
She knocked 22-time major singles winner Serena Williams off the top spot after winning her second major of the season at the US Open in September.
Andy Murray
Murray, who overtook defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic as the world No. 1 at the end of last season, overcame Illya Marchenko in three close sets.
Britain’s Murray, seeking his first Australian Open title after five finals defeats, prevailed 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 against the 95th-ranked Marchenko as temperatures rose to as high as 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).
“I didn’t move that well,” Murray told reporters after the match. “That’s how it felt anyway. But sometimes that can also be down to the conditions, as well.
“The ball’s flying through the air a little bit quicker, so the ball is coming onto you faster than what it was the last few days. Maybe wasn’t reacting as quickly as I would have liked.”
Earlier, American Shelby Rogers – world No. 52 – pulled off the biggest shock of day one so far when she upset the fourth-seeded Romanian Simon Halep, 6-3 6-1.
Halep told reporters later on she had been struggling with tendinitis on her knee which hampered her movement.