Eleventh-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud wasted little time in the oppressive heat, downing Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday (Australia time) at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
It took Ruud just over two hours to oust Ramos-Vinolas, who had just two aces to Ruud’s 11. Ruud also saved all four break points he faced and won 34 of 41 first-service points.
Ruud called the Australian event his favorite of the Grand Slams, and he said he felt a quick start was important.
“It’s warm out there (Tuesday), so I didn’t want to spend too much time in the sun,” he said.
Even with such taxing conditions, Ruud added that the atmosphere “makes it all worth it, with the crowd and how good Melbourne is as a city and the fans down here, so it’s great to be back.”
Other seeded players that won their matches on Tuesday included No. 19 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain and 32nd-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka. Both pulled off sweeps, with Norrie blanking Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and Lehecka topping Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Lehecka finished with 33 winners in his victory, while Norrie tallied 30.
Tallon Griekspoor, a Dutch player seeded 28th, rallied to beat Russia’s Roman Safiullin 2-6, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-5 in a match that lasted nearly four hours.
American Alex Michelsen knocked out Australian wild card James McCabe 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. French wild card Arthur Cazaux and countryman Arthur Fils also prevailed on Tuesday, as did qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.
–Field Level Media