Osaka, Swiatek, Gauff begin Australian Open campaigns with wins

Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka outclassed Caroline Garcia of France 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the first round of the Australian Open, exacting revenge after losing to the Frenchwoman in last year's first round at Melbourne Park on Monday.

Next up for Osaka is 20th-seeded Karolina Muchova, who was the runner-up at the 2023 French Open, but later missed approximately 10 months of action due to wrist surgery. The Czech advanced by eliminating Argentina's Nadia Podoroska 6-1, 6-1. At last year's U.S. Open, Muchova knocked out Osaka in the second round.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek swatted away the Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova, the world's top-ranked doubles player, 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 21 minutes.

Swiatek had entered the tournament under plenty of scrutiny, having recently returned from a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.

The Pole is hoping to brush that controversy aside as she bids for a maiden Australian Open title, with her best finish in Melbourne being a run to the semifinals in 2022.

"For sure, it wasn't an easy first round, so I'm happy I got through," Swiatek said. "I felt like she was playing really well and I knew I needed to be more proactive."

Swiatek will next play Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia, who came back from a set down to beat the USA's Katie Volynets.

Third-seeded Coco Gauff of the USA, who recently conquered Swiatek in the final of the mixed-team United Cup, continued to show why she's a leading contender with a 6-3, 6-3 win in 80 minutes over another American, former tournament champion Sofia Kenin.

Gauff won the season-ending WTA Finals last November before spearheading the USA's triumph at the United Cup.

"I knew going in it was going to be difficult, but I'm happy with how I played," she said after the win over Kenin, who has slid to No. 81 after being ranked fourth in 2020.

(With input from agencies)