Melbourne: India’s Somdev Devvarman got off to a dream start in Melbourne as he beat higher ranked Bjorn Phau of in straight sets to reach the second round of Australian Open on Monday.
Somdev, who has been leading the players’ fight against AITA, got the better off Phau, who is ranked 78, 6-3 6-2 6-3 in close to a two-hour match here.
The 27-year-old Indian, whose ranking has plummeted to 551, will next play against the winner between Simone Bolelli of Italy and Polish Jerzy Janowicz.
In the first set that lasted for 31 minutes, Somdev converted two of the three break point chances that came his way. In the second set, Somdev won two of the four break point chances to finish it off in 44 minutes, while he took another 35 minutes to wrap up the match as he broke the German twice in the third set.
