Edmund, Bencic cause upsets on opening day

Flying the Union Flag alone in the men’s draw in the absence of injured compatriot Andy Murray, Edmund conjured up the best result of his career the hard way. The world number 49 twice needed to come from a set down to force a deciding fifth set, where again he battled back from a break down to clinch victory and set up a second round clash with Uzbek Denis Istomin. 

Big-serving Anderson sent down his usual barrage of aces, 35 in all, and showed no shortage of fight himself but was ultimately undone as Edmund fired back winner after winner. 

Anderson, a finalist at the U.S. Open last year, had looked like he would ultimately pull away from his opponent until the last few games of the decider. He won the tie break with his 23rd winner of the first set and even when Edmund squared up the match in the second he was putting enough consistent pressure on his opponent’s serve to feel confident of getting the breaks. 

Light rain stopped play at a crucial moment in the third set after Edmund had saved three break points to battle back for deuce. He was left cursing his slow start after the action resumed and Anderson broke for 5-3 then served out the set. 

With defending champion and new mum Serena absent, 20-year-old Bencic’s brilliant 6-3 7-5 win under the Rod Laver Arena roof ensured there would not be a Williams sister in the second round of the tournament for the first time in over 20 years. 

It also continued a bleak day for the United States, with three of their four women’s semi-finalists from Flushing Meadows last year falling at the first hurdle. U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens tumbled in three sets against China’s Zhang Shuai.