5 Talking Points from Day1 of Australian Open 2019

End of Indian challenge in Singles competition

Prajnesh Gunneswaran in action at 2019 Australian Open

The Indian challenge in the 2018 Australian Open Singles competition came to an end as Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost his first round match against USA's Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-3. Prajnesh started off the match on a strong note as he hardly gave anything away to his American opponent and threatened to take a 1-0 lead before Tiafoe showed his experience by capitalising on the crucial points to run away with the set 7-6 (9-7).

It was just one-way traffic after that as Prajnesh, who is playing his first-ever Grand Slam match, hardly gave some challenge to Tiafoe as the American sealed the game with a 6-3, 6-3 scoreline in the next two sets. With this, India's challenge in the Singles competition came to an end but Rohan Bopanna, Divij Sharan, Leander Paes, and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan are a part of the Men's Doubles field and will get their campaign underway in a few days' time.