Australian Open 2016: The Daily Deuce day one
While the tennis world was abuzz with news of a match-fixing crisis sweeping through the game, players took to the courts at Melbourne Park for the year’s first grand slam.
And there was a decidedly fruity feel about the fashions on display.
• Kyrgios coasts in opener at Melbourne Park
• Djokovic makes flying start at Australian Open
• Serena, Gavrilova move into second round
As usual, it was Queen Serena setting the sartorial standard, her lemon two-piece had most of the crowd navel-gazing as she defeated Italy’s Camila Giorgi.
Serena and her pierced navel getting it done. Photo: Getty
But there were plenty of other rugged individualists when it came to matters of on-court style, and citrus was the order of the day.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic also favoured a lemon tone.
Novak channeling the Swedish football team with this number. Photo: Getty
Novak’s opponent, South Korean Hyeon Chung, was resplendent – in tangerine.
Hyeon Chung didn’t last long, but his persimmon-infused Le Coq Sportif job made an impression. Photo: Getty
Former US Open champ Marin Cilic even got in the act, opting for a dash of lime – although he lost some style points for those boardies.
Marin Cilic just needed a Corona for this lime. Photo: Getty
Nick Kyrgios went for grapefruit with his unconventional sleeveless shirt.
He also took the food theme way too far. Photo: AAP
But Kyrgios lost the match on individuality as the allegedly heatwave-inspired design was incredibly popular with many other Nike-sponsored players.
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and Australian Omar Jasika wear slight variations on the same red ombre theme. Photos: Getty
Shirt of the day, however, had to go to Czech Jiri Vesely.
There’s so much to love here we’re not sure where to start. The lime shoulder, fading into geometric patterns, shades of Tetris then, wait, is that turquoise around the hip? Well played Jiri. Well played indeed.
Jiri Vesely. Take a bow. Photo: Getty
As the temperatures soared, it wasn’t only the players feeling the heat.
Spotting a ball boy clearly toiling on show court three in the oppressive conditions, Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro insisted the youngster take a break and escorted him off court.
The chair umpire made sure the ball boy was placed in the shade and gave him a drink for his trouble.
“They are (out) there like us but we are drinking, we have ice towels,” Navarro said.
“For them, it’s not easy.”
And finally, back to matters of style, and we like what American Noah Rubin – a shock winner over 17th seed Benoit Paire – did here with his trainers. They’re odd. At least he got the socks right…
Noah Rubin’s always been a bit … odd. Photo: Getty