Bullet-headed and bejewelled, sporting a mini mohawk and a major swagger, Nick Kyrgios announced himself to the Australian sporting public this time last year.

Later, on the lawns at Wimbledon, he shot to wider prominence by rolling then world No.1 Rafael Nadal.

On Monday night, Kyrgios entered Margaret Court Arena sporting a pair of pink headphones and, more ominously, considerable strapping on his back.

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The 19-year-old had grimaced his way through a practice session on Sunday ahead of his opening Australian Open match. He looked hobbled but seemed determined to throw every bit of himself at a tournament he regards as the most important on the calendar.

And so it proved as Kyrgios downed Argentine Federico Delbonis 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 in a three-hour epic to cap off a remarkable opening day for the largest Australian contingent at Melbourne Park in a decade.

In all, seven of the 13 Australians who appeared on day one made it through to the second round. Click on the owl to see their results.  

On Margaret Court Arena, Delbonis, more tradesman than showman, was more than happy to prod and probe Kyrgios’ tender spine.

The owner of the most unorthodox of service actions, he nonetheless played a canny baseline game.

Fall to the floor: Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates after downing Ernests Gulbis in five sets. Photo: Getty

Conspicuously restricted when stretching for wide balls, Kyrgios sought medical attention, pegged back a service break and captured the opening set in a tiebreak.

But he was clearly not right. He trademark strut was more of a permanent wince and his unassuming opponent wasn’t the charitable type.

On a day when so many Australians had played five-setters, Kyrgios too would be compelled to go the distance.

Last year, on a steaming hot day, he cramped up to the point where he could barely put one foot in front of the other. This time around, he broke the Argentine early, rattled off 11 consecutive points and booked a ticket for the second round.

But the real drama was next door. Earlier, his good mate Thanasi Kokkinakis had responded to a tricky draw by donning the most fluorescent outfit allowable by law.

Bernard Tomic was workmanlike in his defeat of Tobias Kamke. Photo: Getty

His opponent Ernests Gulbis is one of the more volatile players on the men’s tour. The Latvian has been arrested for soliciting prostitutes, lampooned the state of the women’s game and busted more rackets than an FBI agent.

Still, when he lashed out at the Fanatics, urging them to show a bit more respect and wit, one couldn’t help but warm to him. His mood further darkened when he failed to win a single game in the second set.

The Aussie got the wobbles in the third, however, before rallying to take the fourth-set tiebreak. Gulbis had blown four match point chances, lost his cool, brought the hostile crowd back into the equation and handed all the momentum to the 18-year-old.

In the 13th game of the decider, with a break of serve at stake, Kokkinakis successfully challenged a ball that looked out for all money, but had in fact nicked the baseline.

He held serve and when Gulbis double-faulted and pattered a meek forehand into the net in the subsequent game, the Aussie was through.

Marinko Matosevic couldn’t believe he’d won his first match at Melbourne Park. Photo: Getty

A very different kettle of fish to the Special Ks is Bernard Tomic, who can go from tournament smoky to figure of national opprobrium in the space of a few sleepy games.

Monday’s performance was typical Tomic. Slow out of the blocks against Germany’s Tobias Kamke, he then reeled off five straight games to take the opening set. He reverted to type in the second set, before drawing away to win comfortably in four.

Australians seem to prefer tennis players who are willing to leave their intestines out on the court but that will never be Bernie’s go.

His game is an intriguing one – full of feigns, flicks, carves and inexplicable lapses. He seeks to checkmate his opponent, rather than blast them off the court.

A recent, if unlikely convert to Crossfit training, he looks stronger and more agile than ever, but will doubtlessly continue to polarise and confound in the coming days.

Tomic’s languid game is the antithesis of another Australian with Balkan roots, Marinko ‘Mad Dog’ Matosevic, who also progressed.

The nickname is probably the most predictable thing about him and he is something of a throwback to the less genteel days of men’s tennis.

He went into his first-round clash with Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev with just two grand slam wins to his name and was nil from five in Melbourne. Every mad dog has his day however, and he finally prevailed in a see-sawing, occasionally bizarre and rarely dull fifth set, celebrating like he’d won 10 Wimbledons.

Later, James Duckworth, Sam Groth and Jarmila Gajdosova, also notched up maiden Australian Open wins – the latter after 10 previous attempts.