Novak Djokovic still has plenty of love for the country that deported him, saying he holds no grudges against Australia after being welcomed back with open arms.

Djokovic booked a spot in the second round of the Adelaide International 1 on Tuesday with a thumping 6-3 6-2 win over Frenchman Constant Lestienne.

It was his first singles match in Australia since being deported last January for refusing to have the COVID-19 vaccine.

The 21-time grand slam champion received a rousing reception when he stepped on court on Tuesday, and he didn’t disappoint his adoring fans.

Djokovic’s power, court speed and deft work at the net proved too much for Lestienne, with the match lasting just 74 minutes.

The world No.5, who lost his low-key doubles match on Monday, repeatedly touched his heart before signalling to the crowd and the sky after winning his singles match.

He also kissed his hand and touched the court, later saying he was delighted to be back in the country where he has won nine of his 21 grand slam trophies.

As for the events of 12 months ago when he was locked up in a detention centre before being deported?

“What you focus on, you become. If I focus on the negatives, that’s what I’ll attract, so I don’t want to do that. I don’t hold a grudge,” Djokovic said.

“I am here to play tennis, to enjoy sports and spread good energy.

“To see the packed house for my first match was definitely a very pleasant surprise, and lots of support, lots of love. 

“Every experience and every day that I had so far my visit this year was positive.

“The people that I encountered on the beach or in restaurants or wherever I was kind of roaming around … everybody was very welcoming.”

Djokovic’s arrival in Australia was much smoother this time around compared with last year.

“Well, I kind of was joking around with my team hoping that I can enter Australia this time, and that’s what happened,” he said.

“It was really, I would say, normal. As with any other year coming into Australia except the last year, easy through the passport control, landed well. 

“All was great. Got picked up by official transportation and got to the hotel and moved on with my day.”

Tuesday’s win sets up a round-of-16 clash with another Frenchman, Quentin Halys, who defeated Australian Jordan Thompson in straight sets on Monday.

Djokovic lost just five points on serve during the opening set against Lestienne, but did have to save a break point in the fifth game.

The 35-year-old took the opening set in 38 minutes, and raced to a 4-0 lead in the second as Lestienne’s frustrations started to boil over.

The Frenchman slammed his racquet into the court after losing a net battle against Djokovic, and his body language worsened the longer the match went on.

Aussies unite for first win

Samantha Stosur has held her nerve amid fierce thunder and lightning to help seal Australia’s historic first United Cup victory.

Stosur teamed with fellow veteran John Peers to defeat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and David Vega Hernandez 6-2 6-3 in the deciding mixed doubles rubber to earn Australia a 3-2 comeback victory over Spain on Tuesday night.

At one point early in the second set it seemed the winner-takes-all rubber would be suspended after a series of lightning bolts in the surrounding suburbs threatened to blow the roof off Ken Rosewall Arena.

The players, including mother-of-two Stosur who had her children on site, shuddered in fear as the crackling of thunder exploded seemingly all around them.

Eager to spend as little time on court as possible, Stosur – Australia’s playing co-captain – and Peers wrapped up the victory inside an hour.

“It was a little bit nerve-wracking, I won’t lie,” Stosur said.    

Earlier, Jason Kubler rose to the occasion once more to send the tie into a deciding mixed rubber.

Kubler scored a spirited 6-3 4-6 6-3 win over the higher-ranked Albert Ramos-Vinolas to make it 2-2 after emerging star Olivia Gadecki lost 6-2 6-2 to the 193rd-ranked Bouzas Maneiro in an inauspicious Cup debut.

The dead-rubber tie was all square at one match apiece after Alex de Minaur upset Rafael Nadal on Monday night, before Maddison Inglis lost to Nuria Parrizas Diaz.

A late call-up to replace the injured Zoe Hives, Gadecki was making her first appearance in the green and gold since a Billie Jean King Cup doubles debut in November 2021.

The former teenage prodigy was headed for stardom before controversially sitting out the last Australian summer – including the 2022 Australian Open – after declining to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Formerly coached by David Taylor, the esteemed ex-mentor of Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Martina Hingis and Naomi Osaka, Gadecki made a swift rise up the rankings to a career-high No.156 in July last year.

Ash Barty has also taken Gadecki under her wing and will be courtside for her AO main-draw debut at Melbourne Park, after the 20-year-old was handed a wildcard entry from Tennis Australia.

While Gadecki has fallen out of the women’s top 200, Kubler is set to soar to a career-high ranking of around 80th next Monday following his two wins in Sydney.

“The feelings I have had on court are crazy,” Kubler said. “I’m from Brisbane so I thought Sydney wouldn’t be the place (I’d get support). It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t imagine anything like this.”

The 29-year-old’s new standing is nothing less than he deserves, after he was Australia’s last player standing at the French Open and then reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon in July.

But he was cruelly denied a swag of rankings points after the ATP opted against awarding them at Wimbledon in protest at the All England Club’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players because of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

“I’m honestly just grateful to represent Australia again,” Kubler said. “Last year I was lucky enough to play Davis Cup. I just jumped at the opportunity to play for Australia with these guys. We are such close friends and I love going to war with them.” 

Rinky nearly causes boilover

Rinky Hijikata has come achingly close to emulating the feats of fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin and knocking out a seed in the opening round of the Adelaide International 1.

While he fell just short, former world No.1 Andy Murray also made an early exit in a night match, going out in straight sets against Sebastian Korda, the son of former Australian Open champion Petr Korda.

A day after Popyrin shocked world No.6 Felix Auger-Aliassime, fellow qualifier Hijikata almost caused a boilover against another Canadian, seventh seed Denis Shapovalov.

World No.164 Hijikata lost to the world No.18 in three high quality sets, 2-6 6-4 6-3.

Shapovalov struggled with his serve early on, dishing up three double faults in his first game before he built into the match.

Trailing 3-4 in the deciding set, the 21-year-old Sydneysider had a break point but couldn’t convert, with Shapovalov pouncing to extend his lead before wrapping up the win.

He next faces another qualifier in Russia’s Roman Safiullin.

American Korda downed former world No.1 Murray 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

The first set was a see-sawing affair but the 22-year-old, who is ranked world No.33, ran away with the match in the second.

He will meet Roberto Bautista Agut in round two after the Spaniard edged fourth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-3 6-4.

In other results, world No.7 Daniil Medvedev was given an early scare before an injury to his opponent meant free passage through to the second round.

Medvedev, the 2021 US Open winner, was leading 7-6 (8-6) 2-1 against Lorenzo Sonego when the Italian retired due to an arm injury.

Sonego put up a stern fight in the opening set, saving nine of the 10 break points against him to take it to a tiebreaker.

Medvedev pulled out the goods when it mattered most to clinch the first set, and was handed victory when world No.45 Sonego called it quits.

“What a match to start the year,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview.

“Unfortunate for everybody that it finished early, even if we played one hour 40, but I’m happy to be through.”

Medvedev will take on world No.29 Miomir Kecmanovic in the round of 16.

World No.15 Jannik Sinner set up a clash with Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis after beating Britain’s Kyle Edmund 6-3 6-2.

Kokkinakis booked his spot with an upset 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7) win over world No.34 Maxime Cressy on Monday. During that match, Kokkinakis required a medical timeout due to a knee injury. He retired from his doubles match on Tuesday night after losing the first set.

Azarenka digs deep

Former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka has showcased her fighting spirit to secure a 7-6 (11-9) 7-6 (7-5) win over Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina at the Adelaide International 1.

Kalinina raced out to a 5-1 lead early in Tuesday’s match, but Azarenka saved five set points to steal the first set and the all-important momentum.

Azarenka led 3-0 in the second set, but suffered some wobbles and blew two match points as the contest headed to another tiebreak.

The two-time grand slam winner saw another two match points slip through her fingers but finally sealed the win in two hours, 37 minutes.

“When you talk about first matches it’s never easy, and this one definitely wasn’t,” Azarenka said during her on-court interview after the match. “I played an opponent who played really well.

“I felt like I couldn’t find my footing at the beginning of the match. I hope to do a little bit better tomorrow.”

The Belarusian will next face world No.28 Zheng Qinwen, who saved a match point on the way to a 6-1 4-6 7-6 (9-7) win over No.6 seed Anett Kontaveit.

Australian wildcard Priscilla Hon was left to rue some missed opportunities as she fell to American qualifier Claire Liu 4-6 6-3 6-3.

Poland power into Brisbane final

Hubert Hurkacz and Magda Linette have piloted Poland into Brisbane’s United Cup city final with impressive singles wins against Switzerland.

World No.10 Hurkacz downed three-time grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory before Linette gave Poland an unassailable 3-1 lead with a plucky 5-7 6-4 6-1 triumph over the higher-ranked Jil Teichmann on Tuesday night. 

That rendered Switzerland’s subsequent doubles win irrelevant.

With victory, Poland topped Group B and will face Group E winners Italy on Wednesday in effectively Brisbane’s quarter-final.

In the Perth final Greece will play Croatia after defeating Belgium and France respectively.

Hurkacz sent down 11 aces and didn’t commit a single double fault against Wawrinka.

“I’ve never had a chance before to play against Stan, so I was really looking forward to the match,” Hurkacz said.

“I was watching him winning grand slams, so it was a huge pleasure for me to play him.”

With women’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek also at their disposal, Poland will take plenty of stopping in the knockout stages of the inaugural mixed teams’ tournament. 

Earlier, Matteo Berrettini beat world No.3 Casper Ruud to book Italy’s spot in the Brisbane final.

The world No.16, who lost in the semi-finals of last year’s Australian Open to eventual champion Rafael Nadal, used his powerful serve to dominate the Norwegian 6-4 6-4.

Berrettini hit 10 aces and won 88 per cent of points (35 of 40) when landing his first serve to move to 2-0 after his tournament-opening defeat of Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.

Italy went on to win the tie 5-0.

“Casper, he’s a super-solid player, he improved so much in the past year, so I knew that I had to serve my best,” Berrettini said. 

Berrettini’s victory put Italy up 3-0 against Norway, which was good enough for top spot in their group.

The winner of the Brisbane city final will travel to Sydney for semi-finals from Friday.

“The goal is to have the longest run possible. It’s super nice to play with my teammates,” Berrettini said.

“The other day at dinner we were talking about when we were 12 playing against each other. It’s super nice and I’m really happy.

“It’s the first time obviously playing with the girls and I think it’s special, different, maybe a little bit more stressful, but we’re enjoying it a lot.”

In Perth, Greece secured a city final when Maria Sakkari beat Elise Mertens to earn the final point they needed from the first of three chances in matches against Belgium.

The world No.6 won 6-1 7-5, following Stefanos Tsitsipas’s impressive dismantling of David Goffin on Monday. Greece ended with a 4-1 win.

Greece will face Croatia after an upset win by world No.144 Borna Gojo on Tuesday night.

Croatia led 2-0 after Monday’s results but world No.3 Caroline Garcia kept France’s hopes alive with a 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 win over Petra Martic. That left veteran Adrian Mannarino needing to beat Gojo, ranked 98 places below him, to send the tie into a deciding mixed doubles rubber. 

That looked likely when Mannarino led 5-3 in the final set but Gojo won eight of nine points to level the set, then forced a breaker. He clinched a 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) victory with his third match point to send Croatia through. 

In Sydney, American Jessica Pegula eased past Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-3 6-2, with the United States going on to win the tie 5-0.

The US had already booked their city final berth against Great Britain a day earlier.

Becker to commentate at Aus Open

Former tennis star Boris Becker will again work for German Eurosport during the Australian Open, just weeks after leaving prison.

Network owner Warner Bros Discovery confirmed on Tuesday the 55-year-old would commentate on the top match of the day at the first grand slam of the season from January 16-29 and analyse other fixtures.

The Bild newspaper said he would not travel to Melbourne and would work from Munich.

Becker had already worked as an expert for the TV station before he started his prison sentence in Britain in April for not properly declaring assets during bankruptcy proceedings.

He was released in December and deported to Germany.