Coco Gauff says a pep discuss helped her overcome early nerves as she cruised via her first Grand Slam match as a serious champion on the Australian Open.

The 19-year-old American, who received her maiden main title on the US Open in September, received 6-3 6-0 in opposition to Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

“I told myself: ‘I feel good, I look good so just have fun.’ I was able to relax,” stated the fourth seed.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova suffered a shock exit on day two.

Vondrousova, ranked seventh on the planet, grew to become the very best seed to fall up to now in spherical one, struggling a 6-1 6-2 defeat by Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.

Afterwards, Yastremska stated her grandmother’s home was just lately hit by a rocket within the ongoing warfare in her residence nation.

The 23-year-old stated the resistance confirmed by her nation in opposition to the Russian invasion is what motivates her on courtroom.

“To talk about what is going on in Ukraine in a couple of seconds is not enough,” she stated in her on-court interview.

“I’m proud of Ukraine, proud of the people, the warriors and the people.

“When I used to be in Brisbane, earlier than the match I used to be advised a rocket arrived on my grandmother’s home. It was exhausting to play.

“We need to remember about [the war] and give as much support to Ukraine as possible.”

The nineteenth seed wanted 59 minutes to finish a 6-2 6-2 win over Australian wildcard Taylah Preston.

Tunisian sixth seed Ons Jabeur took simply 67 minutes to beat Ukrainian qualifier Yulia Starodubtsewa 6-3 6-1.

But Croatian twenty first seed Donna Vekic misplaced 6-4 6-4 to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, whereas Czech thirty first seed Marie Bouzkova suffered an early exit in opposition to 19-year-old compatriot Linda Noskova, dropping 6-1 7-5.