Murray/Peers earn first-round win at Australian Open

Former champions Jamie Murray and John Peers got their Australian Open campaign underway Wednesday, when they earned a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 victory over Borna Gojo and Miomir Kecmanovic.

The Australian-British duo crucially saved four of five break points faced during the one-hour, 45-minute clash, according to Infosys Stats. Murray won the 2016 title in Melbourne with Bruno Soares and Peers triumphed at home the following year with Henri Kontinen, and they now aim to translate that form into their 2025 partnership together.

Murray, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has won eight ATP Tour titles with Peers, including two during the 2024 season. The 12th-seeded duo will next face Tallon Griekspoor/Botic van de Zandschulp or Christopher O’Connell/Roman Safiullin in the second round.

Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori also safely made it through on Wednesday. The third seeds, who were defeated by Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden in the 2024 final, eased past Germans Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens 6-3, 6-4.

After their heroics to win the ATP 250 title in Adelaide last week, Bolelli/Vavassori extended their win streak to five matches in Australia. They overcame top seeds Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic before saving four match points against Nitto ATP Finals champions Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz in the final to clinch victory.

In Melbourne, Bolelli/Vavassori will take on Luciano Darderi and Diego Hidalgo for a spot in the third round.

There was Australian success Wednesday for wild cards Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton, who powered past Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti 6-2, 7-6(3).