Australian Open update: Azarenka and Serena Williams are too strong for Romanians in first round

There were no surprises when Romania's Monica Niculescu and Edina Gallovits-Hall took on number one seed Victoria Azarenka and third seed Serena Williams at the Australian Open. Last year's champion and first seed Victoria Azarenka dispatched Monica Niculescu in straight sets at the first Grand Slam tennis event of the year. Azarenka ran away with first set, winning 6 – 1 and although Monica lifted her game in the second, she wasn't able to overcome the Bulgarian and lost the set 6 – 4. Up against the number three seed Serena Williams, Edina Gallovits-Hall had a nightmare match. She was unable to make an impression on the hard-hitting American and lost 6 – 0, 6 – 0. With day two of the competition underway, Romania now has two players through to the second round of the Australian Open, Sorana Cirstea and Irina Camelia-Begu. Simona Halep is yet to play her first round match, in which she faces Sloane Stephens of the US, who is ranked 29. Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com