TENNIS / AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Patrick McEnroe, Lendl, Capriati Win First-Round Matches
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MELBOURNE, Australia — Patrick McEnroe, who shook up the Australian Open by reaching the semifinals a year ago in his fiery brother’s absence, is stirring excitement again.
McEnroe, stuck this time on the same side of the draw as older brother John, joined two-time champion Ivan Lendl as an easy straight-sets winner as play began today in the year’s first Grand Slam championship.
“It’s great to be back here,” McEnroe said after beating Italy’s Massimo Cierro, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. “I have fond memories of last year.”
Jennifer Capriati completed her center-court debuts in Grand Slam championships with an impressive show. Seeking to go beyond her semifinal finishes at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the French Open, the 15-year-old swept Ukraine’s Natalia Medvedeva, 6-2, 6-0, in 44 minutes.
“I thought the crowd was cool,” she said.
Lendl, the winner here in 1989 and 1990 and runner-up to Boris Becker last year, donned his desert cap again in the stadium court heat and beat Australian Richard Fromberg, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Derrick Rostagno of Brentwood, seeded 12th, struggled to defeat Australian Carl Limberger, 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
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