Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens were upset early and the bleak opening day for Americans continued at the Australian Open with the women going 1 for 9 and two of the highest-ranked US men joining them as first-round casualties.
In her first match at Rod laver Arena since losing last year's final to her sister, Serena, Venus Williams lost her opener to Belinda Bencic 6-3, 7-5 and ensured the title won't stay in the family.
Serena Williams hasn't played a Grand Slam tournament since last year's final because of her pregnancy and the birth of her first child.
US Open champion Stephens was the first American to fall on Monday, losing 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 to No 34-ranked Zhang Shuai. She was followed by Williams and No 10-seeded CoCo Vandeweghe, a semifinalist here and at the US Open last year, who was feeling sick and frustrated in 7-6 (4), 6-2 loss to Timea Babos.
CiCi Bellis, Sofia Kenin — who lost to No 12 Julia Goerges, now on a 15-match winning streak — Alison Riske, Taylor Townsend and Jennifer Brady all lost before Nicole Gibbs beat Viktoriya Tomova 6-1, 6-1 to end the streak of eight losses for the US women.
Irina Falconi lost 6-1, 6-1 to No 23-seeded Daria Gavrilova in the last match on Rod laver Arena, meaning the American women lost nine of their 10 matches on day 1. No 8-seeded Jack Sock, the highest ranked of the American men, lost 6-1, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-3 to Yuichi Sugita and his compatriot John Isner, seeded 16th, lost in four sets to Australian Matt Ebden. US qualifier Kevin King lost in straight sets to No 15 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Nadal advances
If Rafael Nadal gave the Australian Open a throwback feel last year with his straight-out-of-the-mid-2000s final against Roger Federer, he's completed the retro effect this year with a return to his sartorial roots — a sleeveless T-shirt.
Matching the muscle-exposing Nike tank top with neon pink shorts, wristbands and headband, Nadal also found his championship form again in a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 rout of 37-year-old Victor Estrella Burgos in the first round.