Among the men, the ghost Jérémy Chardy and Benjamin Bonzi won the ticket for the next round.

Of the 19 Tricolores involved, with Caroline Garcia, Chardy and Bonzi, six have now joined the second round (after Clara Burel, Corentin Moutet and Constant Lestienne the day before).

Alizé Cornet and Diane Parry join the clan of the eliminated (after Arthur Rinderknech, Grégoire Barrère, Quentin Halys, Luca Van Assche, Séléna Janicijevic and Léolia Jeanjean).

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It passes (3): Garcia, Chardy, Bonzi

"The first six-seven games were tight, but succeeding in the break freed me": Caroline Garcia entered the tournament well, of which she is one of the favorites, beating the Canadian Katherine Sebov (190th and qualifying ) 6-3, 6-0.

The world N.4 will face in the second round the Canadian Leylah Fernandez (40th) who released Alizé Cornet.

Jérémy Chardy, who had not played in an official tournament since his defeat in the first round of the US Open 2021, managed a victorious comeback by beating Colombian Daniel Galan (70th) 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 , 6-4.

Frenchman Jérémy Chardy during his first round match at the Australian Open against Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan, January 17, 2023 in Melbourne © MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP

Ex-N.25 in the world now without ranking, the 35-year-old Frenchman had not won a match since that won in the round of 16 of the Tokyo Olympics, in July 2021, against the Briton Liam Broady.

He was sidelined after the US Open due to complications from the Covid vaccine, then underwent knee surgery in June 2022.

In the next round in Melbourne, where he reached the quarters in 2013, he will face Briton Daniel Evans (30th).

Benjamin Bonzi, 48th in the world, dismissed the Italian Mattia Bellucci (152nd and from qualifying) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi during the first round of the Australian Open against Italian Mattia Bellucci, January 17, 2023 in Melbourne © MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP

The 26-year-old Frenchman, who has already reached the second round in Majors (including last year in Melbourne) without ever overtaking him, will face the Spaniard Pablo Carreno (15th) in the next round.

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It breaks (2): Cornet, Parry

Quarter-finalist in a Major for the first time last year in Melbourne, Cornet, who will turn 33 on Sunday, had not lost there in the first round since 2012.

But on Tuesday, lacking energy due to health issues from which she is struggling to recover, she yielded to US Open 2021 finalist Leylah Fernandez 7-5, 6-2.

"I held a set... In addition, at 40°C, it was a bit predictable. If I had won the first set, on a misunderstanding I might have been able to get away with it", said Cornet.

Alizé Cornet during her lost match against Canadian Leylah Fernandez, in the 1st round of the Australian Open, on January 17, 2023 in Melbourne © Martin KEEP / AFP

She issued a prediction for the next round: "Caroline winner without problem" against Fernandez.

Diane Parry (107th) was swept away by American Taylor Townsend (136th and also invited) 6-1, 6-1 in 57 minutes.

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To come (5): Gasquet, Humbert, Mannarino, Couacaud, Lokoli

Richard Gasquet (42nd) - Ugo Humbert (106th)

Adrian Mannarino (45th) - John Isner (USA/43rd)

Enzo Couacaud (191st / Q) - Hugo Dellien (BOL / 131st)

Laurent Lokoli (175th/Q) - Michael Mmoh (USA/107th/LL)

NB: Michael Mmoh, eliminated in the third qualifying round, was drafted after Belgian David Goffin withdrew

© 2023 AFP