Emma Raducanu has picked up a new nickname at the Australian Open. Despite a bit of a slow start, the British No. 1 made it to the second round by winning against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in straight sets.

Raducanu didn't get to the Australian Open until just before it kicked off. Her off-season was rough, with an injury and a surprising loss at the Hobart International recently. The former US Open champ was bummed about having to play late on the first day.

She gave props to Sawangkaew, the world No. 195 from Thailand, who came out strong in her first major tournament main draw match. Sawangkaew almost had a 4-1 lead in the first set. But Raducanu bounced back and won 6-4, 6-1.

After the match, Raducanu thanked a fan who cheered her on by shouting, “Raddo. She even wrote her new nickname on the camera by the court.

“Apparently, Down Under I’ve got Raddo,” she said. “Never heard that before. Pretty original. I really appreciate the support. It was great. Having that behind me really helped in the big moments. I told him he’s welcome to come to any match. I just need to find him. I hope he comes back.”

Raducanu said she was happy with how she turned things around after Sawangkaew's early lead. It was only her fourth match of the season, since she was limited during the off-season with a foot injury. With a possible match against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round, Raducanu is quickly finding her form.

“I didn’t even practise any points before coming out here,” said Raducanu, who is seeded 28th. She will now play against Anastasia Potapova, who was born in Russia, in the second round. “My match with Maria Sakkari was pretty much my first practice, which is unusual.

“Given that, and only having two weeks to play and get used to things here, I’m happy with my level and how quickly I’ve adapted on the court.

“It makes me think that if I keep at it and get in some solid practice, I can improve a lot more.”

Raducanu will have a couple of days off before playing Potapova, who has been ranked as high as 21st in the world.

Fellow Brit Arthur Fery also made it to the second round, pulling off the first surprise of the Australian Open. Fery, ranked 186th, beat the 20th seed, Flavio Cobolli, in the first round.

Fery, playing in his first overseas major tournament, won 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-1 against Cobolli, who struggled with a stomach bug and had to take a medical timeout.

Having received a wildcard at last year’s Wimbledon, the French-born player won his first-round match, also against the 20th seed, Australia’s Alexei Popyrin.

This time, Fery has already won four matches in Melbourne, after making it through qualifying, and will now face Argentina’s Tomas Martín Etcheverry in the second round.

Arthur Fery celebrates beating Flavio Cobolli.

“I guess I like playing 20th seeds at Grand Slams,” Fery joked after his on-court interview. “I felt great. I felt really comfortable on the court. Playing three matches in qualifying really helped.”

After Fery qualified for the main draw, his mum, former player Olivia Fery, flew to Australia just in time for his match against Cobolli.

“When I won that last round, she asked if she could come,” Fery said. “It’s a long trip, but at least I made it worth it. She’ll get to see at least two matches, hopefully more.”

Cameron Norrie is also through to the second round after a tough five-set win against Benjamin Bonzi from France. Norrie started strong, winning the first set 6-0, but the British No. 2 and 26th seed had to fight hard as Bonzi stepped up his game, eventually winning 6-0, 6-7 (2), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Venus Williams made history just by stepping onto the court at the Australian Open, but her comeback was spoiled as Serbia’s Olga Danilovic won the last six games to win in three sets.

At 45, Williams is the oldest woman to play in the singles tournament, after being granted a wildcard into the main draw. The seven-time Grand Slam champ, back in Melbourne for the first time in five years, started well and impressed the crowd with a great forehand winner to win the first set in a tiebreak.

Venus Williams acknowledges the applause as she walks off the court after losing to Serbia's Olga Danilovic.

Danilovic came back to win the second set and even the match. Williams seemed to be on her way to victory, and her first Grand Slam singles win since Wimbledon in 2021, when she took a 4-0 lead in the final set.

But Danilovic, 24, rallied to deny Williams a spot in the second round, winning 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4. Williams, who first played at the Australian Open in 1998 at age 17, received a standing ovation as she left the court. She will also be playing in the doubles tournament with Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Alexandrova, the 11th seed in the singles, was the biggest upset of the day, losing to Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez. Marta Kostyuk, the 20th seed who was in good form after reaching the final of the Brisbane warm-up event, was beaten 6-7, 7-,6 7-6 by Elsa Jacquemot.