Larikah Russell of Bahamas won the first ever tennis match to be completed in the history of the Commonwealth Games on Monday. Russell defeated Maetiu Kewwba of Kiribati 6-0, 6-0 in a women's first round tie, just one of several lop-sided results in a sparsely-filled RK Khanna Tennis Complex as the sport made its debut.
Peter Luczak of Australia, the second seed in the men's tournament in a starting field of 32, won through 6-3, 6-3 against Darian King of Barbados and there was a good start also for compatriot Greg Jones who ousted Gavin Manders of Bermuda 6-1, 6-2.
Luczak, a 31-year-old ranked 133rd in the world, said that he had taken a few games to get the hang of his opponent. Goodall beat Alberton Richelieu of St Lucia 6-2, 6-2, while Ward saw off Michael Leong of the Solomon Islands 6-1, 6-1. In the women's tournament, sixth seed Olivia Rogowska of Australia defeated Scotland's Mhairi Brown 6-2, 6-1 and eighth seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand coasted past Nikkita Keebwa of Kiribati 6-0, 6-0.