The top men’s seeds brought their high-powered athleticism and remarkable prowess to the courts of Melbourne on Day Two. Grateful spectators were left in awe of the world’s top players. Top-seed Rafael Nadal, 4th seeded Andy Murray and 2008 runner-up Jo Wilfried Tsonga were more than convincing in staking their claims as fan and bookmaker favorites for the year’s first Grand Slam event. The trio lost just 16 games in their three matches.

With four Australian men in the top bracket, the locals were out in force for Day Two. Unfortunately, only Chris Guccione moved on to the second round. Guccione’s emphatic 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory gave cause for hope, but losses by Lleyton Hewitt, Colin Ebelthite and Carsten Ball left fans wondering about the health of Australian tennis. Two Aussies, Bernard Tomic and Brydan Klein are still alive in the tower bracket, but the overall Australian program needs rekindling.

Two upsets marked opening round play as 29th seeded Russian, Dmitry Tursonov and 30th seeded German Rainer Schuettler both fell. Tursonov lost a hard four set match to unranked Italian Flavo Cipolla, while Schuettler was upset by Israel’s newest star Dudi Sela in another four set match. Sela next plays five set winner, 23 year old and 6’6” hard serving Victor Hanescu of Romania. Cipolla will meet popular German Tommy Haas, who was imposing while winning in straight sets.

The 4th seeded Murray, the bookmaker’s favorite, was en route to a victory when Romanian Andrei Pavel was forced to retire trailing 6-2, 3-1. Murray looked sharp and seemed at ease with the midday heat. Murray will meet Spain’s Marcel Granollers in the second round. Murray’s path to the quarterfinals looks unimposing.

The same cannot be said for Spain’s, 5th seeded Jo Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga’s ground strokes were flawless in his impressive 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win over Argentinian Juan Monaco. When the big fellow is on his game, he can play with anyone. However, American James Blake also keep getting better and better and poses a likely round of sixteen match-up for Tsonga. James  Blake is riding late 2008 success and played with confidence in defeating boisterous upstart, Canadian Frank Dancevic. Blake’s forceful 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 win was masterful. Tennis enthusiasts have been expecting the smooth American to break out and 2009 could be the year. Like Australia, American tennis is spinning without a dominant force.

In the early rounds, crowds look for the miracle upsets but the tournament’s top seed Rafael Nadal left no hope for surprise as he cruised past Belgium’s Christophe Rochus in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal won 91% of his first serves, 75 % of his second serves and 89% of his net approaches. Meanwhile, his authoritative ground strokes had Rochus on his heels most of the match.

France’s Gael Monfils, the 12 seed, dominated unranked Argentinian Arguello Vassallo in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, 7-5. Countryman and 6th seeded Gilles Simon also looks ready to challenge the game’s upper echelon. Simon won easily 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 over Spain’s Pablo Andujar. Overall, French tennis is moving to the head of the international class. All three Frenchmen are favored to advance into the third round. The country was buoyed by strong play last year and the off-season seems to have further lifted French hopes.

Even 31 year old Frenchman and 253rd ranked tour player, Sebastian DeChaunac eked out a four set win over favored Steve Darcis of Belgium. Previously, DeChaunac has only won 5 tour singles matches. This could well be the event France has been waiting to see and the year French tennis explodes.