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Mondays opening day experienced temperatures around 33 degrees Celsius and while it rose a touch higher on Tuesday,cooler conditions are expected for the rest of the week.

U.S. Open champion Stosur,however,was unable to withstand the pressure cooker environment on Rod Laver Arena in front of local fans holding heightened expectations as she crashed to a 7-6 6-3 loss to Romanias Sorana Cirstea.

A rusty and agitated Serena Williams grimaced her way through an attack of swooping bugs to resume her domination at Melbourne Park with a scratchy 6-3 6-2 win over Austrias Tamira Paszek on Tuesday. Williams,unable to defend her 2009 and 2010 titles last year due to a freak foot injury,found herself dive-bombed by crickets that made merry on a balmy evening at Rod Laver Arena. Bugs fell on my back twice, said the 13-times Grand Slam champion,bidding for her sixth title at Melbourne Park.

I hate bugs more than you can imagine. I hate bugs. Like,they kept jumping on me. I just yuck! So Im going to request not to play at night anymore because I hate bugs,except for the final. I heard its at night,though. Ill try to get used to them.

Murray was also in danger of following Stosur after he lost the first set to Harrison,before he rallied to win their three hour,12 minute encounter 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2. The 24-year-old Murray also caused some concerns for his large fan base on Hisense Arena when he clutched at his right hamstring in the second set,while he also seemed to jar his right ankle in the final set shortly before he sealed victory.

Lopsided Victories

Earlier,World No.2 Kvitova,who beat Sharapova last year at Wimbledon to claim her first Grand Slam title,was unruffled by the hot conditions in a ruthlessly efficient 6-2 6-0 victory over Vera Dushevina taking a tick over one hour. Fourth seed Sharapova,however,was as merciless on the second show court on Hisense Arena,beating Argentinas Gisela Dulko 6-0 6-1 in 58 minutes. Sharapova had looked like inflicting the third double bagel 6-0 6-0 win of the tournament in two years before Dulko broke her serve in the third game of the second set,to a massive cheer and sustained applause.

Djokovic Dominant

Djokovics victory in Melbourne last year sparked a remarkable 12 months in which he won three Grand Slam titles. The Serb began his title defence in style at the years first Grand Slam tournament with an emphatic 6-2 6-0 6-0 victory over Italian journeyman Paolo Lorenzi.

Results Top-10 seeds

Men First Round: David Ferrer 5 bt Rui Machado 6-1,6-4,6-2,Novak Djokovic 1 bt Paolo Lorenzi 6-2,6-0,6-0,Janko Tipsarevic 9 bt Dmitry Tursunov,5-7,7-6 12,6-3,6-4,Andy Murray 4 bt Ryan Harrison 4-6,6-3,6-4,6-2,Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6 bt Denis Istomin 6-4,3-6,6-2,7-5,Women First Round: Petra Kvitova 2 bt Vera Dushevina 6-2,6-0,Maria Sharapova 4 bt Gisela Dulko 6-1,6-0,Sorana Cirstea bt Sam Stosur 6 7-6 2,6-3,Marion Bartoli 9 bt Virginie Razzano 7-5,6-0,Vera Zvonareva 7 bt Alexandra Dulgheru 7-6 4,6-7 5,6-3.