Sanam Singh advances at Aus Open

Sanam Singh provided the silver lining on a disappointing day for India in the juniors' draw at the Australian Open, registering a straight-sets victory over Rasmus Moller of Denmark.

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Boys' sixth seed Jeevan Neduncherhiyan, and Sandhya Nagaraj and Sanaa Bhambri, in the girls' draw, were knocked out in the first round in Melbourne on Monday.

Chandigarh's Sanam Singh, who won his first ITF title in the men's circuit in New Delhi last month, pounded 36 winners and nine aces to beat Moller 6-2, 7-5 in just over an hour.

The third seed will meet Todd Ley of Australia in second round.

Local boy Steven Goh took advantage of Neduncherhiyan's weak serve, which saw him send down 15 double faults, to score and upset 7-6 (6), 6-4, 8-6 victory.

In the girls' draw, Lauren Albanese of the United States beat Bhambri 6-4, 6-4 while Nagaraj went down fighting to American Chelsey Gullickson 4-6, 6-3, 5-7.