Women's round-up: Seeds Julia Görges and Jelena Ostapenko fall in first round

Germany's Görges let a one-set lead against Danielle Collins slip as she eventually went down 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4, with the American setting up a clash with Sachia Vickery.

Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open winner, continued her poor run at the start of the season, losing 6-1 3-6 6-2 to Maria Sakkari, the world No 41. It is her third first-round defeat of the season after she was beaten by Ashleigh Barty at the Sydney International and qualifier Monica Niculescu in Shenzhen.

Meanwhile, Sloane Stephens overcame a first-round jinx at Melbourne Park to beat fellow American Taylor Townsend.

The 2017 US Open champion had fallen at the first hurdle in 2015, 2016 and 2018, while missing the 2017 event after foot surgery.

However, there was no such drama this time as the No 5 seed beat Townsend, who has now lost all three of her first-round efforts in Melbourne, 6-4, 6-2, to set up a second-round clash with Timea Babos who overcame Ons Jabeur 7-6 7-6.

There were no upsets for other seeds Kiki Bertens, who beat Alison Riske in straight sets, or 32nd seed Barbora Strycova saw off beat Yulia Putintseva 6-4 7-6(1).

Maria Sharapova (RUS) def Harriet Dart (GBR), 6-0 6-0

2-Angelique Kerber (GER) def Polona Hercog (SLO), 6-2 6-2

Danielle Collins (USA) def 14-Julia Georges (GER), 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4

5-Sloane Stephens (USA) def Taylor Townsend (USA), 6-4 6-2

19-Caroline Garcia (FRA) def Jessika Poncet (FRA), 6-2 6-3

9-Kiki Bertens (NED) def Alison Riske (USA), 6-3 6-3

Astra Sharma (AUS) def Priscilla Hon (AUS), 7-5 4-6 6-1

Kimberly Birrell (AUS) def Paula Badosa Gibert (ESP), 6-4 6-2

Zoe Hives (AUS) def Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA), 6-1 6-2

20-Anett Kontaveit (EST) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (SPA) 6-3 6-2

Yafan Wang (CHN) bt Ellen Perez (AUS) 6-4 6-0

Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) def 32-Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 6-4 7-6 (7-1)

Belinda Bencic (SWI) def Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-4 2-6 6-3

Maria Sakkari (GRE) def 22-Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-1 3-6 6-2

Timea Babos (HUN) def Ons Jabeur (TUN) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3)

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) def Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 6-3 6-2

Johanna Larsson (SWE) def Vera Lapko (BLR) 7-6 (7-5) 3-0 ret

Danielle Collins (USA) def 14-Julia Goerges (GER) 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

Rebecca Peterson (SWE) def Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-4 6-1

Amanda Anisimova (USA) def Monica Niculescu (ROM) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4

9-Kiki Bertens (NED) def Alison Riske (USA) 6-3 6-3

29-Donna Vekic (CRO) def Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-2 6-4

Kimberly Birrell (AUS) def Paula Badosa Gibert (SPA) 6-4 6-2

24-Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) def Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

Zoe Hives (AUS) def Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-1 6-2

Sachia Vickery (USA) def Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) 2-6 6-4 6-4

19-Caroline Garcia (FRA) def Jessika Ponchet (FRA) 6-2 6-3

31-Petra Martic (CRO) def Heather Watson (GBR) 6-1 6-2

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) def Monica Puig (PUR) 6-4 6-3

Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) def Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-3 5-7 6-4

Astra Sharma (AUS) def Priscilla Hon (AUS) 7-5 4-6 6-1

11-Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) def Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 6-1 6-4