British number one Johanna Konta produced the biggest scalp of her career by dumping seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams out of the Australian Open first round with a superb 6-4 6-2 win.
Konta, who reached the fourth round of the US Open last year, enhanced her growing reputation further by thrashing the eighth-seed, dropping just six games in a 79-minute rout on Rod Laver Arena.
It solidifies her position as Britain's number one and, although coming against an out-of-sorts Williams, the win was built on a mixture of devastating groundstrokes and impressive defence.
After getting through this tough opening draw against her idol she will now face either Carina Witthoeft or Saisai Zheng, both unseeded, in the second round and will fancy her chances of making it into the third round at least.
Konta, born in Sydney, was making her first appearance in Melbourne but did not look out of place as she got stuck into Williams early on, absorbing the seven-time grand slam winner's power and manoeuvring her around the court superbly.
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and today I won"
"When the draw came out and I saw who I was playing I just thought that I hoped to stay out there more than an hour," she said.
"Right now it is still very much a blur.
"I played two previous tournaments and I didn't quite get the results I wanted but I have a very strong belief in the way I want to play out there and the way I way I want to be thinking, so I keep trying every day.
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and today I won."
Second seed Simona Halep was knocked out of the first round by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, going down 6-4 6-3 to the inspired world number 133.
The 24-year-old Romanian, who came to Melbourne nursing an Achilles injury and suffering from a cold, left Margaret Court Arena in tears after the stunning upset.
Zhang was also reduced to tears after securing her first victory in a grand slam main singles draw at her 15th attempt, shrieking as she secured victory after 78 minutes.
"I'm so excited and happy," Zhang said in a courtside interview.
"I want to thank my coach and parents and to everybody for supporting me. I think today is my best moment."
Zhang, who will turn 27 on Thursday, will face France's Alize Cornet in the second round at Melbourne Park.
Victoria Azarenka (below) sent a strong message to the rest of the field with a 6-0 6-0 hammering of Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck in just 53 minutes in the final match of the day.
The Belarusian produced a powerful masterclass to post the first so-called 'double bagel' of the tournament so far and only the 19th in the history of the Australian Open.
The two-times champion has been battling foot injuries and a plummeting ranking for the past two years but entered the year's opening grand slam showing a compelling return to form with victory in Brisbane, her first tournament win since August 2013.
She picked up where she left off from Brisbane as Van Uytvanck, the world number 43, earned just four points in the first four games and 10 in total during the first set.
It did not get any better for Van Uytvanck, as Azarenka swatted her aside to set up a second-round match against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro.
Ana Ivanovic beat Tammi Patterson in straight sets, 6-2 6-3.
