Tennis: Aust Open starts with ... chills and rain

Unseasonal rain delayed the start of play on the outside courts on day one of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

In sharp contrast to the extreme heat that so often greets the beginning of the opening grand slam tournament of the season, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms were forecast for Melbourne today with a top temperature of 20 degrees.

The only matches to start on time at 11am were on the covered main show courts.

No.14 seed Maria Sharapova was playing fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko on Rod Laver Arena.

Another Russian, second-seeded Dinara Safina, was taking on Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova on Hisense Arena.

- AAP