Australian Open Tennis

MELBOURNE, Australia — An earlier start and hot weather were no worries for defending champion Madison Keys and her fellow American Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open on Saturday.

The ninth-seeded Keys beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, while sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in the first match at Margaret Court Arena.

Next up for the two Americans is a fourth-round encounter against each other.

Play began an...