Gold medalist Puig advances with ease in Aussie Open

MELBOURNE, Australia - Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig didn't waste any time on the opening day of the Australian Open.

The Puerto Rican player, seeded 29th, was the first player to win a match at Melbourne Park this year, defeating Romania's Patricia Maria Tig 6-0, 6-1 in 53 minutes.

Puig was close to shutting Tig out completely, known in tennis as a ''double bagel,'' but made several unforced errors to give the Romanian her first game at 6-0, 5-1. The match was over several minutes later.

Puig stunned the field at last year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics to become Puerto Rico's first-ever gold-medal winner, beating Angelique Kerber in the final.