Aus Open players begin to leave quarantine, play exhibition matches

The first players have been allowed to leave a strict 14-day hotel quarantine ahead of the Australian Open, with some of tennis' biggest stars heading to the courts for exhibition matches.

High-profile players Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams were among those allowed out on Friday.

By Sunday, about 500 players will have been released from hotels in Melbourne and Adelaide, organisers said.

The quarantine rules apply to anyone entering the country, and players will be hopeful that after the time spent in hotels they still have enough time to get in shape ahead of the tournament, which starts on February 8.

Serena Williams defeated reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka in an exhibition match in Adelaide.

Williams took the first set 6-2 before Osaka hit back to take the second with the same scoreline.

The match went to a super tiebreaker with Williams winning 10-7.

On another court, world number one Novak Djokovic pulled out 30 minutes before he was supposed to play Jannik Sinner, his camp citing blisters on his right hand.

But after his replacement Filip Krajinovic won the first set 6-3, Djokovic appeared on court and played the rest of the match.

Djokovic then defeated Sinner 6-3, and apologized for missing the first set.

"The emotion in me was so strong to come out to the court today.

"Seeing the full stands - I had to play," news agency AAP cited him as saying.