A calf injury to Brazilian journeyman Flavio Saretta has helped save the host nation from its equal-worst start to an Australian Open.

Saretta was forced to withdraw in the fourth set against Nathan Healey, gifting the former Davis Cup orange boy his first-ever victory in a grand slam match.

With close friend Lleyton Hewitt trouncing Arnaud Clement, Australia had five representatives in the second round of the men's and women's singles.

With the exception of the pre-war years when there were sometimes very small fields, the only previous occasion in the Open's 100-year history when less Australians (four) won their opening-round match was in 2002.

The news was mostly bad again on Tuesday, although Alicia Molik continued her unbeaten run in 2005 with a 6-1 6-3 trouncing of Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Evie Dominikovic gritted out a tough three-setter against a former doubles teammate.

They joined Monday's only Aussie winner Sophie Ferguson in the second round.

Casualties included Wayne Arthurs and Chris Guccione, a pair of power servers at opposite ends of their careers, and stalwart Nicole Pratt.

But Healey was celebrating.

Saretta won the first two sets 6-4 6-4 before collapsing in the second game of the third set clutching his right leg.

He went on to lose it 6-1 and finally decided at 5-0 down in the fourth that he had had enough.

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