Welcome to our dwell protection of day two of the Australian Open.
Day one was rocked — some may say ruined — by the news Nick Kyrgios is out of the match with a knee damage.
But aside from the Aussie star the massive names have been left unscathed as solely two seeds in every of the lads’s and ladies’s draw have been knocked out of their opening match.
Men’s seeds Lorenzo Musetti (17) and Borna Coric (21) and ladies’s seeds Marie Bouzkova (25) and Amanda Anisimova (28) suffered early exits.
The likes of Novak Djokovic, Alex de Minaur, Ons Jabeur, Alexander Zverev and Andy Murray shall be trying to keep away from that destiny as they open their campaigns right this moment.
5.30am — Russian star tells fan to ‘f*** off’
Two-time shedding finalist Daniil Medvedev fired up his bid to go one higher on the Australian Open with a straight-sets demolition of Marcos Giron on Monday night time.
The Russian seventh seed, nearly a foot taller than his opponent, blasted previous the 56th-ranked American 6-0 6-1 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena in simply 1hr 36mins.
There was barely a hiccup till Medvedev was taken to deuce whereas making an attempt to serve for the match.
The rigidity prompted the combative star to object to at least one rowdy fan, who he promptly instructed to “f*** off”.
The chair umpire instantly gave Medvedev a code violation for audible obscenity, which drew a shake of the top from the 26-year-old.
Medvedev lashed out on the Melbourne crowd throughout the remaining final yr, which he misplaced to Rafael Nadal regardless of taking the primary two units.
“They are idiots. No brains, empty brains,” he stated in a dialog with the chair umpire at a change of ends. “Probably in their life, it must be very bad.”
He then delivered an offended rant in his post-final press convention, calling the group “disrespectful”.
“A thousand people would be like, ‘Tsss, tsss, tsss’. That sound. It’s disappointing. It’s disrespectful,” he stated. “I’m not sure after 30 years I’m going to want to play tennis.”
Next up for Medvedev is a second-round conflict with Australian wildcard John Millman, who got here by way of a five-setter towards Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler.
5am — No worries for Nadal on day ruined by Kyrgios news
Rafael Nadal launched his Australian Open title defence with a four-set victory over Britain’s Jack Draper on Monday as house hope Nick Kyrgios give up by way of damage with out hitting a ball.
In the ladies’s draw, high seed Iga Swiatek survived a tricky examination whereas Jessica Pegula and teenage prodigy Coco Gauff have been each emphatic winners on the primary day of motion.
Spanish nice Nadal, 36, had been in poor type by his sky-high requirements, shedding six of his final seven matches stretching again to defeat within the final 16 on the US Open.
In fast-rising Draper, 21, the 22-time Grand Slam champion confronted a stern check to begin his marketing campaign at a sweltering Melbourne Park.
The high seed recovered from a second-set wobble — and a weird incident when a ball boy unintentionally took his racquet — to defeat the Thirty eighth-ranked Briton 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal, who just lately turned a father, faces American Mackenzie McDonald in spherical two.
“Very exciting, new beginning, just super-happy to be back at Rod Laver with a victory I needed,” he stated after grinding down Draper. “Last couple of months have not been easy for me.”
Nadal was on courtroom when Australia’s proficient however temperamental Kyrgios referred to as a rapidly organized press convention and introduced that he was out of the match with a knee damage.
“I’m devastated, obviously,” stated the Wimbledon finalist, who was thought-about an outdoor guess to win a maiden Grand Slam crown.
“I’ve had some great tournaments here, winning the doubles last year and playing the tennis of my life probably going into this event.
“I’m just exhausted from everything, and (it’s) obviously pretty brutal.”
The first Grand Slam of the yr had already misplaced a number of stars within the build-up. Injured males’s world primary Carlos Alcaraz and two-time Melbourne champion Naomi Osaka — who’s anticipating her first youngster — are among the many different gamers lacking.
Other winners on Monday included third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who noticed off dogged Vasek Pospisil in an all-Canadian conflict.
In the ladies’s draw, sizzling favorite Swiatek was removed from her fluent greatest towards Jule Niemeier however acquired the job achieved, 6-4, 7-5.
The Pole, who’s chasing an Australian Open crown to go along with main titles on the US Open and Roland Garros, performs Camila Osorio of Colombia subsequent.
In-form Pegula blitzed 161st-ranked Romanian Jaqueline Cristian 6-0, 6-1 in a 59-minute romp to sign her intent.
Fellow American Gauff was equally explosive in racing into the second spherical with a 6-1, 6-4 thumping of Czech Katerina Siniakova.
The 18-year-old Gauff now faces a mouth-watering encounter towards former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Also safely by way of was one other American, Danielle Collins, final yr’s overwhelmed finalist in Melbourne.
Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari additionally gained and Victoria Azarenka defeated Sofia Kenin in a battle of two former Australian Open champions.
— with AFP
