At the Australian Open in tennis, after the first seed Rafael Nadal, the second seed Casper Ruud was eliminated. The finalist of the last Grand Slam in New York was eliminated by American Jenson Brooksby 6:3, 7:5, 6:7, 6:2.
The 39th player in the world celebrated after four hours. The 22-year-old could have won in the third set, but Ruud, who also took a medical break after the second set, saved three final balls.
After 21 years, it happened that the first two seeds were eliminated before the third round. The last time this happened was in 2002 in Melbourne. The eighth seed also had to say goodbye Taylor Fritzwho was beaten in five sets by an Australian Alexei Popyrin, so that there is not a single player from the top twenty in the last quarter of the draw.
“I’m dreaming, I don’t want to wake up. I love this feeling and I want more. This win will be motivation for the future, I have worked hard so far, and now I will work even harder,” said the world’s 113th player in tears in front of enthusiastic fans, who equaled his best achievement in Grand Slam tournaments by reaching the third round.
Five Americans advanced
The fourth day of the tournament in Melbourne was successful for the Americans, with the exception of Fritz, as in addition to Brooksby, they also qualified for the third round Tommy Paul, JJ Wolf, Michael Mmoh and a 20-year-old Ben Shelton, who is on his first trip outside the US. He eliminated Nicolas Jarry in three sets. Mmoh, the 107th player in the world, defeated the 12th seed 6:7, 6:4, 6:3, 6:2 Alexandra Zverevawho after the injury is only a pale shadow of the former player.
In the evening schedule, the focus is on the matches between Djokovic and Couacaud and Murray and Kokkinakis.
Nadal will recover for six to eight weeks
Nadal, who barely finished his match against Mackenzie McDonald on Wednesday, learned that he is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a hip injury. Thus, he will have to miss the tournament in Dubai, and he is also questionable for the masters in Indian Wells and Miami. The Spaniard is in danger of dropping out of the top ten for the first time in 19 years.
Men, 2nd round, lower part of the table
RUBLE (RUS/5) – RUUSUVUORI (FIN) 6:2, 6:4, 6:7 (2), 6:3 EVANS (VB/25) – CHARDY (FRA) 6:4, 6:4, 6:1 HUMBERT (FRA) – KUDLA (USA) 6:2, 6:7 (5), 6:2, 6:4RUNES (DAY/9) – CRESSY (USA) 7:5, 6:4, 6:4 CARRENO BUSTA (ŠPA/14) – BONZI (FRA) DE MINAUR (AVS/22) – MANNARINO (FRA) DIMITROV (BLG/27) – ÐERE (SRB) 6:3, 6:2, 6:0 ÐOKOVIĆ (SRB/4) – COUACAUD (FRA)-:-, -:-, -:-
POPYRIN (AVS) – FRITZ (USA/8) 6:7 (4), 7:6 (2), 6:4, 6:7 (6), 6:2SHELTON (USA) – JARRY (CIL) 7:6 (3), 7:6 (3), 7:5 WOLF (USA) – SCHWARTZMAN (ARG/23) 6:1, 6:4, 6:4 MMOH (USA) – A. ZVEREV (GER/12) 6:7 (1), 6:4, 6:3, 6:2 MURRAY (GB) – KOKKINAKIS (AVS) BAUTISTA AGUT (ŠPA/24) – HOLT (USA) PAUL (USA) – DAVIDOVICH FOKINA (ŠPA/30) 2:6, 6:2, 6:7 (4), 6:3, 6:4 BROOKSBY (USA) – RUUD (NOR/2) 6:3, 7:5, 6:7 (4), 6:2
Women, 2nd round, lower part of the table
GRACEVA (RUS) – STEFANINI (ITA) 6:3, 6:1PLISKOVA (CZECH/30) – PUTINCEVA (KAZ) 6:0, 7:5ZHANG (KIT/23) – MARTIĆ (CRO) 6:3, 6:3VOLYNETS (USA) – KUDERMETOVA (RUS/9) 6:4, 2:6, 6:2 LINETTE (POL) – KONTAVEIT (EST/16) 3:6, 6:3, 6:4 ALEXANDROVA (RUS/19) – TOWNSEND (USA) 1:6, 6:2, 6:3 SIEGEMUND (GERMAN) – BEGU (ROM/27) 5:7, 7:5, 6:3GARCIA (FRA/4) – FERNANDEZ (CAN) 7:6 (5), 7:5
SABALENKA (BLR/5) – ROGERS (USA) 6:3, 6:1 MERTENS (WHITE/26) – DAVIS (USA) 6:4, 6:3 GIORGI (ITA) – SCHMIEDLOVA (SLK) 6:4, 6:3 BENCIC (SWI/12) – LIU (USA) PARRIZAS DIAZ (ŠPA) – POTAPOVA (RUS) 6:3, 6:2VEKIĆ (CROATIA) – SAMSONOVA (RUS/18) 6:3, 6:0 L. FRUHVIRTOVA (CZECH REPUBLIC) – BIRRELL (AVS) 6:3, 6:2 JABEUR (TUN/2) – VONDROUŠOVA (CZECH REPUBLIC)
Source: Rtvslo
