The Australian Open saw a day of dramatic swings and stunning upsets, with top seed Jannik Sinner forced to rally while defending champion Daniil Medvedev suffered an early exit, Al Jazeera reports.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu are set for a tantalizing third-round clash.
World number one Sinner faced an unexpected challenge from Australian wildcard Tristan Schoolkate. After dropping the first set, breaking a 13-match winning streak without losing a set, Sinner found his rhythm and powered through to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. This victory marks his 16th consecutive win, a warning shot to his next opponent, Marcos Giron.
The biggest shock of the day came in the night session, where 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien, ranked 121, stunned the tennis world by ousting last year’s runner-up, Daniil Medvedev. In a five-set thriller that went to the wire, Tien triumphed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (8/10), 1-6, 7-6 (10/7). Tien now advances to face Australian Open debutant Corentin Moutet of France in a surprising turn of events.
In the women’s draw, world number one Iga Swiatek displayed dominant form, breezing past Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2. This sets up a highly anticipated third-round match against Emma Raducanu, who reached this stage for the first time at Melbourne Park by defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-5.
Sixth seed and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina also had a comfortable day, dispatching American wildcard Iva Jovic in straight sets. Eighth-seeded American Emma Navarro battled through a three-set encounter to defeat China’s Wang Xiyu, setting up a clash with Ons Jabeur in the next round. Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini was also set for late action against Mexico’s Renata Zarazua.
The tournament looks forward to a blockbuster Friday with both men’s and women’s top seeds in action. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka are all set to take the court. Additionally, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka could potentially meet in a compelling clash should they both advance from their upcoming matches.
