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Australian Open: Bubbles stop Emma Raducanu, Nick Kyrgios out after a big show

2022-01-20T12:43:56.951Z


US Open winner Emma Raducanu left the Australian Open early on. Two top ten players are no longer there either. Nick Kyrgios and Daniil Medvedev had an emotional match.


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Emma Raducanu during a break in treatment

Photo: JOEL CARRETT / EPA

Impaired by blisters on her batting hand, US Open winner Emma Raducanu was eliminated in the second round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

The 19-year-old Briton, number 17 on the seed list, lost to Danka Kovinić of Montenegro 4-6, 6-4, 3-6.

From the middle of the first set, Raducanu could almost only play the forehand as a slice, and even breaks in treatment didn't solve her problem.

In September 2021, she was the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam tournament at the US Open.

Top ten players Muguruza and Kontaveit out

The two-time Grand Slam winner Garbiñe Muguruza was also surprisingly eliminated.

The Spanish world number three lost 3: 6, 3: 6 against the unseeded French player Alizé Cornet.

In 2020 she had reached the final in Melbourne.

Muguruza won the French Open in 2016 and Wimbledon a year later before falling far down the world rankings.

Last year she returned to the top of the world, winning titles in Chicago and Dubai before the 28-year-old triumphed at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara in November.

The last in form Estonian Anett Kontaveit also missed the entry into the third round.

The 26-year-old, who has moved up to seventh place in the world rankings with brilliant performances in recent months, was beaten by 19-year-old Clara Tauson from Denmark 2:6, 4:6.

Sabalenko continued despite a weak serve

Aryna Sabalenka, second in the world rankings, also had to fight hard.

In the first set alone, the Belarusian made twelve double faults against the Chinese Wang Xinyu, but she prevailed 1:6, 6:4, 6:2 and advanced to the third round.

Former French Open winner Iga Świątek from Poland is also there after beating Rebecca Peterson from Sweden 6-2, 6-2.

Emotional duel between Medvedev and Kyrgios

US Open winner Daniil Medvedev defied the atmosphere at Nick Kyrgios' tennis show and kept his title chance at the Australian Open.

The second in the world rankings won the second round match against the Australian 7: 6 (7: 1), 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 2.

Kyrgios entertained and delighted the audience in the night session of the Rod Laver Arena, which was about half full, and delivered spectacular rallies with Medvedev.

Medvedev, who celebrated his first Grand Slam title in New York in September, is the highest-ranked player at the Australian Open due to the absence of Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic.

In the fight for the round of 16, the 25-year-old faces the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round.

Murray is subject to qualifiers

Two days after his emotional first-round victory, former world number one Andy Murray retired.

The 34-year-old lost to the Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel in three sets 4: 6, 4: 6, 4: 6.

On Tuesday, Murray defeated Georgian Nikolos Bassilashvili in five sets and almost four hours.

It had been an emotional comeback after Murray announced his retirement in 2019 due to persistent hip problems.

After an operation, the three-time Grand Slam tournament winner and two-time Olympic champion returned.

At the Australian Open, the Scot made it to the final five times but was never able to win the title.

Last year, Murray was absent from Melbourne due to a corona infection.

This time he took part thanks to a wildcard.

mfu/sid/dpa

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2022-01-20

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