Djokovic, A Zverev, Raonic, Fognini reach 3rd round of Australian Open

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Six times champion and World No 1 in ATP rankings Novak Djokovic, 31, Serbia, World No 4 Alexander Zverev, 21, Germany, World No 13 Fabio Fognini, 31, Italy, and World No 17 Milos Raonic, 28, Canada, entered the third round of Australian Open (AO) at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, on January 17, 2019.

Djokovic beat World No 177 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 33, France, in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round on January 17. Djokovic fired 12 Aces in the match to 10 Tsonga. Djokovic won 5 break points to 2 by Tsonga. The World No 1 player won 3 games in a row in the match to 2 by Tsonga. Djokovic’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve was also better than that of Tsonga.

Zverev edged past World No 36 Jeremy Chardy, 31, France, in a five-set marathon in the second round 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-7, 6-1. Zverev  fired 30 Aces in the match to 14 by Chardy. Zverev, however, also committed 12 double faults to 3 by Chardy. Zverev’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve ( 79% & 68 %) was also better than that of Chardy ( 72% & 57 %). Zverev won 5 break points to 3 by Chardy. Zverev also won 5 games in a row to 3 by his rival. Chardy had reached QF of Australian Open in 2013. He had also reached 4th round of French Open in 2018.

Fognini beat World No 53 Leonardo Mayer, 31, Argentina, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the second round. Mayer fired 13 Aces in the match to 5 by Fognini. Fognini committed 3 double faults to 2 by Mayer. Fognini won 2 break points while Mayer won 1. Both the players won 3 games each in a row. Fognini’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve was much better than that of Mayer.

Raonic, the 2016 Wimbledon finalist, beat winner of Australian Open title in 2014 Stan Wawrinka, 33, Switzerland, in a tough four-set contest 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6. All the four sets went to the tie-break. Raonic fired 38 Aces in the match to 27 by Wawrinka, the World No 59. Raonic though committed 7 double faults to 2 by Wawrinka. Raonic’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve was also better than that of Wawrinka. Both the players won 2 break points each in the match. They also won 3 games each in a row in the match.

World No 44 Joao Sousa, Poutugal, beat World No 32 Philipp Kohlschreiber, 35, Germany, in a five-set encounter 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 in the second round. Sousa hammered 28 Aces in the match to 20 by Kohlschreiber. Kohlschreiber committed 6 double faults to 1 by Sousa. Both the players won 2 break points each in the match. They also won 3 games each in a row. Sousa will face World No 9 Kei Nishikori in the 3rd round.

World No 149 Alexei Popyrin, 19, Australia, entered the 3rd round after his opponent and World No 8 Dominic Thiem, 25, Austria, retired due to injury in third set having lost the first two sets and down 0-2 in the third. Popyrin fired 13 Aces in the match to 1 by Thiem. Popyrin will face World No 31 Lucas Pouille, 24, France, in the 3rd round.

World No 19 Daniil Medvedev, 22, Russia, also entered the 3rd round beating World No 83 Ryan Harrison, 26, USA, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the second round. Medvedev fired 10 Aces in the match to 4 by Harrison. He also won 5 break points besides winning 7 games in a row.