Djokovic survives Open scare
Second-seeded Ruud makes stunning exit
MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic had to dig deep at times against French qualifier Enzo Couacaud but rolled into the third round 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-0 yesterday to continue his quest for a 10th Australian Open crown and a 22nd Grand Slam title.
The Serbian looked at his imperious best as he eased through the opening set but hit a roadblock in the 74-minute second when world No.191 Couacaud upped his pace and intensity to level up the contest in a tie-break.
Fourth seed Djokovic changed his shirt and brought in the heavy artillery to whip through the final two sets on Rod Laver Arena and set up a thirdround date with Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Laslo Djere of Serbia 6-3, 6-2, 6-0.
Djokovic, 35, took a medical time out to change the strapping on his left thigh in the second set but otherwise appeared largely unhindered by the hamstring niggle he sustained at a warm-up event two weeks ago.
Earlier, Jenson Brooksby blew another huge hole in the draw by sending second seed Casper Ruud tumbling out in the second round, a day after his fellow American Mackenzie McDonald had ushered Rafael Nadal to the exit.
While top seed Nadal was hampered by injury in his loss, Norwegian Ruud was simply outplayed for all but a few games of his 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7) 6-2 loss to the 22-year-old Californian over nearly four hours on Rod Laver Arena.
“I think that he played great today, didn’t make many errors at all,” said Ruud.
“I didn’t feel like I played particularly bad, or not the level that I wanted to play, but he just ended up winning many of the longer rallies and had sort of an answer to all the questions that I asked him.”
Brooksby’s victory was followed by lucky loser Michael Mmoh stunning German former world No.2 Alexander Zverev 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to make it eight American men in the third round in Melbourne.
Eighth seed Taylor Fritz was unable to join the American charge as he was upset 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2 by Australian Alexei Popyrin, while Danish ninth seed Holger Rune despatched Californian Maxime Cressy 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
Qualifier Brandon Holt looked like he might join his fellow Americans in round three when he went two sets up against Roberto Bautista Agut, but the Spanish 24th seed rallied for a 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory.
There was also American success in the women’s draw yesterday when Katie Volynets stunned ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to become the first US qualifier to reach the women’s third round since Lindsay Davenport in 1993.
Shelby Rogers, however, was no match for Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who recovered from a slow start to power past the American 6-3, 6-1 and firm as a genuine contender for a first Grand Slam crown.
French fourth seed Caroline Garcia likewise came through a potentially tricky tie against former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
Magda Linette joined fellow Pole and top seed Iga Swiatek in the third round with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 upset of 16th seed Anett Kontaveit, while Croatian Donna Vekic downed 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-0.
RESULTS Men’s singles Second round
Andrey Rublev (RUS x5) bt Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3; Holger Rune (DEN x9) bt Maxime Cressy (USA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4; Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x27) bt Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-3, 6-2, 6-0; Alexei Popyrin (AUS) bt Taylor Fritz (USA x8) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2; Jeffrey Wolf (USA) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x23) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; Michael Mmoh (USA) bt Alexander Zverev (GER x12) 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-3, 6-2; Tommy Paul (USA) bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP x30) 6-2, 2-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-4; Jenson Brooksby (USA) bt Casper Ruud (NOR x2) 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2; Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) beat Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x14) 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 7-6; Novak Djokovic (SRB x4) bt Enzo Couacaud (FRA) 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-0
Women’s singles Second round
Varvara Gracheva (RUS) bt Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA) 6-3, 6-1; Karolina Pliskova (CZE x30) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-0, 7-5; Shuai Zhang (CHN x23) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 6-3, 6-3; Katie Volynets (USA) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS x9) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Magda Linette (POL) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x16) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x19) bt Taylor Townsend (USA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3; Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM x27) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3; Caroline Garcia (FRA x4) bt Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5; Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x5) bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-3, 6-1; Elise Mertens (BEL x26) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-4, 6-3; Donna Vekic (CRO) bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS x18) 6-3, 6-0; Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE) bt Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-3, 6-2