Raducanu knocked out by Kovinic

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu crashed out of the Australian Open in the second round Thursday as she struggled with blisters on her serving hand.

The 19-year-old, making her debut at Melbourne Park, looked on track when she raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic.

But the 17th seed then lost five games in a row and needed a medical timeout for treatment on her right hand.

Despite battling back she couldn’t stop Kovinic winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena.

The result put Kovinic, the world number 98, into the third round of a major for the first time.

She will now play either two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep, seeded 14, or Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia for a place in the fourth round.

“I really enjoyed it out there. It was a nice experience to play Emma and make it to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time,” she said.

“Emma is a such a talent and just glad I showed I can play at her level.”  

It was only Kovinic’s fourth win over a top-20 player and the first on hardcourts, with the other three all on clay. 

Medvedev tames showman Kyrgios

Daniil Medvedev tamed Nick Kyrgios to surge into the Australian Open third round on Thursday. Second seed Medvedev is the highest seed left in the men’s draw and the favourite after the deportation of reigning champion Novak Djokovic on the eve of the tournament.

But the 25-year-old Russian faced a stern test of his title credentials -- and temperament -- in the face of an unpredictable but talented Kyrgios, who revved up the home crowd in their prime-time evening showdown.

The 26-year-old Australian beat Medvedev, the reigning US Open champion and last year’s losing finalist in Melbourne, in their only two previous clashes.

It was a madhouse inside Rod Laver Arena with showman Kyrgios dealing out all his assortment of unplayable serves and tweeners before a partisan home crowd, while embroiled in a running battle with the chair umpire.

But calculating Medvedev dealt with it all to ease through 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 and will now face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the third round.