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Home , Dusan Lajovic, Jaimee Fourlis, Noah Rubin (tennis)

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MELBOURNE: Germany’s Angelique Kerber eyes on the ball to make a forehand return to compatriot Carina Witthoeft during their second round match at the championships in , , yesterday. — AP No cakewalk for birthday girl Kerber, Federer

MELBOURNE: was made to He wasn’t the only leading player chal- Kerber joined Venus Williams and down” form after he was broken three Klizan to beat Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. work by 200th-ranked Noah Rubin at the lenged in the second round as Kerber, the in round three as the times by the 72nd-ranked Frenchman. In the women’s draw, 36-year-old Australian Open yesterday-and it was no cake- women’s top seed and defending champi- -winning veterans enjoyed “It was too much up and down, too Williams continued her smooth progress walk for birthday girl Angelique Kerber either. on, dropped a set against world number 89 smoother progress in sunny conditions on many service breaks for me, but it’s great when she beat qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6- In what could be ominous signs for Federer, Carina Witthoeft. day three. to win in straight sets,” said Nishikori, who 3, 6-2 to set up a meeting with China’s America’s Rubin kept him largely at bay in the Kerber ‘double-bagelled’ Witthoeft two had his serve broken three times by Duan Yingying. first set and broke in the third, before the 35- years ago at Wimbledon, but she was ‘ZERO, LIKE ZERO’ Chardy. “I don’t know anything about her. I have year-old won it 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). extended by her fellow German in her 6-2, In the men’s draw, Japanese fifth seed Nishikori, who believes he is due a first never seen her play. Zero, like zero,” The 17th seed and 17-time Grand Slam 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 win. marched into the third round major win this year, next plays either Lukas Williams said of Duan. champion, feeling his way back from injury, The match ended on a light note as alongside former finalist Jo-Wilfried Llacko or , with Berdych or Williams, the oldest player in the will face a much tougher assignment in the Kerber, who turned 29 yesterday, was treat- Tsonga, with both winning in straight sets. Federer awaiting in the fourth round. women’s draw, pulled out of the doubles third round against old rival Tomas Berdych. ed to a rendition of “Happy Birthday” by the Nishikori was extended to five sets in his France’s Tsonga, who is seeded 12th and competition with her sister Serena as a “That’s not an easy draw,” Federer said of Rod Laver Arena crowd. first-round win over Andrey Kuznetsov, but was runner-up to in 2008, precaution to rest a sore elbow. Berdych. “He’s beaten me at New York and “I was doing I think a lot of mistakes in he found the going a little easier in his 6-3, beat ’s Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to Russia’s Kuznetsova thrashed Australian he’s beaten me at Wimbledon too, and the the important moments. But at the end, I’m 6-4, 6-3 victory against Jeremy Chardy. go through. wildcard Jaimee Fourlis 6-2, 6-1 to set up a Olympics. “He would like to beat me here. happy that I won the match,” said the world However, he said he hadn’t completely , the 2014 winner, recov- third-round clash with 31-year-old Serb Maybe he has already and I’ve forgotten.” number one. clicked into gear, complaining of “up and ered from his tetchy five-setter with Martin Jelena Jankovic. — AFP Kyrgios booed off court in new ‘tanking’ row

MELBOURNE: Bad boy was booed off court best efforts” commonly known as tanking, during a and accused of giving up as he crashed out of the match in Shanghai, and has been seeing a psychologist. Australian Open second round in a stormy five-set defeat But yet again Kyrgios’ brittle temperament snapped to Andreas Seppi yesterday. In a madcap match, 14th during the third set as Seppi came storming back after seed Kyrgios looked in command with a two sets lead looking out for the count. Asked how he collapsed so before a familiar meltdown in the third set changed the spectacularly, Kyrgios told reporters: “Poor management, complexion of the contest. I guess. I think I didn’t have the best preparation. It’s on The 89th-ranked Seppi, who saved a match point, me. “I did a couple things in the off-season that I’m prob- advanced to a third-round match with Belgium’s Steve ably not going to do next time. My body’s not in good Darcis with a 1-6, 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-2, 10-8 win in three enough shape. You live and you learn.” Kyrgios was given hours, nine minutes. a warning for an audible obscenity by chair umpire Kyrgios was booed off the court by some of the fans, Carlos Ramos before he bounced his racquet angrily into while tennis great John McEnroe hit out at the brash the court after a break of service. youngster. “What I don’t understand, what I can’t accept, Ramos docked him a point penalty as Seppi served is when he stops trying. It’s a black eye for the sport,” out for the third set to turn the tide against the volatile McEnroe said during television match commentary. Australian. The 32-year-old Italian maintained his compo- Kyrgios said of McEnroe’s criticism: “My body was sore. sure and seized the advantage as Kyrgios suddenly I was hurting. I mean, John McEnroe. Good on him. Great switched off. Instead of regathering his composure, career. Good on him.” Kyrgios was also dismissive of the Kyrgios rushed through his service games giving away booing, saying: “Yes, obviously it’s not the greatest thing cheap points. to hear. 10-8 in the fifth, getting booed off, definitely not Unflappable Seppi quickly levelled the match and the best feeling.” While there was mixed feelings over took it into a fifth set after earlier looking headed for a Krygios’s stormy exit, Seppi was savouring a memorable straight-sets exit. Kyrgios rallied and held three break victory after losing in five sets to the Australian on the points at 4-3, only for Seppi to save them all and level as same court at the 2015 Australian Open. the home crowd exhorted every point from the “Maybe it was meant to be. It was a tough match and I Australian. Kyrgios held a match point at 8-7 but Seppi didn’t start well. I could not get the rhythm but I started saved with a magnificent deep forehand winner before to play better,” he said. “Last time I was two sets up and the Australian double-faulted on break point to give lost and I tried to do the same this time. Seppi his winning chance. I kept on fighting and did very well in the important Seppi brought up two match points at 9-8 and won moments at the end.” with an ace, dumping Kyrgios out of his home Grand MELBOURNE: Australia’s Nick Kyrgios hits a return against Italy’s Andreas Seppi during their men’s singles Kyrgios is making his return from a ban for “lack of Slam after two rounds. — AFP match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP