Australian Open 2020: The major happenings on Day 3
The Australian Open 2020 continued to gather pace and we had another superb day of action on Day 3 of the event at Melbourne Park. The men's and singles second round matches were played on Wednesday. Teenager Coco Gauff set up a third round meeting with Naomi Osaka. Novak Djokovic progressed as well. Here are the major happenings.
Defending champion Djokovic eased into the third round after making short work of Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito. The 32-year-old Serb is chasing a 17th Grand Slam and eighth Australian Open title. He won the tie 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 35 minutes. He will be up against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka next. The latter overcame Britain's Dan Evans 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Meanwhile, men's sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas moved into the last 32 after opponent Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew injured. Organizers claimed the 36-year-old German had a muscle strain. Tsitsipas, 21, will face Canadian Milos Raonic in the third round. Raonic beat Christian Garin 6,3, 6-4, 6-2. Marin Cilic prevailed in a five-set thriller. He beat Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6.
Japanese third seed Osaka overcame Saisai Zheng 6-2, 6-4 before 15-year-old Gauff saw off Romania's Sorana Cirstea. Gauff was 3-0 down in the decider but fought back to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and six minutes. "It's amazing," said Gauff. "Honestly, I didn't think I would get so much support in Australia. I was down 3-0 and you really made me believe."
Women's world number one Ashleigh Barty eased to a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Slovenia's Polona Hercog in just over an hour. The retiring Caroline Wozniaki sealed a 7-5, 7-5 win against Dayana Yastremska to progress. Last year's finalist, Petra Kvitova, progressed with a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Spain's Paula Badosa. Elena Rybakina overcame Greet Minnen 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets.
In the other matches, American 14th seed Sofia Kenin beat Ann Li 6-1, 6-3, while Germany's Julia Goerges knocked out Croatia's 13th seed Petra Martic in a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory. Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro won her first-round match against Belarusian 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (8-6), 7-6, (8-6) to set up a meeting with 18-year-old Iga Swiatek from Poland.
