Defending champion Jannik Sinner lost his first set since October but recovered to beat Tristan Schoolkate and reach the third round of the Australian Open.
Sinner has been untouchable in recent months and headed into this contest on a 15-match winning streak in which the only set he had lost was to Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round of the Shanghai Masters on October 6.
Defeat by Schoolkate, a 23-year-old wild card ranked 173, was therefore unthinkable, and Sinner ultimately pulled away to win 4-6 6-4 6-1 6-3.
29 and out ❌
Tristan Schoolkate becomes the first player to take a set off Sinner since Tomás Etcheverry on October 2nd, 2024 – 106 days ago!?@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/K6mNzl8EsX
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025
Nineteen-year-old qualifier Learner Tien pulled off a major upset as he beat three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in a five-set epic that lasted until almost 3am.
Medvedev fought back from two sets down and saved a match point in the third set tie-break, but the unfancied American held firm to claim a 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-7 (10) 1-6 7-6 (7) win in four hours and 48 minutes.
American Taylor Fritz revealed he is donating his first-round prize money to help people affected by the California wildfires.
The fourth seed raced through to round three with a 6-2 6-1 6-0 thumping of Chile’s Cristian Garin and then announced that he will give 132,000 Australian dollars (approximately £67,000) to relief efforts.
“I just want everyone to stay safe, it’s just insane what happened,” said Fritz, who used to live in Los Angeles and has family and friends affected.
“I wanted to say something after my first-round match but I’m going to be donating my first-round prize money to LA wildfire relief funds.
Fritz reached his first grand slam final at the US Open last summer and he has been ruthless so far in Melbourne, losing just eight games in six sets.
He next faces 38-year-old Gael Monfils, who continued his excellent start to the season with a 7-5 6-3 7-6 (3) victory over Daniel Altmaier.
Home favourite Alex De Minaur has been untroubled so far and he eased to a 6-2 6-4 6-3 win over American Tristan Boyer, whose home town has been badly affected by the wildfires, while Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic knocked out 18th seed Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets.
He’ll be back! ?
Joao Fonseca bows out to a standing ovation ⭐️#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/zeTAvJeI7H
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 16, 2025
It was the end of the road for 18-year-old Joao Fonseca, who, after upsetting Andrey Rublev in round one, lost in five sets to Lorenzo Sonego. Sonego’s fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini, meanwhile, lost a tight four-setter to Holger Rune.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis took to John Cain Arena for their first-round doubles match despite neither being able to serve properly because of injuries but pulled the plug in the second set.
The pair won the title in 2022, and Kokkinakis, who lost a five-setter to Jack Draper in singles on Wednesday, said: “I wanted to come out here. I know there was a lot of talk about us playing again.
“I wanted to see if I was somewhat competitive, even without a serve. Just wanted to get on court again with the big fella. Such great memories.”
Kyrgios said after losing to Jacob Fearnley that he did not expect to play singles again at Melbourne Park, and, while doubles is a possibility, he added: “I can’t guarantee that I’ll be back here.”
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis – aka The Special K – are OUT ❌
The 2022 #AusOpen doubles champions have been forced to retire due to injury ? pic.twitter.com/SPgFwFskez
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 16, 2025
In the women’s draw, second seed Iga Swiatek thumped Rebecca Sramkova 6-0 6-2 in exactly an hour and sixth seed Elena Rybakina dismissed another teenager after her first-round win over Australian wild card Emerson Jones, beating 17-year-old Iva Jovic 6-0 6-3.
Eighth seed Emma Navarro survived another battle, eventually seeing off Xiyu Wang 6-3 3-6 6-4, while there were more encouraging signs from Ons Jabeur in a 7-5 6-3 win over Camila Osorio despite the Tunisian struggling with asthma.
Jabeur is unseeded after a difficult season last year with form and fitness and she knows she must be patient with herself.
“I’m not 100 per cent satisfied with the level that I want to be in, the level that will allow me to maybe go back to top 10 or allow me to compete with amazing players like Coco (Guaff), Iga, Aryna (Sabalenka), Rybakina,” she said.
Danielle Collins did NOT hold back after the crowd made their feelings heard following her victory over Destanee Aiava ?#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/9vnzVPEipx
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 16, 2025
“But it’s getting there. I don’t want to be greedy just after coming back from an injury.”
Tenth seed Danielle Collins taunted the Australian crowd after battling to a 7-6 (4) 4-6 6-2 win over local qualifier Destanee Aiava.
The fiery American said: “When I finally got momentum, I’m like, ‘well, if I’m going to be out here for two and a half hours, putting up with all these people, I might as well just take the bigger paycheck’, right? I was super happy to do that.
“One of the greatest things about being a professional athlete is the people that don’t like you and the people that hate you, they actually pay your bills.
“Every person that’s bought a ticket to come out here and heckle me or do what they do, it’s all going towards the Danielle Collins Fund. Bring it on. I love it.”
