Easy win for Rafael Nadal; Sofia Kenin crashes out

Tsitsipas avoids Greek tragedy; Barty, Svitolina, Pliskova move 

LONDON: Rafael Nadal dispelled any remaining doubts over his fitness with a commanding 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win against American qualifier Michael Mmoh, on Thursday, to march into the Australian Open third round and stay on track for a record 21st Grand Slam title.

The second seed did not play a match in Spain's ATP Cup campaign last week with a back problem and following his opening win in Melbourne he had said the injury was still bothering him.

Nadal showed no sign of discomfort, however, against the 177th-ranked American under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena and peppered the blue court with winners from both forehand and backhand sides as Mmoh watched on helplessly.

A Greek tragedy threatened to befall StefanosTsitsipas at the Australian Open on Thursday before the fifth seed steadied to fend off local wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4 and reach the third round.

The day after Nick Kyrgios sent John Cain Arena into delirium with a thrilling comeback, 267th-ranked Greek-Australian Kokkinakis appeared set for the boilover of the tournament when he threaded a backhand down the line to send the match into a fifth set.

It was not to be, though, as Tsitsipas captured the decisive break in the fifth game and held on grimly to close out a four-hour 32-minute epic in the steamy twilight at Rod Laver Arena.

The only player from Greece to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, Tsitsipas paid tribute to his friend Kokkinakis, who celebrated his first Australian Open win in six years on Tuesday after battling injuries and illness.

Reigning champion Sofia Kenin crashed out of the Australian Open in the second round, slumping to a 6-3, 6-2 defeat at the hands of world number 65 KaiaKanepi on Margaret Court Arena.

The 22-year-old, who followed her Grand Slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park last year with a run to the final at the French Open, sprayed 22 unforced errors in the 64-minute contest against the experienced Estonian.

Kenin has been reduced to tears on court on several occasions since she came out of quarantine in Melbourne and admitted she has been struggling to contain her nerves at the prospect of defending the title.

Kanepi, who reached the final of the Gippsland Trophy warm-up tournament last week, was just the sort of hardened veteran who would look to exploit any mental frailties in her opponent.

Next up for Kanepi is a third-round tie against Croatian Donna Vekic, who beat Argentine Nadia Podoroska in her second round match on Thursday.

World number one Ash Barty suffered a meltdown on the brink of victory but regathered herself to fend off local compatriot DariaGavrilova 6-1, 7-6(7) and reach the third round.

Barty, who came onto centre court with her left thigh heavily strapped, served for the match at 5-2 but was broken twice in a hail of unforced errors, allowing wildcard Gavrilova to drag the contest deep into a tiebreak.

Fortunately for Barty, Gavrilova reprieved her twice with unforced errors on set point and then coughed up another on match point to surrender on a steamy day at Rod Laver Arena.

Ukrainian fifth seed ElinaSvitolina made good use of limited opportunities against American teenager Coco Gauff to reach third round with a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

The 16-year-old Gauff, the youngest player in the main draw at Melbourne Park, took the Australian Open by storm last year, taking down Venus Williams, SoranaCirstea and Naomi Osaka en route to the fourth round.

But she failed to find a way past the steely Svitolina, who converted two out of her three break point opportunities against the big-hitting world number 48 to seal the fate of the match in their first meeting.

Gauff had four break point chances of her own but could not capitalise as Svitolina set up a clash with Kazakh 26th seed YuliaPutintseva, who beat Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium 6-4 1-6 6-2.

Former world number one Karolina Pliskova conceded she played far from her best tennis at the Australian Open on Thursday, but excelled in clutch moments to avenge a loss to Danielle Collins in a warm-up tournament just eight days ago.

Pliskova, seeded sixth, lost serve twice in a see-saw opening set but pulled away in the second to book a place in the third round with a 7-5, 6-2 win over American Collins, a 2019 Australian Open semi-finalist.

After winning last week's contest at the Yarra Valley Classic in two tightly-contested tiebreakers, Collins leaked errors from her normally reliable forehand, allowing Pliskova to take control late in the first set.

Up next for Pliskova, who is chasing her maiden Grand Slam title, is fellow Czech and 25th seed Karolina Muchova. Agencies

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