Medvedev makes shock exit at Australian Open; Sinner, Swiatek progress

Defending champ Jannik Sinner moved through to the third round while last year’s runner-up, Daniil Medvedev, lost to a qualifier in round two.

World number one and defending champion Jannik Sinner roared back to surge into the Australian Open third round as Iga Swiatek set up a showdown with Emma Raducanu.

Sinner dropped a set for the first time in 14 matches when he lost the opener to Australian wildcard Tristan Schoolkate but he wrested back control after a slow start to go through 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 against the world number 173 at a cool and breezy Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

It was Sinner’s 16th consecutive victory in an ominous sign for next opponent Marcos Giron.

“It’s always tough to play against someone I don’t know very well. He was playing much better than I was at the beginning,” said the Italian, 23, who also won the US Open last year.

In the night session, last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev was dumped out of the tournament by 19-year-old US qualifier Learner Tien in a huge Melbourne shock.

Tien, ranked 121, stunned the world number five 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (8/10), 1-6, 7-6 (10/7) in a nail-biter and faces Australian Open debutant France’s Corentin Moutet in the next round.

In the women’s draw, Swiatek raced past world number 49 Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2 while the UK’s Raducanu reached the third round for the first time at Melbourne Park by beating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-5.

“Well for sure it’s going to be a tough one,” world number two Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner but never a Melbourne champion, said as she sized up Raducanu.

Elena Rybakina, the sixth seed and former Wimbledon champion, raced past American wildcard Iva Jovic in straight sets.

Emma Navarro, the eighth seed from the United States, will face Ons Jabeur next after battling through three sets to beat China’s 108th-ranked Wang Xiyu.

Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini faces Renata Zarazua of Mexico in late action.

Djokovic, Alcaraz and women’s number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka all play on a blockbuster Friday.

So do Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka, who are on a collision course to meet in the next round should they both win.