Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner in Australian Open spherical two, however Kyrgios out – INA NEWS

Nick Kyrgios’s long-awaited return to the Grand Slam stage was lower brief as Briton Jacob Fearnley despatched the ailing dwelling hero out of the Australian Open within the first spherical.

A capability crowd on Monday packed out Kyrgios’s favorite John Cain Area for his first match at Melbourne Park in three years, hoping the tennis showman might shrug off an belly pressure to battle via.

Most left deflated as Kyrgios went down swinging in a 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(2) defeat, with the damage hampering his serve and motion.

With most of his final two seasons worn out because of knee issues and wrist surgical procedure, a dismal Kyrgios stated he may need performed his final singles match at Melbourne Park given his damage fatigue.

“I went on the market, I might say 65 p.c of my capability,” he instructed reporters.

“For [the fans] to actually see me combating and nonetheless giving me that vitality, it meant loads, as a result of I really feel like I’ve given my life to tennis and I’ve tried to present them a present each time I am going on the market.

“Realistically, I can’t see myself enjoying a singles match right here once more.”

Earlier, Novak Djokovic survived a scare in his quest for tennis historical past earlier than becoming a member of Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Jannik Sinner within the second spherical.

Djokovic misplaced the primary set to 107th-ranked American Nishesh Basavareddy within the prime-time night match at Rod Laver Area.

However the Serbian nice, hoping to roll again the years and win an eleventh Australian Open and file twenty fifth Grand Slam singles title, recovered to drag via 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic was animated on the finish and struggled to lift a smile.

Italian world primary Sinner was enjoying below a cloud after twice testing optimistic for traces of a steroid in March.

He denies wrongdoing and was cleared by tennis authorities, however the World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) appealed and is in search of to ban him for as much as two years.

Sinner was warmly welcomed at Rod Laver Area earlier than defeating Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.

“I used to be curious to see the way it was. You by no means know what’s occurring,” he stated concerning the reception.

“I used to be completely satisfied concerning the crowd,” stated Sinner, who has not tasted defeat since shedding to Alcaraz within the Beijing last in October.

Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion however by no means a winner in Melbourne, had a few furry moments earlier than seeing off the problem of Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko, 6-1, 7-5, 6-1.

“It is a event I actually need to win someday, hopefully this yr,” stated the 21-year-old Spaniard.

Within the girls’s draw, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff powered via with minimal fuss as they search to dethrone two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.