Australian Open Day 3 results: How the Aussie players went

James Pavey

•
Australian Open Day 3 results: How the Aussie players went image

Heading into day four at Melbourne Park, just five Australian singles players remain in the hunt.

Day three saw three winners, two of which are Australia's top-ranked male and female players.

The other? A 240-ranked 20-year-old, who took down a player ranked 211 places higher than her.

Meanwhile, a steely veteran pushed all the way, but a five-set classic - where he came from two sets down - didn't go his way.

HOW THE AUSSIES WENT: Day 1: Barty, de Minaur among eight winners | Day 2: Just two of eight progress

Ahead of the fourth day of action, Sporting News checks out how the local hopes performed on the third day of the 2019 Australian Open.

ALEX DE MINAUR CLINGS ON IN FIVE-SET THRILLER

Alex de Minaur def. Henri Laaksonen 6-4 6-2 6-7 [7] 4-6 6-3

Up two sets to love, de Minaur's foot slipped off the pedal, allowing his Swiss opponent to work his way back into the match.

So easily it could have been ended in three sets, with the third going to a tiebreak - but de Minaur looked the better of the two in the final set to book a third round clash with Rafael Nadal.


 

ASH BARTY STEAMROLLS INTO THIRD ROUND

Ash Barty def. Yang Wafan 6-2 6-3

Barty needed just 65 minutes to sweep past China's Yang - and it was as dominant a win as the Aussie would have liked.

Barty was clinical, hitting 29 winners to nine as she set up a third round date with world No.43 Maria Sakkari.


 

KIMBERLEY BIRRELL A SHINING STAR

Kimberley Birrell def. Donna Vekic 6-4 4-6 6-1

Birrell took the first set 6-4, and suddenly, everyone smelled a rat. Could she do it?

It still looked likely despite Vekic winning the second set, but a 6-1 third set demolition blew the Croatian out of the water. Birrell was stoked to reach her first ever Grand Slam third round, where she'll meet world No.2 and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber.


 

JOHN MILLMAN BRAVE, BUT BAUTISTA AGUT HANGS ON

Roberto Bautista Agut def. John Millman 6-3 6-1 3-6 6-7 [6] 6-4

The match of the day, and nearly the match that kept Millman's dream alive. It initially looked gone for all money for the Queenslander as Bautista Agut sprinted to a two-sets-to-love lead.

However, Millman waltzed through the third set, and somehow saved four match points in the tiebreak to send the match to a fifth, where the Spaniard eventually sealed the victory.


 

MATT EBDEN RUNS INTO BRILLIANT NADAL

Rafael Nadal def. Matt Ebden 6-3 6-2 6-2

Running into a rampant Rafa wasn't what Ebden deserved after his first round comeback over Jan-Lennard Struff.

The 17-time Grand Slam champ was too strong for Ebden, dispatching of the Aussie in just under two hours.


 

JORDAN THOMPSON WIPED OUT BY STRONG SEPPI

Andreas Seppi def. Jordan Thompson 6-3 6-4 6-4

Thompson's first round dominance over Feliciano López looked a thing of the past as Italian veteran Seppi cruised to a straight sets win.

Thompson hit 11 fewer winners and made 14 more unforced errors than Seppi, who will play Anderson conqueror Frances Tiafoe in the third round.


 

ZOE HIVES OUTLASTED BY CAROLINE GARCIA

Caroline Garcia def. Zoe Hives 6-3 6-3

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Hives, and on the stats sheet, she and Garcia were fairly evenly matched.

However, 19th seed Garcia made the most of points on serve as Hives was outsmarted in the contest.


 

ASTRA SHARMA NO MATCH FOR MARIA SAKKARI

Maria Sakkari def. Astra Sharma 6-1 6-4

One of the great stories from opening day, Sharma was brought crashing back to reality as Sakkari motored to victory in front of a vocal Greek-heavy crowd. Sharma's serve wasn't at its best, and there were too many unforced errors, making 29 to Sakkari's 14. 

Greece’s Sakkari, who sits almost 200 spots higher than Sharma in the world rankings, will take on Ash Barty in the third round. 


 

James Pavey

James Pavey Photo