Daniil Medvedev already eliminated, five French people qualified for the third round

With the exception of Daniil Medvedev, the favorites enforced the hierarchy on Thursday January 16 at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Iga Swiatek and Emma Navarro are qualified for the third round, as are five French people (Gaël Monfils, Corentin Moutet, Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils and Benjamin Bonzi). The best match of the day was won by the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who defeated the revelation of the first round, the young Brazilian Joao Fonseca, from the qualifiers in five sets.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, during his defeat against American hopeful Learner Tien, January 16, 2025. JAIMI JOY / REUTERS

Medvedev eliminated by Tien

Three times finalist in Melbourne during the last four editions, the Russian Danil Medvedev ended up giving in in five sets (6-3, 7-6 [7-4]6-7 [8-10]1-6, 7-6 [10-7]) against the young American Learner Tien (19 years old, 121e), from the qualifications. The few spectators at the Margaret Court Arena who stayed late into the night did not regret it, as this meeting was epic. The match ended around 3 a.m. in Melbourne, after 4 hours 49 minutes of play.

The exchanges were sometimes very long in this knife match. Over the first two sets, Learner Tien won 32 of 51 points that lasted nine moves or more. Against the athletic Californian, the Russian lacked consistency. Mentally strong, the American was more mobile and more consistent than his opponent.

Seeded number five, Medvedev had not been eliminated at such an early stage of a Grand Slam tournament since his defeat upon entry into contention at Roland-Garros in 2018. The former world number one, now a father for the second time at the beginning of January, probably doesn’t quite have his head in tennis at the moment. He had not played any preparation tournament before Melbourne. Learner Tien will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the third round, who will have had much more time than him to recover.

The Italian Jannik Sinner serving against the Australian Tristan Schoolkate, January 16, 2025.

The Italian Jannik Sinner serving against the Australian Tristan Schoolkate, January 16, 2025.

The Italian Jannik Sinner serving against the Australian Tristan Schoolkate, January 16, 2025. ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE/AP

Sinner loses and sets

Manhandled at the start of the match by Tristan Schoolkate (173e), an Australian adept at serving and volleying, Jannik Sinner had a delay in starting. The Italian took time to adjust the sights, then he played his tennis to win in four sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3). Full of nerve, the native of Perth fought well, pleased the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena, but did not have the weapons to defeat the world number one, defending champion in Melbourne. This is the first set that Sinner has lost in 14 matches. He will play his place in the round of 16 against the American Marcos Giron (46e).

Dressed all in white, the Dane Holger Rune defeated the Italian Matteo Berrettini with difficulty on January 16, 2025.

Dressed all in white, the Dane Holger Rune defeated the Italian Matteo Berrettini with difficulty on January 16, 2025.

Dressed all in white, the Dane Holger Rune defeated the Italian Matteo Berrettini with difficulty on January 16, 2025. ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP

Rune ecarte Berrettini

At the end of a great showdown, the Dane Holger Rune, seeded number 13, took out the Italian Matteo Berrettini (34e) in four sets (7-6 [7-3]2-6, 6-3, 7-6 [8-6]). The Roman gave everything, but he failed twice in the tie-break, wasting several set points each time. Holger Rune will face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (51st) in the next round.

De Minaur without a shadow of a doubt

The crowd’s favorite, Alex de Minaur, has still not lost a set in the tournament. The Australian number one, seeded number 8, easily beat the American Tristan Boyer, who came out of qualifying, in three sets (6-2, 6-4, 6-3). The Sydney native will meet Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo (31st) in the next round.e).

The Italian Lorenzo Sonego (right) spoke about his experience against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (left), January 16, 2025.

The Italian Lorenzo Sonego (right) spoke about his experience against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (left), January 16, 2025.

The Italian Lorenzo Sonego (right) spoke about his experience against the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (left), January 16, 2025. KIM KYUNG-HOON / REUTERS

Sonego sort Fonseca

Sensation at the start of the tournament after his crushing victory in the first round against Andrey Rublev (seeded number 9), the young Brazilian Joao Fonseca (18 years old, 112e) ended up giving up his arms against the experienced Lorenzo Sonego (29 years old, 55e). Relying on a decisive first ball in the key moments, the Turinese won in five sets (6-7 [6-8]6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3). Sonego will face Hungarian Fabian Marozan (59) in the third round.e).

American Ben Shelton celebrates his success against Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round of the Australian Open, January 16, 2024.

American Ben Shelton celebrates his success against Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round of the Australian Open, January 16, 2024.

American Ben Shelton celebrates his success against Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round of the Australian Open, January 16, 2024. WILLIAM WEST / AFP

Shelton at the meeting

Still decked out in his yellow and pink tank top, American big hitter Ben Shelton (21e) dismissed the Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in four sets (6-3, 6-3, 6-7 [4-7]6-4). In the third round he will meet the Italian with one-handed backhand Lorenzo Musetti (16e), bronze medalist at the Olympic Games, who defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov. A stylish opposition which promises a lively match.

Five French people in the third round

It’s been seven years since French tennis last experienced this: for the first time since 2017, there will be five French players in the third round of the Australian Open! Corentin Moutet and Gaël Monfils joined, on Thursday January 16, their compatriots Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils and Benjamin Bonzi, who qualified on Wednesday. Among the women, however, it’s over for the Blues. Varvara Gracheva, the last representative in the running, was eliminated.

Corentin Moutet (69e in the ATP rankings) ended up upholding the hierarchy against Mitchell Krueger (146e), dismissing the American in four sets (4-6, 6-4, 7-6 [7/3]6-4). Despite around forty unforced errors and a mediocre start to the match, the Ile-de- native was able to tighten up the game in key moments to win against a big hitter who was even more irregular than him.

Frenchman Gaël Monfils during his second round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, January 16, 2025.

Frenchman Gaël Monfils during his second round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, January 16, 2025.

Frenchman Gaël Monfils during his second round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, January 16, 2025. MARTIN KEEP / AFP

A little earlier, Gaël Monfils continued the momentum of his recent victory at the Auckland tournament (New Zealand), by signing a seventh victory in a row – this time at the expense of the German Daniel Altmaier (101e) in three sets: 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3). It’s number 12e time the Parisian qualifies for the third round in Melbourne. The 38-year-old French veteran will face the number four seed, the American Taylor Fritz, in the next round, who only conceded three games to the Chilean Cristian Garin (6-2, 6-1, 6-0).

Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Gaël Monfils, winner in the first round of the Australian Open against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, impresses the young generation of French tennis

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The French Varvara Gracheva faces the German Eva Lys, January 16, 2024.

The French Varvara Gracheva faces the German Eva Lys, January 16, 2024.

The French Varvara Gracheva faces the German Eva Lys, January 16, 2024. KIM KYUNG-HOON / REUTERS

Varvara Gracheva street

The last French player in the running, Varvara Gracheva was beaten in the second round by Eva Lys (128e). The 23-year-old German right-hander won in three sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-4). With her right shoulder bandaged, Varvara Gracheva seemed to have done the hardest part by coming back a set and a break behind in the second set, but she made too many mistakes in the last set to hope to qualify. The last Australian Open without any French woman in the third round dates back to 2020.

Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini convincing

World number two Iga Swiatek swept past Slovak Rebecca Sramkova (6-0, 6-2) in about an hour. In the third round, the five-time Grand Slam winner will face Briton Emma Raducanu, winner of the US Open in 2021, but has since fallen to 61e place. Kazakh Elena Rybakina (seeded number 7) was barely less ruthless than Swiatek, conceding only three games to her opponent, the 17-year-old American Iva Jovic.

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Jasmine Paolini (world number 4), finalist at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in 2024, also showed herself convincingly on Thursday to qualify for the third round, where she will meet the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (27e). The Italian eliminated the Mexican Renata Zarazua (70e) in two sets: 6-2, 6-3.

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