A heat-delayed night two of the Australian Open features the long-awaited return to the court of Novak Djokovic.
Plus with five Aussies already through to the second round, another five are trying to join them, including the only local seed remaining Alex de Minaur.
Follow Night 2 of the Australian Open in our live blog below, with a full order of play and updates at the bottom of the article!
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DAY 2 WRAP: All the results and headlines from Melbourne Park
DEMON LEADS STRONG AUSSIE CHARGE
Even with Australia’s top-ranked man and woman, Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic, not competing at this year’s Australian Open the local results have still been strong.
Four Aussies made it through on day one and wildcard Kim Birrell produced the biggest upset of all to become the fifth, knocking off reigning quarter-finalist Kaia Kanepi.
No.22 seed Alex de Minaur is a hot favourite to become the sixth when he faces Taiwan’s Yu Hsiou Hsu in the night session on John Cain Arena.
But on the outside courts, where play was delayed for nearly three hours due to extreme heat, another five local men are trying to make it through.
They include Thanasi Kokkinakis (vs Fabio Fognini), Alexei Popyrin (vs Chun-Hsin Tseng), Aleks Vukic (vs Brandon Holt), Chris O’Connell (vs Jenson Brooksby) and Max Purcell (vs Emil Ruusuvuori).
In the past 30 years the record for Aussies making the second round is 12, set in 2021.
Multiple Aussies shine on Day 1 of AO | 01:08
DJOKOVIC FINALLY RETURNS
Novak Djokovic makes his eagerly anticipated return to the Australian Open on Tuesday and women’s world number two Ons Jabeur will also launch her title bid.
Serbia’s Djokovic, one of the finest men’s tennis players of all time, was deported on the eve of last year’s Grand Slam at Melbourne Park because of his stance on Covid vaccines.
But the 35-year-old will be back when he faces Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain in his opener and looks likely to be given a warm reception by the Rod Laver Arena crowd.
He is bidding to win the Australian Open for a record-extending 10th time and in doing so tie defending champion Rafael Nadal’s men’s all-time record of 22 Grand Slam crowns.
Djokovic is hot favourite for the first Grand Slam of the year, but after winning an Adelaide warm-up tournament last week, he has been bothered by a slight hamstring injury.
He was pictured practising on Monday with heavy strapping around his left thigh.
“I always like my chances. I train as hard as really anybody out there,” Djokovic said ahead of his opener, attempting to dispel concerns about his hamstring.
“There’s a lot of youngsters now that are very hungry, that want to win. They want to take a scalp off you on the big stadium. I know that.
“But experience of being in these kind of particular circumstances helps I think to have the right approach and do things in a proper way.”
Rafa advances after tough test | 01:03
AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2023
Night 2 Order Of Play
Rod Laver Arena
Night session from 7pm
Tamara Zidansek (SLO) v [2] Ons Jabeur (TUN)
Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) v [4] Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Show Court 1
Night session from 7pm
Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) v [12] Belinda Bencic (SUI)
Tomas Machac (CZE) v [2] Casper Ruud (NOR)
John Cain Arena
Night session not before 7pm
Yu Hsiou Hsu (TPE) v [22] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
Aussies in action
Kia Arena, Match 3
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Fabio Fognini (ITA)
1573 Arena, Match 4
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v Brandon Holt (USA)
Court 3, Match 3
Chun-Hsin Tseng (TPE) v Alexei Popyrin (AUS)
Court 6, Match 3
Christopher O’Connell (AUS) v Jenson Brooksby (USA)
Court 7, Match 2
Max Purcell (AUS) v Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN)
Follow updates from the Australian Open in our live blog below!
