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 Bosnia and Herzegovina can sleep again after Damir Dzumhur's fairy-tale run came to an end after an exhilarating week at the Australian Open yesterday. 
 The 188th-ranked Dzumhur, the first man from the tiny Balkan state to play in a grand slam event, lost to world number seven Tomas Berdych in straight sets in the third round.
And Novak Djokovic overcame Denis Istomin in a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 straight sets victory last night on Rod Laver Arena. 
Urged on by the vociferous chanting of local Bosnians, the 21-year-old Dzumhur captivated fans back home, watching on overnight broadcasts, with his tireless retrieving as he reached the last 32.
 Dzumhur had won five straight matches to make it to the third round after three qualifiers and main-draw wins over Jan Hajek and Ivan Dodig.
 But the run ended against Berdych with the big-serving Czech winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in one hour 45 minutes on Hisense Arena.
 Whatever the outcome, Dzumhur had put Bosnia on the tennis map in the year in which their national soccer team will play at the World Cup for the first time in Brazil.
 Berdych said: "I think we might see him here for another couple of years. He's a young guy. He's very hungry. He went through the qualies, played another two solid matches. I think he's a very talented player."
 Dzumhur said Bosnian newspapers and television stations had contacted him straight after he came off the court to talk with their new national sporting hero.
 "They were unbelievably surprised with my game and they said that the whole of Bosnia didn't sleep tonight," he said. "They said everybody was in front of their televisions watching and they were just so proud.
 "They said it was such a success and nobody has done it before and they don't know if anybody can repeat it. They hope I can do it again.
 "I am really glad I am Bosnian and I'm really happy that Bosnia can be in such a big event.
 "I hope I will come again here and in other grand slams to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina, because that small country deserves it and that small country needs sports success."
In other men's matches, unbreakable Spaniard David Ferrer reached his 15th straight grand slam fourth round. 
 Third seed Ferrer denied Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes in fierce afternoon heat.  Ferrer will face Germany's Florian Mayer.  


Tomas Berdych ends Bosnian's fairy-tale run

Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina returns to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their third-round match at the Australian Open on Friday. Photo: EPA

Sport

Tennis

Damir Dzumhur can look back on an exhilarating week at the Australian Open


Tomas Berdych ends Bosnian's fairy-tale run

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Damir Dzumhur can look back on an exhilarating week at the Australian Open

Damir Dzumhur can look back on an exhilarating week at the Australian Open