Australian Open: China’s Wang Xinyu into third round, Djokovic pays tribute to ‘his’ tree
Compatriot Jerry Shang misses chance to face the Serb in next round, while National Games champion Wu Yibing loses a tough five-setter
Nature-lover Novak Djokovic strolled into the Australian Open third round on Thursday as an erratic Madison Keys wobbled but did enough to keep her title defence on track.
Three players from China were in action on day five. Wang Xinyu made it to the third round of the Open for the first time, but Jerry Shang Juncheng missed out on the chance of joining her and facing Djokovic next after losing to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 7-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Also missing out was National Games champion Wu Yibing, who lost to American Eliot Spizzirri 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted for almost four hours.
Wang, China’s highest-ranked player in Melbourne, upset 24th seed Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 and will next face Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, the 13th seed.
Second seed Iga Swiatek, who has won six major titles but has never been successful in Melbourne, blazed past Czech Marie Bouzkova with a 6-2, 6-3 victory as she hunts for her first major title in Melbourne.
Men’s title-holder Jannik Sinner is also in action later at a sunny but cooler Melbourne Park.