HIGHLIGHTS-Tennis-Australian Open day three

Jan 20 (Reuters) – Highlights of the third day at the Australian Open on Tuesday (times GMT):

1234 KASATKINA STUNNED BY TEEN BARTUNKOVA

Russian-born Daria Kasatkina, who switched nationality to Australia in March, crashed out after a 7-6(7) 0-6 6-3 loss to Czech Nikola Bartunkova.

1223 OSAKA OVERCOMES RUZIC AFTER GRAND ENTRANCE

Two-times Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka dug deep to overcome Croatian Antonia Ruzic 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Earlier, the former world number one had turned heads with a show-stopping entrance in a hat, veil and parasol over a sea-blue ensemble and pleated white pants.

0957 FRITZ SEES OFF ROYER

American ninth seed Taylor Fritz, the 2024 Australian Open quarter-finalist, recovered from a second set wobble to beat Frenchman Valentin Royer 7-6(5) 5-7 6-1 6-3.

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Sinner through to Australian Open second round after Gaston retires

Defending champion Keys gets off to shaky start, Shelton outclasses Humbert

Injury-hit Monfils bows out of final Australian Open with guns blazing

Ukraine’s Oliynykova finds joy in Grand Slam debut despite first-round loss

Shelton overpowers Humbert in battle of lefthanders at Australian Open

Sabalenka ready to mix it up, Alcaraz coninutes career Grand Slam bid

Djokovic reaches 100th Australian Open match win in hunt for 25th Grand Slam

Defending champions Sinner and Keys on court, Fritz tests knee

Swiatek fends off dogged Yuan to reach Australian Open second round

Tennis Australia defends prize money amid player complaints

Players hit by cramp as heat and heartbreak strike at Australian Open

Medvedev turns up the heat to beat De Jong at Australian Open

Gauff crushes Rakhimova to reach Australian Open second round

Djokovic leads old guard through in Melbourne, Swiatek and Gauff progress

0942 BENCIC BLAZES PAST BOULTER

Switzerland’s Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic, the 10th seed in Melbourne, brushed aside Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-0 7-5.

0925 SINNER THROUGH AFTER GASTON RETIRES

Defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced to the second round after his French opponent Hugo Gaston retired after two sets while trailing 6-2 6-1.

Gaston was in tears after he told Sinner he could not continue, with the Italian second seed consoling him.

0802 MONFILS BIDS FAREWELL TO AUSTRALIA

“My journey started in 2003 with you guys, now we are in 2026 and somehow it’s the finish line. Thank you so much for this amazing ride, you guys have been unbelievable,” Monfils told fans who gave him a standing ovation.

“I’ve got a lot of great memories here… I’ve been very lucky to play here for many years. Thank you very much.”

0757 MONFILS OUSTED IN FINAL AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny beat Gael Monfils 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 7-5 in a match that lasted nearly four hours, knocking out the French veteran who was taking part in the Australian Open for the 20th and final time.

Monfils, 39, announced he would retire at the end of the 2026 season.

0610 KHACHANOV EXACTS REVENGE ON MICHELSEN

Russian 15th seed Karen Khachanov fired 24 aces and 71 winners as he came out on a top in a near four-hour battle with Alex Michelsen, sealing a 4-6 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-3 victory.

Michelsen had upset Khachanov in straight sets in the third round last year.

0530 RYBAKINA CRUISES INTO SECOND ROUND

Fifth seed Elena Rybakina beat Kaja Juvan 6-4 6-3 in a match that lasted just 72 minutes, firing 22 winners past the Slovenian.

0527 SHELTON OVERCOMES HUMBERT IN STRAIGHT SETS

American eighth seed Ben Shelton beat France’s Ugo Humbert 6-3 7-6(2) 7-6(5) in a battle between two lefthanders to march into the second round.

0348 MUSETTI THROUGH AFTER COLLIGNON RETIRES

Lorenzo Musetti advanced to the second round after his Belgian opponent Raphael Collignon retired while trailing 4-6 7-6(3) 7-5 3-2. Musetti will play fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.

Collignon had given the Italian fifth seed a tough time early on but began cramping towards the end of the third set and retired after the three-hour mark in hot conditions.

0320 STRAIGHT SETS WIN, STRAIGHT TO THE TOILET FOR DARDERI

Italian 22nd seed Luciano Darderi beat Cristian Garin 7-6(5) 7-5 7-6(3) in just under three hours but did not hang around to celebrate, sprinting to the bathroom immediately after shaking hands with his Chilean opponent.

Darderi had also rushed to the bathroom earlier when Garin needed treatment to his foot.

0225 KEYS ADVANCES AFTER EARLY HICCUP

Defending champion Madison Keys found herself 4-0 down in the opening set against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova but quickly recovered to win 7-6(6) 6-1. The ninth seed will next play American compatriot Ashlyn Krueger in the second round.

0154 FERNANDEZ SHOCKED BY INDONESIA’S TJEN

Janice Tjen upset former U.S. Open finalist and Canadian 22nd seed Leylah Fernandez 6-2 7-6(1) to become the first Indonesian to win a match at the Australian Open in 28 years.

0145 AUSTRALIA’S PRESTON PROGRESSES

Australian wildcard Taylah Preston beat China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3 2-6 6-3 for the 20-year-old’s first Grand Slam match win.

0020 PLAY UNDERWAY

The main showcourts at Melbourne Park were in action, with Madison Keys taking on Oleksandra Oliynykova at the Rod Laver Arena as she started her defence of her first Grand Slam title.

Jannik Sinner kicks off his campaign for a third consecutive Australian Open title against Hugo Gaston.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo Musetti faces Raphael Collignon. Other top seeds, including Ben Shelton, Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, are also scheduled to play across the show courts as the opening round continues in warm conditions.

ORDER OF PLAY ON TUESDAY

Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the third day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):

ROD LAVER ARENA

Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)

Oleksandra Oliynykova (Ukraine) v 9-Madison Keys (U.S.)

8-Ben Shelton (U.S.) v Ugo Humbert (France)

Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)

Hugo Gaston (France) v 2-Jannik Sinner (Italy)

16-Naomi Osaka (Japan) v Antonia Ruzic (Croatia)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

Day session (0030 GMT/1130 AEDT)

5-Lorenzo Musetti (Italy) v Raphael Collignon (Belgium)

5-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) v Kaja Juvan (Slovenia)

Night session (0800 GMT/1900 AEDT)

Katie Boulter (Britain) v 10-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)

Shintaro Mochizuki (Japan) v 31-Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)

JOHN CAIN ARENA

Day session (0000 GMT/1100 AEDT)

Tereza Valentova (Czech Republic) v 30-Maya Joint (Australia)

15-Karen Khachanov (Russia) v Alex Michelsen (U.S.)

Night session (0600 GMT/1700 AEDT)

Valentin Royer (France) v 9-Taylor Fritz (U.S.)

Maddison Inglis (Australia) v Kimberly Birrell (Australia)

(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Christian Radnedge)