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    Kapital FM 92.9 The Station that Rocks!

Sports

Australian Open 2024: Norrie beats Zeppieri in Melbourne

todayJanuary 18, 2024 4 4

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Britain’s Cameron Norrie reached the Australian Open third round after fighting back to win a five-set match in Melbourne for the first time.

Norrie, seeded 19th, went two sets down against Italian qualifier Guilio Zeppieri but rallied to win 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 6-4.

He broke early in the third set, just before a lengthy rain delay, but it did not stall his momentum.

The 28-year-old will face 11th seed Casper Ruud in the third round.

Norrie, who has never gone beyond the third round, was the first of four Britons in second-round action on Thursday.

Katie Boulter, the nation’s leading women’s player, followed Norrie on the 1573 Arena to play Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen.

If Boulter wins, Emma Raducanu will have the chance afterwards to set up an all-British meeting with her in the third round.

Raducanu, 22, continues the early stages of her comeback from an eight-month injury lay-off when she faces China’s Wang Yafan.

Jack Draper is also in action against American 14th seed Tommy Paul on Kia Arena – the venue’s fourth biggest court, which holds 5,000 fans.

Paul was a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, but 22-year-old Draper beat him on his way to the Adelaide final last week.

In another match, Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic said a confrontation with a spectator was the spark he “needed” to hold off Alexei Popyrin and avoid a shock second-round exit.

Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 11th men’s title in Melbourne, looked far from his best in the four-set win.

The Serb told one spectator to “come down and tell it to my face” during the fourth set after repeated heckling.

BBC

Written by: Godstime Egelege-Idama

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