Tennis: Auger-Aliassime, Rune stunned in Adelaide as Djokovic enjoys rousing return

Adelaide – Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin stunned second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round of the season-opening Adelaide International on Monday, as Novak Djokovic was given a hero’s welcome in a rare doubles appearance.

On a day of upsets, world No. 11 Holger Rune also crashed out, as did women’s third seed Daria Kasatkina.

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime was in top form towards the end of 2022, winning three tournaments in October and November before leading his country to Davis Cup glory when they beat Australia in the final for a maiden title.

The 22-year-old rose to No. 6 in the world and said before the tournament that he wanted to ride the wave of momentum into the 2023 season.

But he came unstuck against Popyrin, who dropped out of the top 100 last year, slumping 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

The 23-year-old Australian attacked at every opportunity, hitting 32 winners, including 12 aces.

Popyrin broke Auger-Aliassime once in the first set and although he went down an early break in the second, he was able to claw back then clinch the tiebreak on his first match point.

“I had a really, really tough season last year,” he said.

“So to come out in my first main-draw match of the year and beat a player of his quality, it just shows that the work I did in the off season is paying off.”

Popyrin now plays American Marcos Giron, who beat French veteran Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (6-8), 7-5 on Sunday.

Japan’s Yoshihito Nishikori downed fifth seed Rune – the ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2022 after claiming three titles – in three sets.

The 19-year-old Dane won the first set comfortably but his serve went off the boil and Nishikori came back to win the next two and take the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Earlier, fans gave 35-year-old Djokovic a raucous welcome during his first match in Australia in almost two years.

Playing with Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, they lost to doubles specialists Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 but enjoyed overwhelming crowd support.

The Serbian superstar, who is also playing singles in Adelaide, was deported from the country before the 2022 Australian Open for not being vaccinated against Covid-19 and was subsequently barred from re-entering for three years.

But the ban was lifted in November and he will be attempting to win his 10th Australian Open title later in January to add to his 21 Grand Slam crowns.

In other singles action, Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic beat Australian Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 6-4 and Frenchman Quentin Halys eased past wild card Jordan Thompson, also from Australia, 6-3, 6-4.

There was also a major upset in the women’s draw, when 18-year-old Czech qualifier Linda Noskova beat Kasatkina 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova of Russia crushed American Amanda Anisimova, who has two WTA Tour titles, 6-3, 6-0, while Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu beat another American, Shelby Rogers, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. AFP