Canada&#39;s Milos Raonic was knocked out of the Australian Open by Lukas Lacko on Tuesday in his earliest exit at Grand Slam for seven years.

The 86th-ranked Slovakian beat the 22nd seeded Raonic 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in 3hr 22min on Show Court three.

It was Raonic&#39;s earliest exit at a Slam since losing in the first round at Roland Garros in 2011.

Raonic, a 2016 Wimbledon finalist, is fighting his way back from a wrist injury last season and despite serving 36 aces, he made 47 unforced errors and had his serve broken three times.

Lacko will play Argentina&#39;s Nicolas Kicker in the second round.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-sharapova-enters-second-round-after-beating-tatjana-maria-29648" target="_blank">Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-belinda-bencic-on-first-round-win-over-venus-williams-29570" target="_blank">Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-the-lucky-red-dress-saved-simona-as-she-survives-first-round-29680">Australian Open: The lucky red dress saved Simona as she survives first round</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-wawrinka-zverev-djokovic-progress-to-second-round-29679" target="_blank">Australian Open: Wawrinka, Zverev, Djokovic enter second round</a>

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The 86th-ranked Slovakian beat the 22nd seeded Raonic 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

Canada's Milos Raonic was knocked out of the Australian Open by Lukas Lacko on Tuesday in his earliest exit at Grand Slam for seven years. The 86th-ranked Slovakian beat the 22nd seeded Raonic 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in 3hr 22min on Show Court three. It was Raonic's earliest exit at a Slam since losing in the first round at Roland Garros in 2011. Raonic, a 2016 Wimbledon finalist, is fighting his way back from a wrist injury last season and despite serving 36 aces, he made 47 unforced errors and had his serve broken three times. Lacko will play Argentina's Nicolas Kicker in the second round. Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams Australian Open: The lucky red dress saved Simona as she survives first round Australian Open: Wawrinka, Zverev, Djokovic enter second round

Australian Open: Milos Raonic crashes, drives out of Slam

Stan Wawrinka d&nbsp;Ricardas Berankis,&nbsp;6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2)

Former champion Stan Wawrinka was taken to four sets before winning his first match since knee surgery in July at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The three-time Grand Slam winner downed Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) on Hisense Arena.

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The man. ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StanWawrinka</a> <a href="https://t.co/RDCXrLzNTi">pic.twitter.com/RDCXrLzNTi</a>
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It was a confidence booster for the 2014 Melbourne Park champion who had a troubled lead-in to the year&#39;s opening Grand Slam, pulling out of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.

The Swiss star, who defeated Rafael Nadal to win in 2014, has slipped to nine in the world rankings, having not played since his first-round Wimbledon loss to Russian Daniil Medvedev six months ago.

&quot;It was a tough battle and I&#39;m really happy to win my first match here after six months out,&quot; Wawrinka said.

Alexander Zverev d&nbsp;Thomas Fabbiano,&nbsp;6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5

Young German star Alexander Zverev needed a hard-fought three sets to get through his opening encounter at the Australian Open on Tuesday and spoke of his search for greater consistency.

The world No.4 spent 2hr 22min on Rod Laver Arena before claiming a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 win over 73rd-ranked Italian Thomas Fabbiano.

Zverev, at the vanguard of the &quot;NextGen&quot; brigade, will face fellow German Peter Gojowczyk in the second round.

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&quot;My dog doesn&#39;t even realise who I am, so, you know, nothing changes at home.&quot; 
 
Sascha Zverev may be Top 5 but that doesn&#39;t matter to much his pup...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/SNRVjTwNeq">pic.twitter.com/SNRVjTwNeq</a>
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While the 20-year-old won five titles and was one of just four players to beat Roger Federer last year, he has yet to get beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam.

&quot;I think last year I was pretty consistent, apart from the end of the year,&quot; Zverev said.

&quot;I think my game is getting more consistent with age as well. I think that&#39;s also something that is a factor of maturity.

&quot;So I&#39;m just trying to get better every single day, and that&#39;s what I&#39;m here for,&quot; he added.

Novak Djokovic d&nbsp;Donald Young,&nbsp;6-1, 6-2, 6-4

Six-times champion Novak Djokovic&nbsp;looked the part&nbsp;as&nbsp;he powered to a convincing&nbsp;first-round&nbsp;victory at the Australian Open on Tuesday on his return from an elbow injury.

The 12-times Grand Slam champion, seeded an unfamiliar 14, was too strong for American Donald Young, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-4&nbsp;in 1hr 51min on Margaret Court Arena.

It was an impressive performance, with the Serb breaking Young&#39;s left-handed serve six times, hitting 33 winners and conceding only 27 unforced errors.

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The Nole of old. 
 
Full match report of <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a>&#39;s triumphant return to Grand Slam action ➡️<a href="https://t.co/NM22di4I6x">https://t.co/NM22di4I6x</a> <a href="https://t.co/NryKXCEKqR">pic.twitter.com/NryKXCEKqR</a>
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&quot;There is no better place to start than here in Australia, I love coming here, I love playing here,&quot; Djokovic told the crowd.

&quot;It&#39;s been a long period without any official matches but I spent as much quality time as I could with my family.

&quot;I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have, I played perfect tennis in the first couple of sets and Donald came back in the third set.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-sharapova-enters-second-round-after-beating-tatjana-maria-29648" target="_blank">Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-belinda-bencic-on-first-round-win-over-venus-williams-29570" target="_blank">Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams</a>

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The three-time Grand Slam winner downed Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) on Hisense Arena

Stan Wawrinka d Ricardas Berankis, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) Former champion Stan Wawrinka was taken to four sets before winning his first match since knee surgery in July at the Australian Open on Tuesday. The three-time Grand Slam winner downed Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) on Hisense Arena. The man. ???? #AusOpen @StanWawrinka pic.twitter.com/RDCXrLzNTi — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × It was a confidence booster for the 2014 Melbourne Park champion who had a troubled lead-in to the year's opening Grand Slam, pulling out of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The Swiss star, who defeated Rafael Nadal to win in 2014, has slipped to nine in the world rankings, having not played since his first-round Wimbledon loss to Russian Daniil Medvedev six months ago. "It was a tough battle and I'm really happy to win my first match here after six months out," Wawrinka said. Alexander Zverev d Thomas Fabbiano, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 Young German star Alexander Zverev needed a hard-fought three sets to get through his opening encounter at the Australian Open on Tuesday and spoke of his search for greater consistency. The world No.4 spent 2hr 22min on Rod Laver Arena before claiming a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 win over 73rd-ranked Italian Thomas Fabbiano. Zverev, at the vanguard of the "NextGen" brigade, will face fellow German Peter Gojowczyk in the second round. "My dog doesn't even realise who I am, so, you know, nothing changes at home." Sascha Zverev may be Top 5 but that doesn't matter to much his pup...#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/SNRVjTwNeq — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × While the 20-year-old won five titles and was one of just four players to beat Roger Federer last year, he has yet to get beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam. "I think last year I was pretty consistent, apart from the end of the year," Zverev said. "I think my game is getting more consistent with age as well. I think that's also something that is a factor of maturity. "So I'm just trying to get better every single day, and that's what I'm here for," he added. Novak Djokovic d Donald Young, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Six-times champion Novak Djokovic looked the part as he powered to a convincing first-round victory at the Australian Open on Tuesday on his return from an elbow injury. The 12-times Grand Slam champion, seeded an unfamiliar 14, was too strong for American Donald Young, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in 1hr 51min on Margaret Court Arena. It was an impressive performance, with the Serb breaking Young's left-handed serve six times, hitting 33 winners and conceding only 27 unforced errors. The Nole of old. Full match report of @DjokerNole's triumphant return to Grand Slam action ➡️https://t.co/NM22di4I6x pic.twitter.com/NryKXCEKqR — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × "There is no better place to start than here in Australia, I love coming here, I love playing here," Djokovic told the crowd. "It's been a long period without any official matches but I spent as much quality time as I could with my family. "I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have, I played perfect tennis in the first couple of sets and Donald came back in the third set." Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams

Australian Open: Wawrinka, Zverev, Djokovic enter second round

Maria Sharapova defeated&nbsp;Germany&#39;s Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 18 minutes on Tuesday.

She will either face&nbsp;14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko.

&quot;Look, I&#39;ve got shivers,&quot; said Sharapova pointing to her arm when asked on the court how much being back in Melbourne meant to her.

&quot;I cherish these moments. I love it here,&quot; she added.

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&quot;It was really meaningful to be out here today.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/MariaSharapova?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MariaSharapova</a> happy to be back in Melbourne.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/oQkEUUr2cl">pic.twitter.com/oQkEUUr2cl</a>
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&quot;It&#39;s been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me. But we know it&#39;s only going to get tougher.&quot;

The Russian star&nbsp;has won 36 singles titles and&nbsp;marked her presence in the first round of Australian Open after&nbsp;returning from a 15-month doping ban.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-rafa-through-to-second-round-29592" target="_blank">Australian Open: Rafa through to second round</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-belinda-bencic-on-first-round-win-over-venus-williams-29570" target="_blank">Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams</a>

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Sharapova defeated Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 of Germany and likely to meet Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko in the second round

Maria Sharapova defeated Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 18 minutes on Tuesday. She will either face 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko. "Look, I've got shivers," said Sharapova pointing to her arm when asked on the court how much being back in Melbourne meant to her. "I cherish these moments. I love it here," she added. "It was really meaningful to be out here today."@MariaSharapova happy to be back in Melbourne.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/oQkEUUr2cl — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × "It's been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me. But we know it's only going to get tougher." The Russian star has won 36 singles titles and marked her presence in the first round of Australian Open after returning from a 15-month doping ban. Australian Open: Rafa through to second round Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams

Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria

Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open on Monday on Rod Laver Arena.

He will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in the next round.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy to be back, it&#39;s a very important beginning for me. It&#39;s good news for me,&quot; said Rafa.

&quot;I want to enjoy every moment I&#39;m here on this court,&quot; he added.

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Long may we see <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> on Rod Laver Arena! 
 
The World No.1 speaks after progressing through to the second round. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/F9YaRO1XZV">pic.twitter.com/F9YaRO1XZV</a>
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In 94 minutes long game, the Spaniard left no chance to outplay Victor Estrella Burgos, with&nbsp;eight service breaks and 28&nbsp;winners.

Rafa wore no strapping on his knee and appeared in full power and there were no signs of injury to be seen.

He had&nbsp;suffered a knee injury in the past and also missed the scheduled warm-up matches in Brisbane. He even expressed doubts about his fitness just ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Nadal needs to reach the quarter-finals to be certain of retaining his world number one ranking. 
&nbsp;

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Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, to play Argentina's Leonardo Mayer in the next round

Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open on Monday on Rod Laver Arena. He will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in the next round. "I'm very happy to be back, it's a very important beginning for me. It's good news for me," said Rafa. "I want to enjoy every moment I'm here on this court," he added. Long may we see @RafaelNadal on Rod Laver Arena! The World No.1 speaks after progressing through to the second round. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/F9YaRO1XZV — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018 × In 94 minutes long game, the Spaniard left no chance to outplay Victor Estrella Burgos, with eight service breaks and 28 winners. Rafa wore no strapping on his knee and appeared in full power and there were no signs of injury to be seen. He had suffered a knee injury in the past and also missed the scheduled warm-up matches in Brisbane. He even expressed doubts about his fitness just ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year. Nadal needs to reach the quarter-finals to be certain of retaining his world number one ranking.

Australian Open: Rafa through to second round

Jelena Ostapenko said that ever since winning the French Open she has become a marked woman with everyone trying to beat her.

That included corset-wearing Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, who failed in her task in the Australian Open first round on Monday, losing 6-1, 6-4.

World number seven Ostapenko raced through the first set on Rod Laver Arena against the 2010 Roland Garros winner.

But she found herself 4-1 down in the second to the world number 93 who was bizarrely wearing a weightlifter-style back brace over her tennis top.

The big-hitting Latvian soon found her range again and hit back with two breaks of the Schiavone serve, the second achieved with a trademark forehand winner.

Ostapenko then served out with no further alarms to take the match in one hour and 14 minutes.

&quot;I mean, of course, it&#39;s tough, especially after winning at the age of 20. Everybody wants to beat you,&quot; she said of entering a major tournament as a former Grand Slam champion.

&quot;You have to prepare very well for every match. But on the other side, I have nothing to lose. I&#39;ve already won the Grand Slam. I just enjoy every match and show my best.&quot;

Following her French Open success, Ostapenko finished the year in the top 10 for the first time in her career and has taken the leap to being a high-profile player in her stride.

&quot;I think after French I did well at Wimbledon. That gave me even more confidence,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve had a good pre-season, and now I&#39;m ready. I&#39;m looking forward to my second match here.&quot;

That will be against China&#39;s Duan Yingying who overcame Colombia&#39;s Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets.

&nbsp;

Jelena Ostapenko said that ever since winning the French Open she has become a marked woman with everyone trying to beat her. That included corset-wearing Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, who failed in her task in the Australian Open first round on Monday, losing 6-1, 6-4. World number seven Ostapenko raced through the first set on Rod Laver Arena against the 2010 Roland Garros winner. But she found herself 4-1 down in the second to the world number 93 who was bizarrely wearing a weightlifter-style back brace over her tennis top. The big-hitting Latvian soon found her range again and hit back with two breaks of the Schiavone serve, the second achieved with a trademark forehand winner. Ostapenko then served out with no further alarms to take the match in one hour and 14 minutes. "I mean, of course, it's tough, especially after winning at the age of 20. Everybody wants to beat you," she said of entering a major tournament as a former Grand Slam champion. "You have to prepare very well for every match. But on the other side, I have nothing to lose. I've already won the Grand Slam. I just enjoy every match and show my best." Following her French Open success, Ostapenko finished the year in the top 10 for the first time in her career and has taken the leap to being a high-profile player in her stride. "I think after French I did well at Wimbledon. That gave me even more confidence," she said. "I've had a good pre-season, and now I'm ready. I'm looking forward to my second match here." That will be against China's Duan Yingying who overcame Colombia's Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets.

Australian Open: Jelena Ostapenko beats Francesca Schiavone in first round

Bulgaria&#39;s world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov breezed through his opening round in straight sets at the Australian Open on Monday.

Chasing his first Grand Slam title, he was too strong for Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Dimitrov, in Rafael Nadal&#39;s top half of the draw,&nbsp;broke Novak&#39;s service six times and only had two break points on his own serve.

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That&#39;s what you call taking care of business ???? 
 
Third seed <a href="https://twitter.com/GrigorDimitrov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GrigorDimitrov</a> defeats Dennis Novak 6-3 6-2 6-1 on <a href="https://twitter.com/RodLaverArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RodLaverArena</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/OBvltbSkM5">pic.twitter.com/OBvltbSkM5</a>
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It was a smooth opening performance by a man who has never been beyond the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

&quot;I love playing on this court, it was tricky weather with a lot of wind in the warm-up and I tried to be compact and focused,&quot; Dimitrov said.

&quot;It&#39;s always a dream of mine to win a Slam, this is the next step, and the only thing I can do is to give 100 percent in each match.&quot;

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Grigor Dimitrov defeated Dennis Novak in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes

Bulgaria's world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov breezed through his opening round in straight sets at the Australian Open on Monday. Chasing his first Grand Slam title, he was too strong for Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. Dimitrov, in Rafael Nadal's top half of the draw, broke Novak's service six times and only had two break points on his own serve. That's what you call taking care of business ???? Third seed @GrigorDimitrov defeats Dennis Novak 6-3 6-2 6-1 on @RodLaverArena.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/OBvltbSkM5 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018 × It was a smooth opening performance by a man who has never been beyond the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. "I love playing on this court, it was tricky weather with a lot of wind in the warm-up and I tried to be compact and focused," Dimitrov said. "It's always a dream of mine to win a Slam, this is the next step, and the only thing I can do is to give 100 percent in each match."

Australian Open: Dimitrov beats Novak in opener

Germany&#39;s Angelique Kerber beat Australia&#39;s Ashleigh Barty in straight sets to win the Sydney International for her ninth consecutive win of the new season on Saturday.

With this win Kerber cracks top 20 again, going to the 14th place. She will definitely be among the ones to watch at the Australian Open.

The former world No.1 was too strong for Barty, winning the final 6-4, 6-4 to give her a massive confidence boost for next week&#39;s Australian Open in Melbourne.

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...that winning feeling ???????????????? <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyTennis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamAngie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamAngie</a> #????11 <a href="https://t.co/YNpKdUh1sM">pic.twitter.com/YNpKdUh1sM</a>
&mdash; Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) <a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber/status/952095249907830785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It was Kerber&#39;s second win over the 19th-ranked Barty in three meetings.

Kerber, who began last year as No.1 before finishing at No.22, continued her 2018 resurgence and remains unbeaten this year.

Kerber won her four matches at last week&#39;s mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth before her five victories in Sydney.

It was the first time an Australian woman featured in the Sydney International final since 2005 when Alicia Molik took the title over Sam Stosur.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kerber defeated Australia's Barty in straight sets, 6-4 6-4 after an hour and 11 minutes long rally

Germany's Angelique Kerber beat Australia's Ashleigh Barty in straight sets to win the Sydney International for her ninth consecutive win of the new season on Saturday. With this win Kerber cracks top 20 again, going to the 14th place. She will definitely be among the ones to watch at the Australian Open. The former world No.1 was too strong for Barty, winning the final 6-4, 6-4 to give her a massive confidence boost for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne. ...that winning feeling ???????????????? @SydneyTennis #TeamAngie #????11 pic.twitter.com/YNpKdUh1sM — Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) January 13, 2018 × It was Kerber's second win over the 19th-ranked Barty in three meetings. Kerber, who began last year as No.1 before finishing at No.22, continued her 2018 resurgence and remains unbeaten this year. Kerber won her four matches at last week's mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth before her five victories in Sydney. It was the first time an Australian woman featured in the Sydney International final since 2005 when Alicia Molik took the title over Sam Stosur.

Angelique Kerber beats Ashleigh Barty to win Sydney International

Stan Wawrinka admitted on Saturday that he was not impressed that long-time coach Magnus Norman decided to end their relationship as he battled back from knee surgery.

Norman called it quits on his four-year spell with the Swiss star in October after a partnership that saw spawned three Grand Slam titles.

He wanted to spend more time with his family, but it didn&#39;t go down well with Wawrinka who has not played competitively since Wimbledon in July and is gearing up for the Australian Open next week.

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&quot;The fact that I&#39;m here and I&#39;m going to play the first one, it&#39;s a big victory. It&#39;s the best that I could have dream when I had the surgery&quot; 
 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stanwawrinka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/wFZgm2aju7">pic.twitter.com/wFZgm2aju7</a>
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&quot;No, for sure, it was already a tough, tough, tough moment for myself, to be out, to get surgery, to know that it will take at least six months to be back at a place where I can play tennis again,&quot; he said in Melbourne.

&quot;It was tough to hear from him that he will stop at that moment.

&quot;When you are in a tough place like that as an athlete, you want the people who know you the best to stay with you, to stick with you. You want your team, your family to be here.&nbsp;

&quot;They will help you the most to get back where you want to be.&quot;

He said Norman was not only his coach, &quot;but he was a friend, even closer than a friend&quot; and he was &quot;more sad than angry at him&quot;.

Wawrinka is still without a full-time coach, although he continues to work with Yannick Fattebert who plans to spend more time on the road with the 32-year-old.

Despite no longer being coached by Norman, Wawrinka said he would always be grateful for the time they spent together.

&quot;That&#39;s what I want to keep from our relationship,&quot; said Wawrinka, who was the world number 17 and had never reached a Grand Slam semi-final before the pair hooked up.

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Norman was a friend, even closer than a friend and he was more sad than angry at him, said Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka admitted on Saturday that he was not impressed that long-time coach Magnus Norman decided to end their relationship as he battled back from knee surgery. Norman called it quits on his four-year spell with the Swiss star in October after a partnership that saw spawned three Grand Slam titles. He wanted to spend more time with his family, but it didn't go down well with Wawrinka who has not played competitively since Wimbledon in July and is gearing up for the Australian Open next week. "The fact that I'm here and I'm going to play the first one, it's a big victory. It's the best that I could have dream when I had the surgery" - @stanwawrinka #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/wFZgm2aju7 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2018 × "No, for sure, it was already a tough, tough, tough moment for myself, to be out, to get surgery, to know that it will take at least six months to be back at a place where I can play tennis again," he said in Melbourne. "It was tough to hear from him that he will stop at that moment. "When you are in a tough place like that as an athlete, you want the people who know you the best to stay with you, to stick with you. You want your team, your family to be here. "They will help you the most to get back where you want to be." He said Norman was not only his coach, "but he was a friend, even closer than a friend" and he was "more sad than angry at him". Wawrinka is still without a full-time coach, although he continues to work with Yannick Fattebert who plans to spend more time on the road with the 32-year-old. Despite no longer being coached by Norman, Wawrinka said he would always be grateful for the time they spent together. "That's what I want to keep from our relationship," said Wawrinka, who was the world number 17 and had never reached a Grand Slam semi-final before the pair hooked up.

Coach Magnus Norman's exit upsets Stan Wawrinka

Roberto Bautista Agut his second Auckland title and&nbsp;received a big confidence boost going into the Australian Open when he beat Juan Martin del Potro in three sets in the ATP Auckland Classic final on Saturday.

The Spanish fifth seed added to his 2016 crown with a 6-1 4-6 7-5 success over Del Potro in two hours, seven minutes.

Del Potro, who had not dropped a set all week, was unable to hold serve once in the first set as the Spaniard fought his way to a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win.

Both players are seeded in the Australian Open with del Potro 12th and Bautista Agut 20th but it was the Spaniard who was in command in Auckland.

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Make that two-time ASB Classic ????! Roberto Bautista Agut wins his third consecutive <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ATP</a> final, d. Del Potro in Auckland. 
 
Read More: <a href="https://t.co/hVdIe5nvUg">https://t.co/hVdIe5nvUg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ATP</a> <a href="https://t.co/RjWaKkT9bb">pic.twitter.com/RjWaKkT9bb</a>
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He targeted the Argentinian&#39;s backhand with confidence and when he switched to the forehand court del Potro&#39;s return placement was off in the first set.

But in the second set, Del Potro regained his touch and broke Bautista Agut for the first time at 5-4 to take the set.

The final set remained with serve until Bautista Agut broke at 5-5 and then served for the match.

Del Potro ready for Melbourne despite Auckland loss he said after the match, &quot;I played well and I&#39;m looking forward to doing well in Melbourne. It&#39;s a big event for me, another Grand Slam which is amazing after all my wrist problems,&quot; he said.

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The Spanish fifth seed Roberto Bautista Agut claimed his second Auckland Open title with a win over Juan Martin del Potro in the finals

Roberto Bautista Agut his second Auckland title and received a big confidence boost going into the Australian Open when he beat Juan Martin del Potro in three sets in the ATP Auckland Classic final on Saturday. The Spanish fifth seed added to his 2016 crown with a 6-1 4-6 7-5 success over Del Potro in two hours, seven minutes. Del Potro, who had not dropped a set all week, was unable to hold serve once in the first set as the Spaniard fought his way to a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win. Both players are seeded in the Australian Open with del Potro 12th and Bautista Agut 20th but it was the Spaniard who was in command in Auckland. Make that two-time ASB Classic ????! Roberto Bautista Agut wins his third consecutive #ATP final, d. Del Potro in Auckland. Read More: https://t.co/hVdIe5nvUg #ATP pic.twitter.com/RjWaKkT9bb — ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) January 13, 2018 × He targeted the Argentinian's backhand with confidence and when he switched to the forehand court del Potro's return placement was off in the first set. But in the second set, Del Potro regained his touch and broke Bautista Agut for the first time at 5-4 to take the set. The final set remained with serve until Bautista Agut broke at 5-5 and then served for the match. Del Potro ready for Melbourne despite Auckland loss he said after the match, "I played well and I'm looking forward to doing well in Melbourne. It's a big event for me, another Grand Slam which is amazing after all my wrist problems," he said.

Tennis player Roberto Bautista claims Auckland title after defeating Juan del Porto

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