TENNYS Sandgren and Tommy Paul are leading the American charge after downing top 20 players in Round 2 of the Australian Open yesterday. They were the major upsets on a day where there was plenty of action, with Australian John Millman, and Croatian Maric Cilic also booking a spot in the Round of 32 after upset victories over seeds.

Sandgren guaranteed at least one United States player will reach the fourth round by downing eighth seed Italian, Marco Berrettini in five sets. Leading two sets to love, the world number 100 shocked the eighth seed with a 7-6 6-4 lead earner before Berrettini roared to life. He ploughed through the next two sets to draw level, before Sandgren stepped up again to win a remarkable contest, 7-6 6-4 4-6 6-2 7-5 in three hours and 23 minutes. Sandgren sealed the victory after breaking Berrettini in the eleventh game of the deciding set, then serving out the match to love. It was certainly a battle of the big servers with Sandgren leading the way with 22 aces to 16, though the Italian had five more winners (50-49), though also 15 more unforced errors (49-34). By causing the upset, Sandgren now faces compatriot, Sam Querrey in the Round of 32.

Querrey down’s Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis in four sets, winning 7-6 4-6 6-4 6-4 in a tight two and a half hour contest. The big serving American put down 26 aces and 59 winners in a dominant display, winning 87 per cent of his first serve points, and more than half of his second serve points. Berankis was impressive in his own right despite not having the same serving power, winning 72 per cent of his first serve points and recording 38 winners, often approaching the net with a neat touch. Despite this, Querrey’s first serve average of 194 kmh was faster than Berankis’ top serve (193 kmh) and it showed with some easy points going to the American.

Italian firebrand, Fabio Fognini overcame the obstacles of home court support and a never-say-die attitude from Australian Jordan Thompson to post his second successive five-set win at Melbourne Park. After spending three hours and 38 minutes on court in Round 1, the 12th seed topped the effort with four hours and five minutes in the second round, having to shake off an almighty comeback from the local to eventually shake him off, 7-6 6-1 3-6 4-6 7-6 with a 10-4 super tiebreak score. Fognini was producing everything off his racket with a massive 70 winners, but 77 unforced errors as he served up 10 aces and won 73 per cent of his first serves. Thompson was more subdued with 36 winners and 47 unforced errors, though he had two more aces (12) and broke the same amount of times (three) in an evenly matched contest.

Having an earlier end to his contest, 22nd seed Guido Pella overcame determined Frenchman, Gregoire Barrere out on Court 13 with a 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory in two hours and 11 minutes. Pella dominated all the statistical areas, breaking five times to two, hitting two more winners and serving three more aces. He also produced 11 less unforced errors, but despite this, Barrere continued to hang around after a disappointing first set. Pella booked his spot in the Round of 32 against Fognini, with the Argentinian having beaten his opponent twice compared to the Italian’s once, though all were on clay.

T. Sandgren (USA) defeated [8] M. Berrettini (ITA) 7-6 6-4 4-6 2-6 7-5
S. Querrey (USA) defeated R. Berankis (LIT) 7-6 4-6 6-4 6-4
[22] Guido Pella (ARG) defeated G. Barrere (FRA) 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3
[12] F. Fognini (ITA) defeated J. Thompson (AUS) 7-6 6-1 3-6 4-6 7-6

While Thompson might have gone down, Australian fan favourite Millman celebrated on Melbourne Arena with a straight sets win over Hubert Hurkacz. The Polish young gun had to come from two sets down against Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak in Round 1 to win, and was tasked with the same deficit against Millman, as well as a 0-4 deciding set deficit. While he broke back once and had additional break points to put the match back on serve, Millman held his nerve in the ninth game to serve out the match. In fact, Millman broke a total of eight times from 10 opportunities during the match, while Hurkacz managed the five from 10. The Australian is not a big hitter, with just 19 winners and 44 unforced errors, but he keeps counter punching and it wilted the 31st seed in the two and a half hour contest. Now the 30-year-old Australian gets to face world number three, Roger Federer in the third round who defeated Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic in straight sets, 6-1 6-4 6-1.

In a seedless third round match, two players who have cause upsets to top 20 seeds are set to face off when Hungarian, Marton Fucsovics takes on American, Paul. Fucsovics booked his spot in the next round after defeating Italian young gun Jannik Sinner 6-4 6-4 6-3 which followed on from his four-set triumph over 13th seed Canadian, Denis Shapovalov in Round 1. The Hungarian hit 22 winners and won 69 per cent of his first serve points, also being more proficient at the net with a 74 per cent success rate. Sinner hit 16 winners but 47 unforced errors in the clash, breaking three times, and was not able to match the Hungarian who managed it seven times from 12 opportunities.

Meanwhile Paul had to survive a mighty comeback from 18th seed, Grigor Dimitrov during a 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-7 7-6 victory in a four hour and 19 minute epic encounter on Margaret Court Arena. Despite Dimitrov’s 21 aces and 68 winners, Paul maintained his composure with 11 and 60 respectively, winning 70 per cent of his first serve points. He broke the Belarusian five times (one less than Dimitrov broke him), but kept battling away before producing a memorable super tiebreak, getting up 10-3, winning the last seven points of the match and earning a spot in the Round of 32.

M. Fucsovics (HUN) defeated J. Sinner (ITA) 6-4 6-4 6-3
T. Paul (USA) defeated [18] G. Dimitrov (BLR) 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-7 7-6
J. Millman (AUS) defeated [31] H. Hurkacz (POL) 6-4 7-5 6-3
[3] R. Federer (SUI) defeated F. Krajinovic (SRB) 6-1 6-4 6-1

Unfortunately Melbourne Park attendees hoping to see Draft Central‘s Match of Day would have been left disappointed after it was announced that German Philipp Kohlschreiber had pulled out of the Open due to a muscle strain. It allowed sixth seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas safe passage into the Round of 32, where he will face 32nd seed, Canadian Milos Raonic. The big serving Raonic was at his best against up-and-coming Chilean, Cristian Garin winning 6-3 6-4 6-2 in an hour and 37 minutes. He served 19 aces and hit 35 winners during the display, looking impenetrable on serve with a 92 per cent first serve success rate. He also worried the smaller Garin at the net, winning 20 of a possible 25 net points, and only having the 25 unforced errors for the match. So dominant was he on serve the Garin failed to break him once during the contest, and in fact only won 10 points across the three sets on Raonic’s serve.

The other top 10 seed in the eighth of the draw also booked a spot in the Round of 32, with world number nine, Roberto Bautista Agut coming from a set down to defeat American wildcard, Michael Mmoh. The 217th ranked American won the first set 7-5 in a surprise, but then the experienced Bautista Agut – nine years his senior – kicked into gear. He posted a 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-1 victory in two hours and 44 minutes. The Spaniard is not a big server, but he continues to use his counter punching strengths to advantage, winning 79 per cent of his first serve points, and an impressive 57 per cent of his second serve points. He won 39 per cent of his receiving points and still hit 32 winners while only having 33 unforced errors, compared to Mmoh’s 44 and 62. He broke six times to one, all coming in the final three sets to record an important victory.

Another five-set epic on Day 3 was Croatian Marin Cilic‘s come-from-behind win over 21st seed Benoit Paire. Cilic had a 4-1 head-to-head record against Paire, and despite cruising to a 6-2 lead after the first set, found himself two sets to one down after the Frenchman won the next two. He again found top gear with a 6-1 fourth set win, then the duo traded blows in a momentum swinging fifth set, eventually winning 6-2 6-7 3-6 6-1 7-6 and 10-3 in the super tiebreak. Paire served up a high volume of aces (30) though also had 10 double faults, winning 83 per cent of his first serve points, as well as 63 winners. But it was the unforced errors that counted the most, with Cilic only having 38 to 59, and winning a massive 81 per cent of his net points to prove a real problem for Paire. The Croatian broke six times to three throughout the five-set contest and earned a spot in the next round against Bautista Agut.

[6] S. Tsitsipas (GRE) defeated P. Kohlschreiber (GER) WALK-OVER
[32] M. Raonic (CAN) defeated C. Garin (CHI) 6-3 6-4 6-2
M. Cilic (CRO) defeated [21] B. Paire (FRA) 6-2 6-7 3-6 6-1 7-6
[9] R. Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated [WC] M. Mmoh (USA) 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-1

The bottom eighth of the men’s draw saw all four winners cruise through in four sets, led by world number two and tournament favourite, Novak Djokovic. The Serbian seven-time winner defeated Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito 6-1 6-4 6-2 in just over an hour and a half. From the first game through to the last, Djokovic never looked like losing with another comfortable performance. He served 16 aces and won 93 per cent of his first serve points, only dropping six points on serve, while winning 44 per cent of Ito’s serve points. His 31 winners were accompanied by just 17 unforced errors, giving the Japanese 31-year-old a lesson in what it takes to be the top of the world. He now faces Ito’s compatriot, Yoshihito Nishioka in the Round of 32.

Nishioka upset the inconsistent Brit, Dan Evans with a 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory in just under two hours out on Court 19. Ranked 71st in the world, the Japanese underdog was too consistent for the 30th seed, downing Evans with a 75 per cent serving percentage, while winning 85 per cent of his net points. Both players looked comfortable at the net, and while Evans hit 32 winners, he also recorded 39 unforced errors. Nishioka hit a more conservative 23 and 19, while winning 34 per cent of his receiving points. Breaking four times to nil, Nishioka just did enough to keep Evans at arms-length and secure a spot in the third round.

Argentinian 14th seed Diego Schwartzman won in similarly cruisy circumstances, getting up 6-1 6-4 6-2 over Spaniard, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Schwartzman was economical in his approach, only recording 29 unforced errors from 18 winners and breaking seven times to cause all sorts of headaches for Davidovich Fokina. Playing his successful counter punching game, the 170cm Argentinian worked his way into the Round of 32 to now face 24th seed, Dusan Lajovic.

The Serbian won his second successive straight sets victory, downing Australian wildcard Marc Polmans 6-2 6-4 6-3 in an hour and 52 minutes. Lajovic served up 12 aces and hit 46 winners, dominating at the net with an 80 per cent winning record when there. He also broke five times and saved five break point opportunities, as Polmans ran into a player just a class above. The Australian could only manage the 11 winners for the match and while his serving efficiency of 72 per cent was good, he won just 55 and 58 per cent of his first and second serve points.

[14] D. Schwartzman (ARG) defeated A. Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-1 6-4 6-2
[24] D. Lajovic (SRB) defeated [WC] M. Polmans (AUS) 6-4 6-4 6-3
Y. Nishioka (JPN) defeated [30] D. Evans (GBR) 6-4 6-3 6-4
[2] N. Djokovic (SRB) defeated [WC] T. Ito (JPN) 6-1 6-4 6-2