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Welcome to news.com.au’s coverage of the Australian Open as day four gets underway.
Weather once again wreaked havoc at Melbourne Park with the heavens opening and delaying play for most of the afternoon on Wednesday.
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Plenty of big name stars will take to the courts on Thursday as the second round action continues with two Aussie stars leading the night session.
Novak Djokovic will return to Rod Laver Arena after he received the warmest of welcomes after his deportation in 2022.
The number of Aussies left in the draw is dwindling with fans hoping Alex de Minaur and Thanasi Kokkinakis can advance into the third round.
Don’t miss any of the action below.
11am – Kyrgios’ backstage grope caught on camera
Melbourne Park cameras don’t miss anything.
Nick Kyrgios should know that after his years on tour, but if he didn’t he sure does now.
Despite withdrawing from the Australian Open due to a knee injury, the Aussie continues to dominate social media.
Footage was uploaded to Twitter showing Kyrgios and girlfriend Costeen Hatzi walking around in the warm up area backstage when the Canberra native gets handsy with his partner.
The two are fooling around when the 27-year-old Kyrgios hugs her from behind before he fondles her chest.
Social media users were stunned by the footage.
“Why is he doing that in the middle of the hallway why is he even at the tournament?” one observer commented.
“Like the most annoying couple in a high school hallway,” another said. “Also get outta here. Why is he still here?”
7am – Fouled mouthed hecklers booted from Aus Open
A trio of British fans were sent packing from the Australian Open on Wednesday after unloading a barrage of taunts at French player Constant Lestienne.
Lestienne was taking on Britain’s Cameron Norrie in a second round clash when the unruly fans kicked off in the opening set.
The loudmouthed fans drew the attention of Melbourne Park security and were escorted out long before Norrie secured the 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory.
Chants rang out from the fans after Norrie took a 4-3 lead in the opening set as they started off with a loud “Enger-land” chant.
The Frenchman was visibly frustrated by the chants and after being handed a time violation, the fans started going after him directly.
Anger boiled over as Lestienne effectively threw points away and at the end of the opening set things got even worse.
The rowdy fans being chanting “Constant’s going home” as well as “You’re just a sh*t Andy Murray”. It was then that the chair umpire got out of his seat and walked over to security who promptly removed the fans.
The three men didn’t go quietly however as they sculled their beers and continued singing “he’s going home” on their way out.
The second round contest finally came to an end at 1:30am (AEDT) with Norrie booking his place in the third round.
6am – Day three wrapped up
Defending champion Rafael Nadal hobbled out of the second round in a huge upset at the Australian Open, as Coco Gauff beat Emma Raducanu in a battle of the rising stars.
The 36-year-old Nadal was clearly hindered by a hip issue that required a medical time-out, as he went down 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to the American.
The Italian 15th seed Jannik Sinner, 16th seed Frances Tiafoe and sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime all won.
So too did Daniil Medvedev, the losing finalist at the past two Australian Opens, who overcame a partisan crowd to dismiss Australian wildcard John Millman 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.
Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas raced past Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata in 92 minutes.
The 18-year-old American Gauff, seen as the heir to now-retired Serena Williams, defeated former US Open champion Raducanu 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Earlier, world number one Iga Swiatek and dangerous American Jessica Pegula led the charge into the third round.
Polish title favourite Swiatek swept past Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3 while third seed Pegula downed Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).
Greece’s Maria Sakkari also went through, but she looked anything but the sixth seed in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 struggle against Russian qualifier and college student Diana Shnaider.
Sakkari was irked by Shnaider’s fist pumps and celebratory screams, before finding her composure.
In the last match of the day, last year’s beaten finalist Danielle Collins had an almighty scare before defeating Karolina Muchova 6-7 (1/7), 6-2, 7-6 (10/6).
– AFP
Originally published as Australian Open 2023 live: Kyrgios’ backstage grope caught on camera
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