Early exit: Milos Raonic
Canadian Milos Raonic was dumped out of the Australian Open by Lukas Lacko on Tuesday in his earliest exit at Grand Slam for seven years.
The 86th-ranked Slovakian defeated the 22nd seeded Canadian 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in 3hr 22min on Show Court Three.
It was Raonic’s worst performance at a major since losing in the first round at Roland Garros in 2011.
But in the women’s event, two former world number one, Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova, routinely made it to the second round. Britain’s star, Johanna Konta also walked through.
Raonic, a semi-finalist in Melbourne two years ago, was fighting to make up for lost time after wrist and calf injuries last year and an early exit at the lead-in Brisbane International tournament this month.
“I wasn’t sharp and I struggled physically, thankfully not from injury, but from fitness and preparedness and that caught up with me a lot,” the Canadian told reporters.
“I was hoping I would be a little more efficient on the court but things dragged on a little bit and I wasn’t that sharp, quick, I wasn’t hitting that hard or aggressive and I wasn’t able to dictate.”
Asked about his lack of preparation time for the Australian Open, Raonic said: “It is what it is.
“It’s what I was aware when I came here, I knew it was going to be something along these lines, obviously I wished it would be much better.
“I knew that the time I had to spend in the gym and on the court wasn’t ideal and I just tried to make the most of it.”
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, who hasn’t been beyond the third round in Melbourne, will play Argentina’s Nicolas Kicker in the second round.
In contrast, former champions Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber turned on the style to sweep into the second round Tuesday.
With temperatures heating up in Melbourne, the two Grand Slam winners wasted little time on court.
Sharapova, still working her way back from a 15-month ban for taking the performance-enhancing substance meldonium, showed glimpses of the tennis that made her a five-time major winner.
The 2008 Melbourne Park champion, now ranked 48, battled past Germany’s Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 and will next play either 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko.
“I cherish these moments. I love it here,” said the Russian, who returned from her drugs ban in April last year.
“It’s been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me.”
Fellow former world number one Kerber, who won the tournament in 2016, was also impressive in dismissing Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-0, 6-4.
“2017, I have said goodbye already, I am not looking back,” she said after a forgettable last season that saw her relinquish the number one spot and slide down the rankings.
She is now on a 10-match win streak after a perfect early season.
“I’m just trying to enjoy it again on court,” said the German, who turns 30 this week.
American woes continued with Madison Brengle sent packing by British ninth seed Johanna Konta in emphatic 6-3 6-1 win.
Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova and eighth seed Caroline Garcia also progressed, in contrast to the other side of the draw that saw Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe crash out on Monday.
