Kyrgios survives to face Nadal in Australian Open

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios scarcely eliminated Russia's Karen Khachanov by 3-2 in the 2020 Australian Open men's singles third round on Saturday.

Ranked 23rd in the globe, Kyrgios won against Khachanov with the sets of 6-2, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-6 to meet Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal in the fourth round.

Kyrgios, 24, fought hard in the five-set battle at Melbourne Arena, which lasted for 4 hours and 26 minutes.

Khachanov's journey in this year's AO ended in the third round.

"That's one of the best wins of my career. It was insane," Kyrgios said after the exhausting game.

The Australian player added that he would get his legs into an ice bath rather than thinking about his next opponent, Nadal.

Meanwhile the top seed, Nadal eliminated his fellow national Pablo Carreno Busta 3-0 in the third round match at Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal — a 19-time grand slam singles champion — toppled Busta with the sets of 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to be in the last 16 stage.

The 33-year-old Spanish superstar became the Australian Open champion in 2009, his only AO title so he wants to end his 11-year quest in Melbourne.

Since his sole AO triumph, Nadal played 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019 finals in Melbourne.

– Kontaveit hammers Bencic in women's

Anett Kontaveit of Estonia thrashed her Swiss opponent Belinda Bencic 2-0 with the sets of 6-0, 6-1 in women's third round.

Kontaveit, 24, isn't among the top 10 in women's singles rankings but managed to eliminate 22-year-old Bencic, who ranked 6th in the world.

The Estonian national will face 18-year-old Polish player Iga Swiatek in the last 16.

– Pliskova, Svitolina eliminated from AO

World no. 2 from Czech Republic, Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine have been eliminated from the tournament each in the women's singles third round.

Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Pliskova 7-6, 7-6 at Rod Laver Arena to march to the last 16, where she will play against Angelique Kerber of Germany.

Separately 25-year-old Svitolina, who ranked 5th in the globe, faced an early exit over Saturday's loss to Garbine Muguruza from Spain.

Muguruza, 26, won against Svitolina 6-1, 6-2 to meet Dutch player Kiki Bertens in the upcoming round.

The 108th edition of the Australian Open will run from Jan. 20 through Feb. 2.

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