Images from Day 3 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic's aura of invincibility at Rod Laver Arena wavered under the pressure of Frances Tiafoe on Wednesday but the Serbian rose to the challenge to claim a tough 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 6-3 win and reach the third round of the Australian Open.
The double-defending champion has rarely been tested so early at his favourite Grand Slam but he had his hands full against American Tiafoe, whose sparkling tennis revived memories of his exhilarating run to the 2019 quarter-finals.
"Very tough match," said a relieved Djokovic on court, his voice faint and hoarse from the battle.
"Also difficult conditions. While we had sun on the court it was very, very warm.
"I want to give a hand to Frances again for a great fight. It was a fantastic match.
"If I have to choose obviously I would like to have these kinds of matches in the opening week."
Tiafoe went toe-to-toe with the top seed on a hot and humid afternoon but it all fell apart at 3-3 in the final set when the American grew frustrated by the service clock.
He was docked a serve and then broken after a foul-mouthed tirade at the chair umpire.
He continued grumbling at the change of ends, complaining there was no time to wipe down with a towel and fire down a serve.
Due to social distancing restrictions, players have to pick up their towels rather than have them handed to them by a ballkid.
Tiafoe earned a code violation for an audible obscenity before bowing out with a double-fault on match point.
Djokovic is unbeaten on the Melbourne Park centre court since an injury-hampered fourth round defeat to South Korea's Chung Hyeon in the 2018 tournament.
"When you win a lot on a certain court you feel more comfortable and confident," said the Serb, who is bidding for a record-extending ninth title at Melbourne Park and 18th Grand Slam crown in total.
"It feels right, it feels like my living room here. It's only I'm not sitting on a couch."
Serena sweeps into third round
Serena Williams overcame a spirited Nina Stojanovic 6-3, 6-0 on a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena to reach the third round of the Australian Open for the 19th time on Wednesday.
The American, again sporting her distinctive one-legged leotard, needed to find her best game at times in the first set against a Serbian 15 years her junior who was playing in her fourth Grand Slam.
Williams has won seven major titles at Melbourne Park alone, of course, and ramped up her serve to see off the danger before putting the pressure back on her opponent with some booming service returns.
"She pushed me really hard and played well throughout the match," the 39-year-old said.
"I wasn’t thinking so much in the second set."
The second set was one-way traffic and Williams fired down her sixth ace of the contest to seal a date with Anastasia Potapova, taking another step on the path she hopes will end with a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
Thiem time at Melbourne Park as third seed eases through
US Open champion Dominic Thiem kept his time in the Melbourne sun to an absolute minimum on Wednesday, taking 93 minutes to beat Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 and secure his place in the third round of the Australian Open.
The Austrian third seed had to tough it out at times in the opening set but took full control after that as his German opponent appeared to struggle in temperatures touching 30 degrees Celsius on Margaret Court Arena.
Thiem lost to Novak Djokovic in the Melbourne Park final last year and would have been hoping to conserve energy in the early rounds this week as he looks to dethrone the Serbian and clinch his second Grand Slam crown.
The 27-year-old booked a third-round date with the winner of the later contest between Nick Kyrgios and Ugo Humbert when Koepfer went wide with a forehand for his 38th unforced error.
Venus makes painful exit after rolling ankle
Venus Williams refused to give up after suffering an injury against Italian Sara Errani and fought through pain before bowing out of the Australian Open second round with a 6-1, 6-0 defeat on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old American, a seven-times Grand Slam winner and twice finalist at Melbourne Park, started the match with a taped left knee and twisted her right ankle trying to play an approach shot while trailing 1-5 in the opening set.
Williams shrieked in pain before hobbling to her chair to receive medical attention and a retirement looked imminent by the American.
But after receiving heavy strapping on her ankle and extra taping on the knee she returned to court amid wide applause from those present at the John Cain Arena.
Williams did not win another game with her movement severely hampered during the rest of the match as she hobbled between points with pain reflecting prominently on her face.
She left the court to another round of applause as qualifier Errani set up a third round clash against Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei, who defeated 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu 6-3 6-2 earlier.
Andreescu knocked out by crafty Hsieh
Bianca Andreescu's comeback after a 15-month absence from tennis ended abruptly in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday with a 6-3 6-2 defeat to wily Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei.
Eighth seed Andreescu, one of the 72 players unable to train during hard quarantine in the leadup, attacked with her typical abandon at Rod Laver Arena but found a brick wall in the form of the double-handed Hsieh, who drove the Canadian to distraction with her defence.
With no apparent plan B, Andreescu doubled down on the power game and the unforced errors piled up as she slumped to a 5-2 deficit in the second set.
Andreescu saved two match points on serve but bowed out meekly with a double-fault on the third as Hsieh advanced to a third round clash against Venus Williams or Sara Errani.
Kvitova sent packing by Cirstea
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was sent packing from the Australian Open on Wednesday after a 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 second-round defeat by Romanian Sorana Cirstea.
Kvitova jumped out to a 2-0 lead but could not keep a lid on her errors as Cirstea converted each of her three breakpoint opportunities to claim the opening set.
Kvitova, who finished runner-up at Melbourne Park two years ago, showed glimpses of her powerful ball-striking as she raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set before levelling the match when Cirstea handed her a third break with a tame double fault.
Cirstea, however, turned the tables on the Czech in the final set and claimed victory on her third match point with Kvitova hitting a forehand long.
"I was one of the few in hard quarantine. I think it's impressive to come out of 15 days without hitting a ball and competing the way I did today, I wasn't expecting it," said Cirstea, who will next face Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
Wawrinka falls to fearless Fucsovics in five-set thriller
Hungarian Marton Fucsovics came through a five-set thriller against Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday, defeating the three-time Grand Slam champion 7-5 6-1 4-6 2-6 7-6(9) to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
Wawrinka, the 17th seed, was sloppy in the opening two sets, committing 29 unforced errors and landing just over 60% of his first serves.
The Swiss, however, rediscovered his touch in the third set as he broke Fucsovics in the opening game before taking control with a string of blistering backhands.
Fucsovics recovered in the final set and appeared to have secured a hard-fought win when he took a 5-3 lead but Wawrinka found another gear to draw level at 5-5 before forcing a final set tiebreaker.
Wawrinka, the 2014 winner at Melbourne Park, raced to 6-1 lead and gave himself three match points but Fucsovics clawed back with some fearless hitting to draw level at 9-9 and went on to seal victory in just under four hours on the John Cain Arena court.
"Right now, I feel like I'm dying," said world number 55 Fucsovics, who also needed five sets to beat Marc Polmans in the opening round.
"I've played two five setters and it's really hot. I knew he would come back, he's very strong mentally and physically. But I was very strong mentally and that was the most important thing."