South African tennis ace lloyd harris scored an upset victory in the australian open first round on Monday when he knocked out the 17th seed Italian lorenzo musetti.
Harris won a thrilling five-setter 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (0/7), 2-6, 7-6 (10/4) in three hours and 48 minutes.
The 25-year-old Capetonian appeared to be losing ground as he led by two sets and 4-1 in the third set, before the Italian fought back to take the match the distance.
After losing the fourth set 6-2, Harris regrouped and took an early break in the decider. But he lost serve at 4-2 in the fifth set before the match reached a deciding tiebreaker.
Harris held on to win the tiebreaker in spades, 10-4.
This is a significant victory for Harris, who has had a tough time of late after a wrist injury caused him to miss the second half of the 2022 season.
The former world number 31 was ranked number 186 in the world before the Australian Open and entered the event in a protected ranking due to his injury.
Harris spent her time warming up for the first Grand Slam of the year playing Challenger Tour events.
Next, he will play Hungary’s world number 78 Marton Fucsovics, who eliminated Argentine Federico Coria 4-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2.
Results compiled from the first day of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park on Monday:
male singles
First round
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) vs. Jack Draper (GBR) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Mackenzie McDonald (USA) vs Brandon Nakashima (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-7 (10/12), 6- 4
Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) vs. Jaume Munar (ESP) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN x31) vs. Mikael Ymer (SUE) 6-4, 6-2, 7-5
Karen Khachanov (RUS x18) vs Bernabé Zapata Miralles (ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-0
Jason Kubler (AUS) defeated Sebastian Baez (ARG) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Shang Juncheng (CHN) vs. Oscar Otte (GER) 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 7-5
Frances Tiafoe (16x USA) vs. Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6)
Hubert Hurkacz (POL x10) vs. Pedro Martínez (ESP) 7-6 (7/1), 6-2, 6-2
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) vs. Nuno Borges (POR) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1
Taro Daniel (JPN) vs Ernesto Escobedo (United States) 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Denis Shapovalov (CAN x20) vs. Dusan Lajovic (SRB) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Sebastian Korda (USA x29) defeated Christian Garin (CHI) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Yosuke Watanuki (JPN) vs. Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
John Millman (AUS) vs. Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) 6-7 (8/10), 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-3
Daniil Medvedev (x7) defeated Marcos Giron (USA) 6-0, 6-1, 6-2
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x3) vs. Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6)
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) vs. Pavel Kotov (RUS) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED x32) vs. Ilya Ivashka (BLR) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Lloyd Harris (RSA) v Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x17) 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (0/7), 2-6, 7-6 (10/4)
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) vs. Federico Coria (ARG) 4-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2
Tomas Etcheverry (ARG) vs. Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Jannik Sinner (ITA x15) vs. Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2
Cameron Norrie (GBR x11) vs. Luca Van Assche (FRA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 6-3
Constant Lestienne (FRA) vs Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
Christopher Eubanks (USA) vs. Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) vs. Borna Coric (CRO x21) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x28) vs. Guido Pella (ARG) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Corentin Moutet (FRA) vs. Wu Yibing (CHN) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Alex Molcan (SVK) vs. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN x6) vs. Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
female singles
First round
Iga Swiatek (POL x1) vs. Jule Niemeier (GER) 6-4, 7-5
Maria Camila Osorio (COL) vs. Panna Udvardy (HUN) 6-4, 6-1
Cristina Bucsa (ESP) vs. Eva Lys (GER) 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
Bianca Andreescu (CAN) vs. Marie Bouzkova (CZE x25) 6-2, 6-4
Elena Rybakina (KAZ x22) vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) 7-5, 6-3
Kaja Juvan (SLO) vs. Selena Janicijevic (FRA) 7-5, 6-1
Karolina Muchova (CZE) vs. Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 6-2, 6-1
Danielle Collins (USA x13) vs. Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4
Caty McNally (USA) vs Laura Pigossi (BRA) 7-5, 6-1
Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) vs. Kamilla Rakhimova (RUS) 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 6-1
Anna Bondar (HUN) with Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x17) vs. Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-4, 6-2
Zheng Qinwen (CHN x29) vs. Dalma Galfi (HUN) 6-0, 6-2
Bernarda Pera (USA) vs Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Emma Raducanu (GBR) vs. Tamara Korpatsch (GER) 6-3, 6-2
Coco Gauff (USA x7) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-1, 6-4
Jessica Pegula (United States x3) vs Jaqueline Cristian (ROM) 6-0, 6-1
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) vs. Brenda Fruhvirtova (CZE) 7-5, 6-2
Olivia Gadecki (AUS) vs. Polina Kudermetova (RUS) 7-5, 6-1
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) vs Amanda Anisimova (USA x28) 6-3, 6-4
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE x20) vs. Sara Bejlek (CZE) 6-3, 6-1
Clara Burel (FRA) vs. Talia Gibson (AUS) 6-3, 6-4
Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) vs Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-3, 6-1
Petra Kvitova (CZE x15) vs Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
Madison Keys (USA x10) vs. Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Wang Xinyu (CHN) vs. Storm Sanders (AUS) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Nadia Podoroska (ARG) vs Leolia Jeanjean (FRA) 6-0, 6-3
Victoria Azarenka (BLR x24) vs. Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
Jil Teichmann (SUI x32) vs. Harriet Dart (GBR) 7-5, 6-1
Zhu Lin (CHN) vs. Rebecca Marino (CAN) 6-2, 6-4
Diana Shnaider (RUS) vs. Kristina Kucova (SVK) 7-6 (8/6), 7-5
Maria Sakkari (GRE x6) vs. Yuan Yue (CHN) 6-1, 6-4
