Djokovic survives Popyrin scare to reach third round

Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare before beating home hope Alexei Popyrin 6-3 4-6 7-6(4) 6-3 to reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old Serb, bidding for a record-extending 11th crown in Melbourne, was in deep trouble in the third set when errors began to flow and he had to save four set points.

With the packed night-time crowd on the edge of their seats, top seed Djokovic used his vast experience to win the pivotal tiebreak and then broke a dispirited Popyrin midway through the fourth set to finally seize control.

Djokovic duly racked up his 30th successive victory at the Australian Open -- his last defeat coming in 2018 -- but for the second successive round he was pushed hard.

Elsewhere, Stefanos Tsitsipas bounced back from an error-driven first set loss to beat Australian opponent Jordan Thompson 4-6 7-6(6) 6-2 7-6(4).

The world number seven will face 19-year-old Frenchman Luca Van Assche in the third round.

Argentine 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry eased past Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 6-4 to clinch a spot in the third round, while unseeded Czech Tomas Machac stunned 17th seed Frances Tiafoe 6-4 6-4 7-6(5).

Next up for world number 75 Machac is a meeting with 15th seed Karen Khachanov, who overcame a third-set wobble to beat American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-3.

In the women's competition, Elina Avanesyan bagged a massive upset in the second round, knocking out world number eight Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-4.

The 21-year-old Russian will next face Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, who beat former world number one Elise Mertens.

Brazilian 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia claimed a 6-1 6-2 win over last year's Australian Open junior champion Alina Korneeva to progress to the third round, where she faces another Russian in Maria Timofeeva.