On the other hand, the course of Jérémy Chardy, back in competition after a month and a half of interruption for health reasons, stopped.

Of the 19 Blues who have entered the main draw of the Australian Major, they can only be five in the third round.

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It passes (2): Garcia, Humbert

"It was the one who would be the most aggressive," commented Garcia, 4th in the world, after her victory against the Canadian Leylah Fernandez (40th) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

And it was she who was, as some of her statistics prove: 11 aces and 40 winning points, while the finalist of the US Open 2021 was satisfied with 18 winning points and did not managed the slightest ace, while still winning 71% of the points played on his first service ball.

Frenchman Ugo Humbert during his Australian Open 2nd round match against American Denis Kudla on January 19, 2023 in Melbourne © WILLIAM WEST / AFP

"Winning the first set was a bit of a hold-up because she was always in front and she won her service games more easily than me," admitted the 29-year-old Frenchwoman.

She will face the German Laura Siegemund (158th) on Saturday for a place in the round of 16.

A Masters champion after reaching the semi-finals of the US Open last year, Garcia has yet to advance beyond the Round of 16 in Australia in eleven appearances in the main draw.

She was stopped at this point in 2018 by American Madison Keys.

Humbert (106th) got the better of American Denis Kudla (108th) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4.

Trained for a few months by Jérémy Chardy, the 24-year-old Habs had never passed the second round in Melbourne, reached only once (2021) in his four previous participations.

In 2019, he reached the knockout stages at Wimbledon.

Frenchman Jérémy Chardy during his Australian Open second round match lost to Britain's Daniel Evans on January 19, 2023 in Melbourne © WILLIAM WEST / AFP

He's been on a string of back-to-back victories on the main circuit for only the second time since his quarter-final at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He did that at Wimbledon last year but didn't go any further.

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It breaks (1): Chardy

After bloodshed at the referee who he accused of 'watching the birds' instead of following the match because she was slow to see a ball had fallen out of his pocket and that delay cost him a break and the first set, the 35-year-old returning lost to Briton Daniel Evans (30th) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

Not enough to dull his joy at having returned to competition after being kept out of the circuit by physical and health problems.

"It's a gift to play tennis again. I've played two games here, I've had fun again, I felt good on the court, I've played two games without having the slightest pain in my knee, so it's ultra-positive," he said.

However, since he no longer has an ATP ranking, he must make good use of the eleven possibilities he has left to enter tournaments thanks to his protected ranking (88th) because, he says, he will not go beyond his career if he does not manage to find a place in the hierarchy allowing him to integrate the ATP tables.

"I can announce that I will not be going back to play Challengers", the second division of the professional circuit, he said.

Frenchman Enzo Couacaud during the 1st set of his Australian Open 2nd round match against Novak Djokovic on January 19, 2023 in Melbourne © Martin KEEP / AFP

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In progress (3): Bonzi, Mannarino, Couacaud

Benjain Bonzi (48th) was down a set to zero by the Spaniard Pablo Carreno (15th) at 8:00 p.m. (GMT+11)

Adrian Mannarino (45th) had just started his match against Australian Alex De Minaur (24th)

Enzo Couacaud (191st) and Novak Djokovic (5th) were warming up.

© 2023 AFP