Aryna Sabalenka becomes highest seed to fall at Australian Open, beaten by Kaia Kanepi in fourth round

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka became the highest ranked player to fall at the Australian Open after losing in three sets to Estonian veteran Kaia Kanepi in the fourth round. The Belarusian was beaten 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (10-7) by the 36-year-old after her serve fell apart having taken control of the match in the first set. Ad/> It is the first time that Kanepi, who has struggled with long-term injury for much of her career, has ever reached the last eight in Melbourne — and her first Grand Slam quarter-final since the US Open in 2017.

/> Australian OpenFritz — Tsitsipas — Australian Open HighlightsAN HOUR AGO Sabalenka had never reached the quarter-finals but she started the last-16 tie well, breaking late in the first set to take it 7-5 after both players begun solidly. But after that, she started to struggle on her serve. /> The world number 115 recovered quickly by breaking to 30 in the opening game of the second set and did so again in the third game, taking her fourth break point before she raced out into a 4-0 lead.

There was no way back for Sabalenka, who squandered the second set 6-2. The match favourite had to start the decider strong but it was Kanepi again who went out in front, as Sabalenka was again poor on serve as she dropped it to 15. Kanepi held on to her lead until the eighth game, when everything became more frenetic.