Reigning champion Jannik Sinner passes Melbourne exam set by Tristan Schoolkate

Defending champion Jannik Sinner lost his first set since October but recovered to beat Tristan Schoolkate and reach the third round of the Australian Open.

Sinner has been untouchable in recent months and headed into this contest on a 15-match winning streak in which the only set he had lost was to Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round of the Shanghai Masters on October 6.

Defeat by Schoolkate, a 23-year-old wild card ranked 173, was therefore unthinkable, and Sinner ultimately pulled away to win 4-6 6-4 6-1 6-3.

American Taylor Fritz revealed he is donating his first-round prize money to help people affected by the California wildfires.

The fourth seed raced through to round three with a 6-2 6-1 6-0 thumping of Chile’s Cristian Garin and then announced that he will give 132,000 Australian dollars (approximately £67,000) to relief efforts.

“I just want everyone to stay safe, it’s just insane what happened,” said Fritz, who used to live in Los Angeles and has family and friends affected.

“I wanted to say something after my first-round match but I’m going to be donating my first-round prize money to LA wildfire relief funds.

“It’s really the least I could do. Southern California’s my home and LA was my home for a very long time so I’m just doing what I can do to help. ”

Fritz reached his first grand slam final at the US Open last summer and he has been ruthless so far in Melbourne, losing just eight games in six sets.

He next faces 38-year-old Gael Monfils, who continued his excellent start to the season with a 7-5 6-3 7-6 (3) victory over Daniel Altmaier.

Home favourite Alex De Minaur has been untroubled so far and he eased to a 6-2 6-4 6-3 win over American Tristan Boyer, whose home town has been badly