Groin injury forces Sitak out after a set of Australian Open doubles match against Daniell

Marcus Daniell and his Danish partner Freddie Nielsen are through to the second round of the men’s doubles at the Australian Open. They had taken the first set 6-2 against Kiwi Artem Sitak and his Russian partner Aslan Karatsev when Sitak retired with a groin injury. He had received treatment at the previous change of ends when trailing 5-2.

Daniell and Nielsen had started strongly and served at 78% first serves in the opening set compared to their opponent’s 50 percent. They converted both of their break point chances and won 31 points to 22. Daniell and Nielsen will face second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the second round.

Earlier Michael Venus and Erin Routliffe won their opening mixed doubles match in a thriller against Australians Lizette Cabrera and Alex Bolt.

The Aussie pair won the first set 7-6 (5) before Venus and Routliffe levelled things up by taking the second set 7-5 and then the match tie break 13-11. Venus and Routliffe will play Venus’s doubles partner Germany’s Tim Puetz and a former partner of Routliffe’s American Alexa Guarachi, the fourth seeds in the second round.

Marcus Daniell after reaching second round Australian Open from Tennis NZ on Vimeo.