Now Goran crashes out

13 April 2012

Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic became the latest casualty of a cull of seeds at the Australian Open champion today, losing in the second round to Frenchman Jerome Golmard 6-3 7-6 5-7 6-4.

The 10th seed wilted under the Melbourne Park floodlights as Golmard, ranked 45 in the world, matched his serve and out-hit him from the back of the court.

Earlier today fourth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov lost to 234th-ranked qualifier Alex Kim, a result that leaves the Australian Open without any of its top five seeds in round three for the first time in its 97-year-history.

It has been a disastrous three days for top players at the opening grand slam of the year.

Top seed Lleyton Hewitt and second seed Gustavo Kuerten both lost in the first round, while third seed and last year's champion Andre Agassi withdrew injured hours before his opening match.

Fifth seed Sebastien Grosjean lost to Francisco Clavet which leaves Britain's Tim Henman, at six, the highest seed left.

One of the better known names in an increasingly anonymous draw, Ivanisevic did not hang around long at Melbourne Park.A break in the first set saw Golmard take the opener and he won the tight second on a tiebreak seven points to two.

But Ivanisevic hit back in the third set breaking for 7-5 with a huge forehand return onto the baseline.

Errors crept back into his game, however, and a double fault at break point in the fifth game of the next set gave Golmard the break.

It was all he needed and the Frenchman served out for the biggest win of his career.

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