Australian Open: Angelique Kerber fails to defend title, loses to Coco Vandeweghe

Angelique Kerber, Coco Vandeweghe

Kerber at the Aus Open in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/AP

Melbourne: World number one Angelique Kerber was knocked out of the Australian Open yesterday in a stunning upset by a supremely confident Coco Vandeweghe, as yet another big seed was sent packing early.

The German, defending a Grand Slam title for the first time, had no answers to the big-hitting American who powered past her 6-2, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena to make the quarter-finals in one of the biggest wins of her career.

Kerber's meek demise follows the early exits of women's third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, fourth-ranked Simona Halep and sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova at a tournament that has been thrown wide open.

Coco Vandeweghe

It all went wrong for Kerber
Top-seeded Kerber was bidding to be the first woman to successfully defend an Australian title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013, but it all went horribly wrong against a player ranked 35.

"It's really special, to play a number one player in the world on any stage and any round. So I think I believe this is my first number one win. I'll take that," said Vandeweghe. "Last year I came here and didn't win a match. Now here I am," she added.

Paes wins but Sania loses
India had a mixed outing as Leander Paes got off to a winning start in the mixed doubles but fourth seeds Sania Mirza and her partner's campaign in the women's doubles ended with a loss to an unseeded pair.

Veteran Paes and Switzerland's Martina Hingis won their first match against Australians Destanee Aiava and Marc Polmans 6-4, 6-3 to progress to the round of 16 at the Melbourne Park.

However, Sania was in for disappointment as the Indian, partnering Barbora Strýcová of Czech Republic, lost to Japanese E Hozumi and M Kato 3-6, 6-2, 2-6 in a third round match that lasted one hour and 53 minutes. In mixed doubles, Sania and Croatia's Ivan Dodig are in the second round, and so did Rohan Bopanna yesterday.