South Africa’s Kevin Anderson crashed out of the Australian Open on Tuesday when he was forced to retire in his first round match against American Rajeev Ram.
Ram was ahead 7-6 6-7 6-3 3-0 in the fourth set when Anderson found he could no longer continue. The 29-year-old Anderson has struggled with a knee injury recently, and again it seemed to be troubling the lanky world number 12.
Anderson made it further than he ever had before in Major championships last year, as he reached his first quarterfinal at the US Open.
At this stage it is unclear how serious the injury is for Anderson.
Meanwhile:
World No 2 Simona Halep was sensationally knocked out of the Australian Open at the first hurdle by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, who earned her first Grand Slam win in 15 attempts.
The Romanian, who has been struggling with a niggling achilles injury, was beaten 6 -4 and 6-3 by the Chinese No 4.
Earlier, World No 5 Rafael Nadal was sent crashing out of the first round by fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in an epic five-set match.
Verdasco won the thriller 7-6 , 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 and 6-2 in four hours, 41 minutes, to hand 14-time Grand Slam winner Nadal only his second ever first-round defeat at a major tournament.
