Last year's runner-up Daniil Medvedev destroyed his racquet and avoided a huge shock at the Australian Open on Tuesday to join a rampant Taylor Fritz and veteran Gael Monfils in the second round.

In the women's draw, Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina were both emphatic winners on day three, with Emma Navarro and Emma Raducanu also victorious.

The feisty Medvedev, a three-time losing finalist at Melbourne Park including a year ago to Jannik Sinner, was heavy favourite against Thailand's 418th-ranked Kasidit Samrej.

But in his first match of the season, the Russian fifth seed nearly imploded in a fit of anger before finding some measure of calm.

"Second and third set I couldn't touch the ball. I didn't know what to do," Medvedev said after finally winning 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

The 28-year-old mangled his racquet as he spectacularly lost his rag in the third set, slamming it into the net camera repeatedly until they........

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