Australian Open 2022 results: Chris O’Connell defeats 13th seed Diego Schwartzman in straight sets

Australia has a new homegrown tennis hero after Chris O’Connell conjured one of the biggest upsets of the Aus Open’s first week as Alex de Minaur booked his third-round place.

Chris O’Connell claimed the biggest scalp of his career. Picture: AFP

Chris O’Connell must be sick of people referencing him cleaning boats to pay the bills a few years back – but he’ll gladly retell it now.

Just don’t expect him back there anytime soon.

The boy from Sydney’s northern beaches is marching into the third round at the Australian Open and $221,000 richer after dispatching world No.13 Diego Schwartzman 7-6(8-6) 6-4 6-4.

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Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt was among the wellwishers afterwards, dashing to the players’ area to congratulate O’Connell and his coach, Marinko Matosevic.

“It’s the biggest win of my career. To do it at the Australian Open, second round, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” O’Connell said.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had on a tennis court. I’ve been playing tennis since I was four. To have moments like this; it’s a dream come true. It’s a little corny, but it is.”

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This is how you celebrate when you knock off a top-15 seed at the Aus Open. Picture: AFP

Schwartzman’s scalp tops O’Connell’s victories over then-23rd-ranked Jannik Sinner in July and top-40 German Jan-Lennard Struff at last year’s Open.

The Australian wildcard, 27, has been riddled with injuries since he was a teenager, then had his momentum stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic as he was on the verge of the top 100.

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But O’Connell – despite admitting a couple of years ago to panicking about his career flying by without a breakthrough – has ploughed on through the tough times.

This week’s breakthrough owes to his extraordinary resilience, with ankle and groin injuries last year just the latest hurdles before he was also diagnosed with Covid.

Chris O’Connell claimed the biggest scalp of his career. Picture: AFP

In between those setbacks, O’Connell continued to show why good judges believe he will be Australia’s next top-100 player.

Schwartzman won’t take any convincing after what he witnessed first-hand on a boisterous court three on Thursday.

A titanic opening set with several swings and roundabouts lasted one hour and 24 minutes after Schwartzman failed to serve it out in the 10th game.

O’Connell absorbed constant pressure situations to emerge with the first set, then comparatively raced through the second on his way to completing a major upset.

O’Connell had the crowd jumping. Picture: AFP

“I knew how crucial that first set was. It was really warming up out there and it was a battle back and forth,” he said.

“I just hung tough and really tried to use the crowd’s energy, which I haven’t really done in the past.

“Last year I didn’t really take in my surroundings all that much on that court (but) this time … I really took it in and got to know the court. I think that helped me get the first set.”

A roar of delight for O’Connell as the gravity of his achievement sinks in. Picture: AFP

Demon sets up chance to set career PB

—Marc McGowan

Alex de Minaur is determined to propel his ranking back where he feels he belongs after reaching the third round and matching his career-best Australian Open performance.

Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, like de Minaur a former top-10 junior, was unable to mount a fight against Australia’s top-ranked man, who broke his rival early in each set en route to a 6-4 6-4 6-2 success.

A fired-up Alex de Minaur went in for the kill. Picture: AFP

It’s the 22-year-old’s third time in the round of 32 at Melbourne Park but first time winning on Rod Laver Arena, a milestone he was chuffed about.

“It’s a special feeling – biggest court in Australia, home slam,” de Minaur said.

“The last match I played there was against Rafa a couple of years back, and that was a surreal experience as well.

“For me to be able to play on that court and at this stage be on my own merits – it’s not because I’m playing one of the top guys – that’s a pretty cool feeling … hopefully it’s the first (win) of many.”

The Demon was just too good. Picture: Getty Images

Higher on his list of priorities is restoring a ranking that peaked at No.15 mid-last year but has dipped to 42 after a bout of Covid-19 that cost him his Tokyo Olympics spot.

The lingering aftereffects of the virus also zapped him of his usual energy on court for an extended period afterwards.

But No.32 seed de Minaur has returned to his best in the past three weeks.

There was a season-opening upset of top-10 Italian Matteo Berrettini at the ATP Cup, along with another over tough Frenchman Ugo Humbert before he skipped the Sydney Tennis Classic.

The Demon shows some love to the fans. Picture: AFP

That owed to a dedicated training regimen that began almost instantly after Australia was bundled out of the Davis Cup in December.

“I knew myself that I had to put in the hard work, so when you step on the match court, in the back of your head, you’ve got that confidence going in,” he said.

“To see the results (after that) is a huge confidence-booster.

“Ranking-wise, goals-wise, that’s probably something that I like to keep very close to myself, my team (but) I really think I should be back higher in the rankings, so that’s a main goal obviously.

“Hopefully, I can just keep on pushing myself to get higher and higher.”

De Minaur will need to defeat Spanish veteran Pablo Andujar, who won their only prior meeting in 2018, to advance to the fourth round for the first time.

Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak congratulates de Minaur after the match. Picture: AFP

Originally published as Australian Open 2022 results: Chris O’Connell defeats 13th seed Diego Schwartzman in straight sets