‘Fails half the time!’ Aussie blows up, throws away lead; Demon’s perfect record at stake — LIVE

Alex de Minaur continues his quest for Australian Open history while a fellow Aussie tries to repeat her career best on Wednesday night at Melbourne Park.

Follow all the news from Night 4 of the Australian Open!

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Follow live updates from Night 4 at Melbourne Park below!

‘IT FAILS HALF THE TIME!’ THOMPSON BLOWS UP, THROWS AWAY LEAD

Jordan Thompson is threatening to be sent out of the Australian Open in the second round at the hands of Portugal’s Nuno Borges for a second straight year.

But this time the Aussie has given up a lead, after winning the first set in an epic tiebreaker but dropping the next two sets while blowing up.

Thompson smashed a ball into the stands and was warned by the chair umpire after being called for repeated foot faults midway through the third set.

It was described as a “moment of madness” by commentator Brenton Speed as former Aussie star John Millman added: “It probably cost him the break”.

He argued with the chair umpire about the foot faults, asking for replays and saying: “The system fails half of the time … it’s not much to ask for.”

Thompson then quickly dropped the set to trail 7-6(9) 3-6 2-6.

NIGHT 4 PREVIEW

Aussie pair Alex de Minaur and Priscilla Hon are the headline acts on night four at the Australian Open, both featuring on Rod Laver Arena.

De Minaur, the No.6 seed, will look to continue his perfect record against players ranked lower than him at his home slam as he faces Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic.

De Minaur has never faced the world No.90 before and is eyeing a likely third-round match-up with American excitement machine Frances Tiafoe.

Meanwhile Hon is looking to make it back-to-back grand slam third round appearances, after an unlikely run to the last 32 at the US Open.

The 27-year-old reached a career-high of world No.95 late last year and has already matched her career best with this second-round appearance at Melbourne Park.

But Hon will need to upset promising American 18-year-old Iva Jovic, the 29th seed, tonight to advance.

Also this evening Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic faces Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse trying to end a painful drought.

The 32-year-old has lost her previous six second-round matches at the Australian Open, but has made at least the fourth round of every other slam.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN NIGHT 4 ORDER OF PLAY

Men’s and Women’s Singles second round