Home favourite Nick Kyrgios has been dumped out of the Australian Open at the second-round stage following an epic battle with Andreas Seppi.
The controversial 21-year-old started strongly by winning the first two sets, but Seppi launched an impressive comeback to claim a 1-6 1-7(1) 6-4 6-2 10-8 triumph in three hours and 12 minutes.
Kyrgios, who served a three-week suspension last year for his behaviour at the Shanghai Masters, took an early break in the first set and managed to hold off his opponent to take what was a relatively comfortable lead.
Seppi was much stronger on his serve in the second set, and only one break point was created before a tie-break was required to separate the pair.
Kyrgios stormed through it 7-1, but he began to falter in the third when Seppi's single break point was enough to win the set, signalling his fightback.
The world number 89 needed just 26 minutes to level the match, but he was made to work in the fifth and final set, with both cancelling out one another's breaks of serve.
After a gruelling one hour and four minutes, Seppi sealed match point and a place in the third round, where he will face Steve Darcis.
Danielle Joynson
