Former World No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic bowed out of the Australian Open after he was beaten by unseeded Uzbek tennis player Denis Istomin in a five-set thriller in the second round. The World No. 117 Istomin beat the World No. 2 and six-time Australian Open champion 7-6(8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in a match that lasted for almost five hours.

The first set lasted for 85 minutes with Istomin winning the tie-breaker 7-6(8). The second set saw the champion make a comeback with a 7-5 win and also win the third 6-2. However, Istomin staged a thrilling comeback to take the fourth 7-6(4). The fifth and final set saw Istomin break Djokovic early and eventually win the set and match 6-4. The wild card ended Djokovic’s 15-match winning streak at Melbourne Park on Rod Laver Arena. It was their third meeting at the Australian Open, following a straight sets win in 2010 and 2014 for Djokovic.