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'Unbelievable': Tennis world stunned by 'tiebreak city'

A crazy sequence of events in the second round match between Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka has left Australian Open fans gobsmacked.

Canadian 16th seed Raonic – Nick Kyrgios’ conqueror in the first round – eventually prevailed in four sets against the Swiss star but the manner of the victory had viewers in a spin.

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Wawrinka drew first blood in the match when he claimed the opening set in a tiebreaker.

Little did onlookers know at the time, it would the first of four enthralling tiebreakers that left the Melbourne Park crowd on the edge of their seats.

Raonic and Wawrinka put on an epic show in the second round. Pic: Getty
Raonic and Wawrinka put on an epic show in the second round. Pic: Getty

By the fourth set tiebreak the players had been on court four hours and were approaching the longest match so far at this year’s tournament.

In their sights was Andy Murray’s epic five-set defeat in his first round clash against Roberto Bautista Agut that lasted four hours and nine minutes.

However, as he did in the second and third set, Raonic came up trumps in the fourth consecutive tiebreak to claim an epic 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (11), 7-6 (5) win.

The quality of the tennis on display and the drama that unfolded on Rod Laver Arena left fans scrambling for superlatives on social media.

Raonic was either one or two points from dropping each of the sets he eventually grabbed on the way to edging Wawrinka.

The 16th-seeded Raonic hit 39 aces in the marathon thriller that was also delayed by rain.

Wawrinka, the 2014 champion and three-time grand slam winner, was two points away from taking the second set.

He also held three set points in the third, and was two points away from forcing a fifth while ahead 5-4 in what would turn out to be the last tiebreaker.

“That is hard to describe – it feels like four hours passed by in 15 minutes,” said Raonic.

“In the heat of the battle, the adrenaline takes over.

“You try to do everything you can each and every point.

“I was very fortunate to stay alive in that fourth set.

“I am thankful that it was indoors. I do a little bit better indoors than I do outdoors … thank you for raining.”

Raonic’s third-round opponent will be Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who equalled his best grand slam result by upsetting last year’s surprise semi-finalist Hyeon Chung.

Herbert triumphed 6-2 1-6 6-2 6-4 against the No.24 seed from South Korea.

With agencies