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Paire tells Croatian fans to 'stay in the pool' in Melbourne

Melbourne - Benoit Paire said that rowdy Croatian fans at the Australian Open should "stay in the pool" after the Frenchman was knocked out over five sets in the second round on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old put his hands to his ears and mimicked swimming as he faced defeat to Croatia's Marin Cilic, a reference to the national water polo caps that some Croatian supporters are wearing in Melbourne.

"They have their swimming caps over their ears, I don't know if that's why they can't hear the announcements ," Paire fumed, after Croatian fans roared the 2014 US Open champion Cilic to victory despite pleas for quiet.

"Next time they should stay in the pool."

Croatian supporters have been involved in brawls in previous years at the Australian Open with rivals from Serbia.

Paire, the 21st seed, also hit out at organisers after being involved in another marathon five-set match just a day earlier.

"The best players have a day-off because they play on the big covered courts," he seethed.

"I am also a player, I played well too, I am seeded, I also deserve a little respect."

Results on day three of the Australian Open Grand Slam at Melbourne Park on Wednesday:

Men's singles

2nd round

Tennys Sandgren (USA) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA x8) 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 7-5

Sam Querrey (USA) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Guido Pella (ARG x22) bt Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3

Tommy Paul (USA) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (10/3)

John Millman (AUS) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL x31) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x6) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) walkover

Milos Raonic (CAN x32) bt Cristian Garin (CHI) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Benoit Paire (FRA x21) 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/3)

Diego Schwartzman (ARG x14) bt Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

Dusan Lajovic (SRB x24) bt Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3

Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) bt Daniel Evans (GBR x30) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Tatsuma Ito (JPN) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Filip Krajinovic (CRO) 6-1, 6-4, 6-1

Fabio Fognini (ITA x12) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (10/4)

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x9) bt Michael Mmoh (USA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1

Women's singles

1st round

Sara Sorribes (ESP) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1

Anett Kontaveit (EST x28) bt Astra Sharma (AUS) 6-0, 6-2

Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3, 6-2

Carla Suarez (ESP) bt Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x11) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6)

Elise Mertens (BEL x16) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-2, 6-0

Heather Watson (GBR) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x30) bt Nina Stojanovic (SRB) 6-1, 7-5

Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

2nd rd

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-1, 6-4

Elena Rybakina (KAZ x29) bt Greet Minnen (BEL) 6-3, 6-4

Alison Riske (USA x18) bt Lin Zhu (CHN) 6-3, 6-1

Julia Goerges (GER) bt Petra Martic (CRO x13) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Maria Sakkari (GRE x22) bt Nao Hibino (JPN) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x25) bt Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 6-1, 6-3

Petra Kvitova (CZE x7) bt Paula Badosa (ESP) 7-5, 7-5

Naomi Osaka (JPN x3) bt Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-2, 6-4

Cori Gauff (USA) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Shuai Zhang (CHN) bt Caty McNally (USA) 6-2, 6-4

Sofia Kenin (USA x14) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-1, 6-3

Ons Jabeur (TUN) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Dayana Yastremska (UKR x23) 7-5, 7-5

Qiang Wang (CHN x27) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-1, 6-2

Serena Williams (USA x8) bt Tamara Zidansek (SLO) 6-2, 6-3

Madison Keys (USA x10) bt Arantxa Rus (NED) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2

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