Federer outlasts bee sting, Kyrgios upsets Karlovic; more Day 3 results

MELBOURNE --Catch up on all of the action from the Australian Open on Wednesday that you may have missed while you were sleeping: Rafael Nadal overcomes illness
Federer outlasts bee sting, Kyrgios upsets Karlovic; more Day 3 results
Federer outlasts bee sting, Kyrgios upsets Karlovic; more Day 3 results /

MELBOURNE --Catch up on all of the action from the Australian Open on Wednesday that you may have missed while you were sleeping:

Rafael Nadal overcomes illness in five-set win over Tim Smyczek

It was hard to tell which was the bigger obstacle: stomach cramps or No. 112 Smyczek. Nadal was far from his best but Smyczek, the 27-year-old Milwaukee native, played the match of his life take Nadal to five sets only to lose 6-2, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3, 7-5. Over the course of four hours and 12 minutes, Smyczek threw everything he had at Nadal, firing 15 aces, 64 winners, to just 50 unforced errors. Nadal struggled throughout the evening, calling the doctor in the second set complaining of stomach pain, before rallying in the final two games to play some of his best tennis of the night to get the win. He plays Dudi Sela in the next round. 

Maria Sharapova survives a scare

Sharapova came back from 1-4 in the final set and saved two match points to beat No. 150 Alexandra Panova 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. It was another classic Sharapova comeback.

Roger Federer survives a phantom bee sting

Mailbag: Sharapova survives, nearly edges Russian qualifier to advance

​Federer overcame a first set blip to beat Simone Bolelli 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Federer called the trainer after the first set to look at the pinky finger on his right hand and described the pain afterwards as something akin to a bee sting. "I don't know what that thing is," Federer said. "It's the weirdest thing. I don't know. I feel it on the tip of my finger. Just felt really odd starting after the break, and for three, four games, it was the funniest feeling I have. I feel like it's numb and swollen."

Andy Murray and Eugenie Bouchard cruise

Murray had no problems with Marinko Matosevic, rolling to a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 win. Bouchard beat Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6-3. 

Nick Kyrgios beats Ivo Karlovic, Thanasi Kokkinakis loses

Wozniacki and Azarenka face off, more Day 4 matches to watch

​Kyrgios bounced back from his five-set opening win to knock out No. 23 seed Karlovic 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. No luck for the other half of the "Special Ks", as Kokkinakis went down in five to fellow Aussie Sam Groth. 

Marcos Baghdatis upsets No. 22 David Goffin

​Baghdatis and Melbourne. It's a special combination. The Cypriots were out in force to cheer on their man to an big upset over No. 20 Goffin, 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. 

Venus and Serena Williams withdraw from doubles

No official reason was given for the withdrawal but it's probably the best call given their singles prospects. 

Class move of the day

In the final game of the match, Smyczek voluntarily gave Nadal his first serve back after a fan called out during his motion. After battling for over four hours and coming within four points of victory, how many people would do that? Said Nadal: "I want to thank Tim because he is a gentleman for what he did in that last game. Not many people would do this at 6-5 in the fifth." 

Photo of the day

federer-pod-day3.jpg
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Photo of the day: Tweener edition

Lukas Lacko hits a tweener against Grigor Dimitrov. The No. 10 seed beat Lacko 6-3, 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-3.
Lukas Lacko hits a tweener against Grigor Dimitrov. The No. 10 seed beat Lacko 6-3, 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-3 :: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Video of the day

Federer's magical drop shot:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/gGf2eXfPUEU]

Quote of the day

Kyrgios on his shaved hair and eyebrows:

kyrgios-quote-ausopen.jpg
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Tweets of the day

[tweet=https://twitter.com/TomPerrotta/status/557760247117647872]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/paul_annacone/status/557788027704324097]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/annekeothavong/status/557755868750827520]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/Jamie_Hampton/status/557752890467823617]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/ivokarlovic/status/557840694472372225]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/darren_cahill/status/557834224330633216]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/CaroWozniacki/status/557740313918578688]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/CaroWozniacki/status/557742945949204484]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/LeighWalsh87/status/557868099840778240]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/TomPerrotta/status/557851968237240321]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/stu_fraser/status/557873060712570884]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/557878811019464709]


Published
Courtney Nguyen
COURTNEY NGUYEN

Contributor, SI.com Nguyen is a freelance writer for SI.com, providing full coverage of professional tennis both on and off the court. Her content has become a must-read for fans and insiders to stay up-to-date with a sport that rarely rests. She has appeared on radio and TV talk shows all over the world and is one of the co-hosts of No Challenges Remaining, a weekly podcast available on iTunes. Nguyen graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1999 and received a law degree from the University of California, Davis in 2002. She lives in the Bay Area.