That is all from us today. Thanks so much for tuning in and see you tomorrow. Sabalenka, Djokovic, Sinner, Gauff and more will all be in action!
Some snapshots from a day that will long live in the memory of tennis fans.
What a day of tennis at Melbourne Park! So many highlights!
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Medvedev after his huge win: “This one is going to stay in my memory.”
To the crowd, he says: “Honestly, guys, I wouldn’t be here. Thanks for staying. If I was a tennis fan, at 1 am, I would’ve went home to watch more on TV for 30 minutes and then go to bed. You are strong. Thank you.”
The Russian also speaks on how difficult it is to prepare when you don’t know when the match before you is going to end after the match before had a 35-minute tie-break: “The thing with tennis is that you never know when you have to warm up or eat. Here it was too early. So when I went on court I was already exhausted. He was better prepared in the beginning.”
Daniil Medvedev (3) beats Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6 6-7(1) 6-4 7-6(1) 6-0
He’s done it! Medvedev survives one of the craziest days of grand slam history! It was a lethal final set from him.
Medvedev needs one final push after taking the fifth game in the fifth set! This is also now officially the third latest match in Australian Open history.
Ruusuvuori is good to continue but he is obviously not as sharp as he was a couple of sets ago. The power in his shots is severely lacking and Medvedev is in the zone now. He goes 4-0 up without dropping a single point, closing out the game with some fantastic forehands.
We have a medical time out as Ruusuvuori is getting his right shoulder and arm massaged by someone from his team.
The world No 3’s first serve after getting it back is a double fault. Can you blame him given the time? But he makes up for it with two aces and he leads 3-0. He certainly has the advantage now.
Medvedev breaks and makes it 2-0 in the fifth! Is that the nail in Ruusuvuori’s coffin? The Finnish isn’t moving across the court fast enough.
Medvedev takes the first game in the fifth after Ruusuvuori nets a routine backhand.
Before we start the final set Medvedev gets told his laces are too long and he needs to tuck them in. Glad to know safety precautions remain the same as we head into hour five of this match.
Medvedev breezes through the tie-break 7-1! Ruusuvuori can’t handle these aces and we go to the fifth set.
It is 3.12am in Melbourne.
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Medvedev gets to the tie-break with his 18th ace of the match! We’re 20 minutes away from the four-hour mark. Let’s see how this plays out.
Ruusuvuori learns from his opponent with a fantastic drop shot to make it 30-15 after a 27-shot rally. The Finnish takes the next point as well after Medvedev hits it long.
Medvedev with some great court coverage that forces Ruusuvuori to net a forehand to make it 40-30, but he returns a serve long and it’s 6-5 for Ruusuvuori. The Russian is really not happy with his coaching staff at the moment.
Medvedev holds! Ruusuvuori was two points away from winning this, but he cannot hold his nerve. His second serve is poor and the Russian breathes a sigh of relief.
WOW! Ruusuvuori looked so comfortable early on in this game, but all of a sudden, after some sloppy play, we’re at deuce. Ruusuvuori stuns though and makes it 5-4 in his favour after a fantastic shot. It’s a fantastic slice that skims just over the net to win him the game.
Medvedev threw his racquet in anger like a boomerang after that. The replay shows that he knocked down two of his water bottles in the process. We’re not bowling, unfortunately, and he doesn’t get points for that. Just a warning.
And we’re all tied at 4-4! Medvedev loses the break advantage after he nets the final shot. He was too indecisive on some of those points, choosing to not go for a final shot when he could of. He’s now yelling in anger at himself and/or his coaching staff. Tense stuff.
Medvedev look so determined right now. Not sure where this demeanour was two hours ago. But I digress. He goes up 4-3 in the set. It is that drop shot again that is really bailing him out combined with some strong serving. He’s up to 14 aces compared to Ruusuvuori’s zero.
Ruusuvuori is still in this set! It’s 3-2 to Medvedev now with the Finnish’s volleys carrying him through that game.
A double fault from Medvedev early on to make it 15-15! Yikes!
We get to deuce after a really auspicious moment. An awful drop shot from Medvedev is sent back by Ruusuvuori but the Russian’s volley is just enough to earn him the point. Ruusuvuori shows right after that he can play the same game with a speedy volley to take advantage.
We go back and forth for a bit until Medvedev takes the game with some really strong serving.
We get to deuce after a fantastic flick from Medvedev (very Nadal-esque!) in the third game. Once Ruusuvuori takes advantage, Medvedev forces a second deuce with, you guessed it, another drop shot. Ruusuvuori is staying so far back and he is stumbling to get on the end of those. But he takes the game to make it 2-1 after some good offensive play.
Medvedev takes the next game to make it 2-0 in the fourth set. He is relying on the drop shot here, which I think he is using because he feels as if he can’t get through Ruusuvuori any other way. The Finnish looks tired now though, and will obviously regret not wrapping this up sooner.
Medvedev breaks as he takes the first game of the fourth set! The world No 3 had a couple of great drop shots to really get Ruusuvuori moving around the court. The camera pans to the clock, and we’re officially at the three-hour mark.
It is 2.14am in the morning in Melbourne. Will be a long night if Medvedev makes a full comeback. Not that it already isn’t. If you have any thoughts on this match or any other of the shocking results that happened today, send me an email! Details are at the top of the blog.
Medvedev takes the third set! A nice rally at the end there that ends with Ruusuvuori hitting the net to give his opponent the set.
Ruusuvuori wins another game to make it 5-3 in the third set! A fantastic forehand was the highlight of that game. Medvedev almost broke himself with a double fault.
Thanks Daniel! Right, Medvedev looks in trouble here as Ruusuvuori takes the next game with relative ease, killing any momentum the world No 3 had. Pressure is really on now.
Right, my watch is over, so here’s Yara El-Shaboury to chill with you until the end – whenever that might be.
When I say Medvedev is better conditioned, I don’t mean that he trains harder or anything, just that he’s used to competing at this level, in these tournaments, for this length of time – and Ruusuvuori is not. I wonder if he might tank the rest of this set to be fresher for the fourth, but as I type, we find ourselves at deuce, Ruusuvuori does really well to make his opponent play one more ball and Medvedev, who was up 40-15, nets! And have a look! Medvedev, who won for straight and still lost the last set, nets again, cedes one of his two breaks, and as such this one is still alive! Ruusuvuori leads 6-3 7-6 2-4.
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Ruusuvuori’s dropped a little here, missing shots he has’t until now and finding himself down 30-40. So he monsters a forehand, follows it with an ace … then nets, so we’re back to deuce. Medvedev, meanwhile, is doing a better job of controlling the rallies, a drop forcing his younger but perhaps less conditioned opponent to charge in only to net, and when he nets again, Medvedev has the double break at 4-1 – though still trails 2-0.
It felt like momentum had switched when Medvedev won four games on the spin last set, and he ended up losing it, so I’m reluctant to suppose similar now. But he holds easily, and has slipped into a more proactive style, which is working much better, and it’s now 3-0 in the third.
Better from Medvedev, up 0-15 then inciting Ruusuvuori to go long. A drop backed by a volley, followed by a netted forehand, make 30-all, but a canny lob demands a backhand overhead, and it drops into the net; break point Medvedev, who’s 2/9 so far … and a double, Ruusuvuori’s first of the match, hands it over! The world number three is improving.
Up 30-15, Medvedev doubles and winds up at deuce, sent hurtling from corner to corner in the process of losing his advantage. But he eventually closes out with an ace and forehand winner, so now trails Rusuvuori 3-6 (1)6-7 1-1.
Yup, more of the same: Ruusuvuori holds for 1-0 and doesn’t look likely to disappear. Can Medvedev play well enough to win three sets straight? On the face of things, no, because his opponent looks so calm, but once the finish line appears in view, if it does, who knows what’ll be?
Respect to Ruusuvuori, who had to hang about doing nothing while Medvedev got treatment, then just carried on doing what he’s been doing: outplaying the third-best player in the world like it’s regular gear.
Ruusuvuori only needs one! He sends a forehand deep, Medvedev nets, and he can’t find an answer to the power-hitting being sent his way off both wings.
Medvedev wins a point, but Ruusuvuori just monsters him again, sending him nashing towards the forehand side in order to smite a backhand winner for 6-1. He has five points for a 2-0 lead against the number three seed!
Ooooh yeah! Medvedev grunts away, but a backhand near to the side, then a brutal forehand and deft volley make 4-0 and double mini-break … make that a triple! He leads 5-0 and Medvedev has barely featured int his breaker, not because he’s playing poorly but because his opponent is carpeing the diem.
Medvedev is back on his feet so and here comes that second-set breaker, seven minutes after we reached six-all; who’ll get themselves going again first? Er, it’s Ruusuvuori! Huge forehand return, huge forehand, drive-backhand winner. Nice! That’s the mini-break, and he quickly consolidates for 3-0, showing little emotion. He wants this, and thinks he should have it.
Victoria Azarenka (18) beats Clara Tauson 6-4 3-6 6-2
She stayed calmer and more focused, so moves on to meet Ostapennko next. That should be good.
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Eeesh, two errors from Ruusuvuori turn 40-15 into deuce, and he’ll be desperate not to lose a set like this. So he unleashes forehands, makes advantage, and closes out – well done him – so here comes the breaker. Or not! Medvedev has a blister on his foot and calls the trainer, explaining that he didn’t want to do it before his opponent served for the set; what a nice man. The latest finish in Australia, we learn while we wait, is 4,34am, when Hewitt beat Baghdatis 4-6 7-5 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3 in 2008.
Medvedev holds for 6-5, and who even knows when this match’ll finish? It’s just after 1am now, and three more hour-long sets – we’ve been going 108 minutes so far – takes us to a very silly time.
There’s now only one other match in progress and – I say this advisedly – it looks like it’s nearly over, Azarenka 4-1 up on Tauson in the third, who belts a forehand wide to cede the double break. I’m afraid Tauson seems to have mislaid her belief.
Medvedev raises two set points at 15-40, but three weapons-grade backhands from Ruusuvuori persuade him to net, then he sends one of his own long, bringing us to deuce. And the number-three seed, a bit closer in now, ends a 22-stroke rally with a fine backhand cross, but a decent point from the Finn secures deuce once more and from there he closes out.
Ruusuvuori earns another break-back point, and this time, he clouts a forehand winner to the corner! Just when we thought this match was moving irrevocably in one direction, Medvedev having taken four straight games, we discover that in fact it isn’t. Lovely stuff!
Medvedev plays a drop when he doesn’t need to and when Ruusuvuori comes in, he can’t redeem the situation, hitting wide; that’s 30-all, another error sends a forehand wide, and here comes break-back point! I didn’t expect that, I must say, and when Medvedev serves into the net, he’s a proper chance … but nets, bringing us to deuce.
Yeah, time’s up. While Hurkacz was finishing off, Medvedev breaks Ruusuvuori, and will now serve for set two at 3-6 5-3.
Hubert Hurkacz (9) beats Jakub Mensik (9)6-7 6-1 7-5 6-1 6-3
And down comes another ace. Hurkacz meets Humbert, seeded 21, next, while Mensik, just 18, looks a proper talent and someone from whom I’m sure we’ll be hearing plenty more.
Azarenka breaks Tauson for 2-0 in the third, while Mensik makes Hurkacz serve for it, making 30-all … so down comes an ace; match point.
Hurkacz breaks Mensik for 5-2 in the fifth and the Polish contingent on Kia are loving it; Medvedev holds easily, and I wonder if Ruusuvuori has missed his chance. Had he managed to hold on for a two-set lead, who knows, but the world number three is playing much better now, and he’s not far enough ahead to ride it out, I don’t think.
At 3-6 2-3, Medvedev makes 30-all on the Ruusuvuori serve then hurtles in to flip over a volley, sliding but avoiding contact with the net. Huge point coming up … and he nets. But he might just be getting closer and still has a deuce to try and retrieve the break ... making advantage by stopping in the rally and waiting for the error. Then, sent chasing to the backhand corner, he finds a terrific flick, directing ball towards tootsies as his opponent comes in, and that’s the set back level! Ruusuvuori leads 6-3 3-3, but has momentum switched?
Back on Court, Tauson has just won the second set 6-3, so she and Azarenka will now play a decider.
Ostapenko says she’s glad to see Tomljanovic back and that if you win the first set so easily, the second can be tough because you know you won’t play as well. She thanks the crowd for staying out so late, and that she’s decided to be even more aggressive this eyar as in key moment she needs to put even more pressure on her opponents. I guess there’s a difference between being aggressive and being wild – one she’s not quite balanced yet – but if she does, she can be a permanent factor, not just when everything goes perfectly.
Jelena Ostapenko (11) beats Ajla Tomljanovic 6-0 3-6 6-4
Ostapenko closed that out well. We know her best is something special, but she won’t get away with dropping as she did tonight, playing better players. She did, though, win in Adelaide so knows she’s hitting it alright, and she meets Tauson or Azarenka next.
At 15-all, Tomljanovic nets a forehand and hangs her head as a courtside report tells us the crowd are getting after Ostapenko, who’s doing a good job of letting it slide. She then clouts a forehand wide, cleaning up with a volley at the net, and at 40-15 she’s two match points….
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Tomljanovic has so much moxie and she holds to love, forcing Ostapenko to serve for the match at 5-4 in the third. Tough choice for the Aussie: does she get the ball into play and wait for likely errors, or try and force them herself? Against almost anyone else, I’d say do the latter; against Ostapenkz, I’d be tempted to go former.
Well! Up 15-30, Tomljanovic clobbers a forehand return cross-court; Ostapenko responds with an ace then makes deuce. Another big serve follows, then she rushes through deuce, celebrating wildly, and at 3-5 the home favourite is running out of chances.
Ruusuvuori survives a break point and consolidates for 6-3 2-0, but I guess Medvedev will take heart that he made an impression when returning. He got away with a slow start in round one against Atmane, but this is a different thing because he’s playing a better player who might just be coming of age in front of his eyes.
Two first serves from Ostapenko take her from 30-all to 4-2 in front, and she’s looking strong again though – as we, she and Tomljanovic know, she’s capable of doing anything at any point, so.
Medvedev is in massive trouble, finding himself down 15-40. He saves the first break point with a forehand into the corner, but then sticks another wide, and he now trails Ruusuvuori by a set and a break. Meantime, Ostapenko breaks Tomljanovic again for 3-2 in the third, but now trails 15-30…
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Hurkacz has taken the fourth set against Mensik 6-1 – he won the second by that score too – and we’ll now have yet another decider. What a day this has been.
Tremendous forehand winner down the line from Tomljanovic as the clock strikes midnight, raising break-back point, and Ostapenko goes long! We’re back on serve at 2-2!
Down 30-40, Medvedev controls the set-point rally … only to net a backhand when well inside court! Ruusuvuori was barely tested on serve in that set, taking it 6-3, and the question Medvedev has to answer is whether he just needs to play better, or whether he needs to try something different.
Medvedev holds in short order to make Ruusuvuori serve for the set at 5-2, but he’s not making much happen when receiving – which it’s easy to say is because of how far back he’s standing, and it does look that way. Except he always plays like that and he seems to be doing just about OK. Meantime, Ostapenko finds a massive forehand when she needs it, breakig for 2-1 in the third.
Ruusuvuori holds, so Medvedev, who’s not playing well and felt he needed a break in preparation, must now also hold to stick in set one at 2-5.
Azarenka has taken the first set against Tauson 6-4, and I’m going to put Hurkacz v Mensik on that screen; Mensik leads 2-1 but Hurkacz is up a break in the fourth.
Tomljanovic devours a short second serve, smiting a winner down the line for another break to force a decider after losing the first 6-0! She knows how to compete, and looks the more likely to hold it down in the third. Medvedev, meanwhile, holds for 2-4.
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Ostapenkz, a favourite of this blog for obvious reasons, is struggling in set two, down 3-5 and 0-30. I wonder, actually, if she might want to reign herself in a little here, because Tomljanovic isn’t as quick as her or as devastating as her, so if she sticks in rallies, chances to hit winners will present themselves. Yeah, as if. That’s why we love her, and she makes deuce while, on Laver, Ruusuvuori has a point for 5-1 against Medvedev … but overhits his pick-up down the line, just.
On Laver, Ruusuvuori is giving Medvedev plenty. He’s a talented player and excellent athlete, trying to get on to the baseline line and hit big shots. He has to save two break-back points too, but he hanfs on to lead 4-1.
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I didn’t see the first set of Ostapenko v Tomljanovic but I’m pretty sure I know what happened because Ostapenkz is Ostapenkz: she blazed an unstoppable succession of winners because she always tries to, and when it works it works. But she’s cooled now, and Tomljanovic, who’s got some serious mental strength, has broken in set two for a 4-2 lead!
Jakub Mensik leads Hubert Hurkacz (9) 7-6(9) 1-6 7-5
Felix Auger-Aliassime (27) beat Hugo Grenier 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-2
Victoria Azarenka (18) leads Clara Tauson 3-1
Jelena Ostapenko (11) leads Ajla Tomljanovic 6-0 2-2
Emil Ruusuvuori leads Daniil Medvedev 2-0
Right, let’s sweep some stuff up.
Asked to sum up the match in one word, Blinkova says “solid”. Ahahaha, that’s brilliant. Solid! But she explains that she kept telling herself to be solid, while trying to be aggressive, ordering herself to “stay in the present moment the whole time” – a lesson for life for all of us there – and through all the match points, tried not to think about the ones she’s lost or winning the match, just to focus on the moment and stay calm.
“You looked as cool as a cucumber,” says Babsy; “only looked!” laughs Blinkova. She then says she had a big pre-season with a lot of endurance training – imagine what it must’ve taken to stick through that – and she works every day on her endurance. Between points she walked slowly, trying to conserve energy to expend in the points, agrees that today is the greatest day of her life – “the crazy crowd!” – and it’s so affirming to watch someone who seems totally sound reveal themselves like she did. Anna Blinkova is awesome.
Who wants to hear more from Blinkova? Memememememememememe. So let’s have some more.
“A crazy match,” he says, laughing. “Holger is a wonderful player, I knew it was gonna be a big fight but i was ready.” That you were, mon ami. His voice has gone, but he thanks the crowd, especially the French people who were singing for him all match. They pushed him on every point, in the first match too; “Do you even know them?” he’s asked. “Er, no.”
Cazaut, we learn, has acting ambitions, but “not right now, I’m so tired. I’m not gonna do a scene right now, but I think I did my job and it’s a show, the tennis. I gave all I have in me and I ope you enjoy the show. We have the best crowd in France but the Aussie crowd is crazy and i hoe the next round you be there for me.”
Finally, asked about his serve, he says it’s always been a big part of his game and explains that he played andball as a kid and thinks he’s got “this shooter” for that reason. He works hard at every part his game, he says, and this boy is a potential superstar. I love him.
So to Arthur Cazeaux, remember him? It was at least three days ago now, but he’s that 21-year-old lad who just played the match of his life to beat Holder Rune, the number eight seed, and didn’t he enjoy it? Let’s check out what he had to say afterwards…
My fingers are shaking, but while all that was going on, Jelena Ostapenko bagelled Ajla Tomljanovic in their first set. It’s on next to me, but I’ve barely looked at it because of … events, but we’ll be there shortly.
Next on Laver: Emil Ruusuvuori v Daniil Medvedev (3). What a day!
Blinkova thanks the crowd for giving her energy and helping her fight to the end. She had so many match points, she says, to laughter, and tried to be aggressive on them but “my hands were shaking … and my legs too.” She was telling herself “go for it”, and will remember this da for the rest of her life – I’ll bet! – and it’s so moving to see a match like that, two unbelievable athletes unloading every aspect of themselves. The breaker is the longest ever played in a women’s Slam but it’s barely even about that, it’s the quality and intensity of the rallies – I can’t even begin to imagine the stuff we don’t see – the training it takes to be able to perform like that – but I’m so grateful to these players for putting it in, because we’ll remember what we’ve just seen for as long as we can remember.
Anna Blinkova beats Elena Rybakina 6-4 4-6 7-6(20)
Rybakina nets and mazal tov Anna Blinkova, but also mazal tov Elena Rybakina, because that was the greatest contest I’ve seen in I don’t know how long. I’m in complete and utter awe of their competitive ferocity, their skill under pressure, the love and dedication that oozed out of every point. Blinkova takes the match of her life while Rybakina knows it took that to beat her, though she’ll be hurting for a while. Blinkova meets Paolini next. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
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And of course Blinkova saves it … then steps into an inside-out backhand winner! She leads 20-19, and can she take her ninth match point?! I’ve not a clue … but she can’t, netting. What I love so much about this match is how aggressive both players have been on the cusp of defeat, and their ability to chase down balls, again and again, then find the correct shot, played correctly, when they get there. And as I type, Blinkova plays another unbelievable point, eventually making 21-20 with a Michael Jorden overhead. Can she serve out? What’s 22 divided by 7?
KASFJBAJKSHEBFAKJH`BFDKJB`ADKB`ADSOADSB! I’m afraid that’s the best I can do, because Blinkova has just emptied her gas tank and her emotional reserves sticking in the rally, chasing and sending balls back before running in to somehow compose and hit a winner! This is one of the greatest tiebreaks in the history of tennis, and that is not (very) recency bias. I am in total awe of the mentality, physicality and skill of these two, but Rybakina now has her sixth match point at 19-18.
I’m running out of exclamations, people! Chalé! Again, Rybakina powers forehands, Blinkova feeding her to that wing, only for a cross-court animal to whizz past her and into the corner, who knows how close to the line! It’s 17-all, then Rybakina seizes a further mini-break and will again serve needing just this point for the match…
Oh man! Rybakina’s forehand hasn’t been good today, and she pats a dreadful shot long to give us 16-all, then nets another! Match point Blinkova, on serve; Rybakina has saved seven so far, and is now facing a second serve!
OH MY DAYS! Rybakina looks to have won the point with a forehand down the line but Blinkova chases it down … only for a murderous backhand cross-court to fly past her! Match point Rybakina, for the fourth time, on the number three seed’s serve. This is expletive incredible.
Yuh, Rybakina zetzes down an ace; 14-all. Incidentally, I’ve paused Cazaux’s interview and will bring that to you once this is over, Rybakina raising her third match point with a service winner down the T. In a sense, playing well below her level speaks even better of her than an easy win, because she’s still found a way to hang in there against someone playing the match if her life. I’m in awe of how they’re competing like this having gone for this long, and we’re now 15-all – in a breaker, now a game!
Shut up shut up shut up shut up! Blinkova come in, gets low and somehow locates a fantastic inside-out forehand on to the line for a wondrous winner! I’ve no idea how she got that up and over with that power, but she’s soon match point down on again, this time on her own serve, and Rybakina nets for 13-all! This is another fantastic contest, and Blinkova is now 14-13, seeking to convert match point number seven.
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My screen crashes, but Blinkova burns another match point and now Rybakina has one on serve…
Arthur Cazaux beats Holger Rune (8) 7-6(4) 6-4 4-6 6-3
An astonishing performance and a magnificent match. Rune played OK today, but Cazaux was stupendous, his combination of confidence, touch and power too much. He is a potential superstar and I can’t wait to see him again. He plays Griekspoor next.
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Rybakina sends a return deep and Blinkova can’t retort, 9-9, but on Court, Cazaux has match point!
YES ANNA BLINKOVA! She punishes a forehand return then, when Rybakina gets decent depth on her riposte, uncorks a devastating winner that gives her another match point – her fourth – at 9-8! Tybakina has defended these really well so far, and the first serve goes into the net…
But is going to even need one! A backhand cross, then a winner line give Cazaux 0-30, and he’s still noising up the crowd and why not? He’s worked his whole life for this moment, why not enjoy it? Well, because enjoying this kind of scrutiny and pressure is beyond the ability of most of us, but sportsfolk are a different breed.
Blinkova tries a body-serve but it’s too slow and sits up, so Rybakina takes control of the rally and her forehand does enough for 6-5; Cazaux slams down yet another ace, and leads Rune 5-3 in the fourth! He’s a hold away from a classic “Remember the name!” moment.
Oh yes! Blinkova sees Rybakina coming in and moving towards her forehand, so unleashes a winner down the backhand side, then poor footwork means the number three seed is stretching on another forehand … and it drops long! Naturally, Blinknova can’t then press home the advantage, and we’re back at 4-4, with 10 by two points the winning target. Meantime, Cazaux has just saved a break point at 4-3 in the fourth, but must still make his way through deuce.
Back on Court court, Cazaux isn’t playing as fluently as before but he’s done enough so far, up 4-3 … but down 0-30…
Grigor Dimitrov (13) beats Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4
He meets Borges next, and will fancy his chances there.
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Weak second serve, but Rybakina goes wide on the forehand, by a fraction of a fibre, and Blinkova has another match point … only to net. Rybakina then raises advantage … and a double fault means 6-6 and a 10-point breaker! The number-three seed has handled the huge points superbly, though she’s not playing well.
Rybakina nets a tame backhand for 15-all, but then lands an excellent forehand return on to the line; a big first serve follows, and she can only net. AND HAVE A LOOK! Blinkova goes for a second serve, and Rybakina mishits a loopy forehand which lands long! Match point Blinkova, and can she handle the moment of her life?! Well, sort of; she’s in the rally then, out of nowhere, Rybakina smites a marvellous oblique backhand winner cross-court, that breaks the sideline for deuce. This is so so good, and goodness me! Down advantage, Blinkova annihilates an ace down the middle, and back to deuce we go!
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I’ve not a clue what’s going on Laver. Blinkova has two break points at 15-40, and Rybakina just can’t find her usual consistency. And when she sends a backhand down the line … and wide! … it means Blinkova will now serve for the match a second time! Has she learnt from her previous experience? She was passive last time, then tried to compensate and went for too much. Here we go at 6-5 in the third…
Now then! Rybakina isn’t having a tepid serve out wide, cleansing a backhand winner cross-court for 0-30 … then charging in to over-excitedly swipe a putaway wide. Her eyes lit up there, adrenaline took over, and she just went for too much when all she needed was for the ball to be good. Three break-back points, and Rybakina only needs one; Blinkova just can’t manage herself when it’s intense, and win or lose, she’ll learn a lot from this.
The quality of match we’ve had and are having is frankly off the scale … and we’ve still got Mevedev v Ruusuvuori, Tauson v Azarenka and Ostapenko v Tomljanovic to come! Rune holds, so Cazaux leads 2-1 and 2-1, with a break – or, to put it another way, he’s four holds away from a monstrous win. And Blinkova has broken Rybakina again for 5-4, so will now serve for the match! Can she land some first deliveries? Because if she can, she’s home, but if she can’t, no chance.
Rybakina earns advantage … and swings a lovely, leaping forehand from the baseline for a clean winner and the break back. I feel for Blinkova, who’s played brilliantly, but her serve has failed her because she’s got tight at tight moments, so we’re 4-4 in third and you expect the number three seed to close out from here. Meantime, Rune saves two points for the double-break, keeping himself in the match against Cazaux, who isn’t letting up through deuce, punishing a barely believable backhand winner down the line for advantage! Rune can only smile, because he knows he’s facing something special
Meantime, Blinkova is holding it down, up 4-3 against Rybakina in the third, while Cazaux has broken Rune again to lead 7-6 6-4 4-6 1-0. Considering he lost the third by losing his serve for the first time in the match, that’s a great show of stones and, as I type, he holds to 15 meaning Rune, who’s never won from two sets down, is in a world of trouble.
Raducanu showed loads on that match. Real talk, it’s almost impossible to see her winning another major, because there are too many players at least as talented, who hit it much harder. But she’s a load of fun to watch, and has bottle for days crates.
Wang Yafan beats Emma Raducanu 6-4 4-6 6-4
A fantastic match. Raducanu could put her forehand anywhere on the court but for whatever reason decides to hit it through Wang, netting instead. Pressure does funny things, eh. Wang is into round three of a Slam for the first time in her career, and she meets Qinwen Zheng the number 12 seed, next.
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Wang raises two match points, Raducanu lays a nice drop, and all she has to do is put away the response…
After taking control of the point, Cazaux doesn’t do enough with a volley and Rune runs in to pass him! This is on a rolling boil now, the wild card leading the number eight seed 7-6 6-4 4-6. If you’re near a telly or a phone, get it on.
Blinkova hangs on for her hold, and at 1-3 in the third, Rybakina is running out of time. Raducanu, meanwhile, holds to love forcing Wang to serve for the match at 6-4 in the third, while Rune finally digs into the Cazaux serve, raising two set points, the first saved with an ace out wide. There’s a lot going on, mates!
Blnkova has a second-serve situation. Her first is a helluva thump, but her second is the reason Rybakina is still in this match, and it lets her down again at 40-30, then on advantage she nets a forehand. This is getting tense! Elsewhere, Rune holds to love for a 5-4 lead, trailing Cazaux 2-0, and Wang is serving at 4-3 in the decider with Raducanu.
Talking of love holds, Wang secures a rare one and leads 4-2 in the decider; they’ve been playing 50-odd minutes for their six games in this set, which is would even with the doctor stoppage. On Laver, meanwhile, Blinkova roars BECAUSE SHE’S BROKEN RYBAKINA! She leads 2-1, and the number three seed needs something, fast.
Cazaux strolls through a hold in … 54 seconds. But Rune quickly seizes one of his own, , a fifth love-hold of the set, to lead 4-3 but trial 2-0. He also gets another knee-rub, the last he’s allowed this set. “He’s just classic French,” returns Calv Betton on Cazaux. “They always have loads of lads who are good, and then about half of them turn out to be very good And you never know which they will be. It’s a conveyor belt.”
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When I left Cain, Dimitrov was all over Kokkinakis and leading by two sets to love, but thew Aussie has taken the third set 6-4, so that match isn’t done or close to it. But has Wang broken the back of her match with Raducanu? After another brutal game, she holds for 3-1 in the third, and that’s got to sting, especially if you’re feeling ropey.
On Jerry Shang, Calv Betton, our resident coach, messages from Melbourne. “He plays a lot like Rios. I don’t think he’s got the weight of shot to be the very top but he’ll be good value to watch.”
The Miroslav Mecir of his era.
Yup, Blinkova couldn’t hit her first serves so Rybakina lopes in and puts away a forehand to earn a decider, while Wang has just saved another break-back point at 2-1. This has been a fantastic match, both players going for it and chasing like you can’t believe.
Rune has the trainer out, looking at his knee, while Rybakina holds, inviting Blinkova to serve to stay in set two at 4-5. Can she handle the pressure? Talking of which, both Raducanu and Wang have shown incredible ability to hit their best shots on the biggest points, and the former raises 15-40 with another booming forehand … so Wang unleashes one of her own, then an error gives her deuce. Raducanu, though finds another winner for advantage while, on Laver, Blinkova may indeed have … er … blinked. Rybakina has set point…
On 3, Felix Auger-Aliassime has taken the first set against Hugo Grenier 6-1 and they’re on serve in the second; Cazaux holds to love and Rune must now go again, while Raducanu secures her hold too, though with somewhat greater difficulty. She’s on the board in the decider, still a break down at 1-2, and sits with towel over head during change of ends.
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We’re back away on 1573, Wang consolidating for 2-0 in the third, but Raducanu looks crook … then serves an ace, down break-point. She’s got some serious moxie and respect to it, but can she hold? A question we’re also asking of rune, who’s saved two break points … and secures the hold when Cazaux thrashes a forehand long and wide. This is a proper jazzer of a match – I don’t think Cazaux is just some bloke having a good day, he looks to me like someone who’ll be a factor and this is him announcing himself – and he leads 7-6 6-4 0-1.
I mentioned earlier that it’s windy, and it really is – you can see by watching – and it’s also a little nippy now, Raducanu wrapping herself in a towel as she waits for the doctor. Ah, and the aggro on Court that I mentioned: it’s a bloke clapping loudly between Rune’s first and second serves, on which point as in set two, he faces break point in the first game … saving it with a backhand volley when a lob doesn’t soar as planned. But he’s still to plough through deuce…
Of course, as I say that, Rybakina sends a pair of backhands down the line and breaks back for 2-2 in the second while, on 1573, Raducanu is struggling with something, sickness I think – what a nause, after all her struggles with injury. She’s still fighting hard, but after several more deuces, she nets a forehand and calls the trainer. Wang leads 6-4 4-6 2-0.
I’ve not seen as much of the Rybakina match as I’d have liked, but Blinkova is serving absolute heat. If she – and Cazaux for that matter – keep that up, their seeded opponents are done for.
Photograph: James Ross/AAP
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Gosh, Wang breaks Raducanu for 1-0 in the decider, while Blinkova has broken Rybakina to lead 6-4 2-1! The number three seed is in a world of trouble because her opponent, who’s never gone beyond round three of a Slam, is playing the match of her life.
Again, Cazaux misses his first serve, but he finds a good volley when he needs it and Rune’s response is wide! Cazaux leads the number eight seed by two sets to love, and is playing brilliantly!
Rune goes to the backhand corner and comes in, so Cazaux nails a backhand riposte on to his tootsies then nails a serve for 30-0! This is great stuff, another one-sided point follows, secured with a deliberately violent smash … but two missed first serves help Rune save the first two set points…
Rune serves out, but Cazaux will shortly serve for a two-set lead. I thnik there’s also been some aggro in the crowd, someone trying to put Rune off between serves, but her comes Arthur, leading 7-6 5-4…
Lovely from Cazaux, a no-look volley that gives him 0-15, Rune serving trialing 6-7 3-5. He does, I’m told, have a lot of confidence – as does his opponent – and he’s shown no sign of faltering thus far.
Blinkova hollers and rightly so; she’s taken the first set off Rybakina 6-4, and does anyone has a spare set of eyes, because there’s too much going on here!
Wow, this is an intense match now, Raducanu marmalising a forehand return cross-court to raise her third set point. But again, Wang responds with forehands of her own – two if them in a row – to regain deuce. So Raducanu punishes a backhand on to the line, Wang sends a forehand wide, and we’ve got ourselves a decider!
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Dimitrov now leads Kokkinakis 6-3 6-2, Borges has binned Davidovich Fokina, the men’s number 23 seed, and Svitolina is through, seeing off Tomova 6-1 6-3.
Brilliant from Yafan Wang! She plays a fantastic game under pressure to break back, but the way Raducanu’s been attacking her serve, she’s not out of the woods yet. But she leads 6-4 4-5.
A decent slice from Raducanu incites Wang to net a backhand, and Raducanu has set point. But Wang sticks in there really well, a flat forehand prompting the error. This is a proper battle now, and we’ve got the same on Court where Cazaux has survived his first break point of the match to lead Rune 7-6 3-1. Rune is not enjoying himself.
Rybakina started slowly against Pliskova and she’s done the same against Blinkova, who leads 2-1 with a break. Raducanu, meanwhile, is on one, raising three more break points at 4-6 4-3; Wang saves the first with a booming forehand, then the second too … but after a sapping rally, Raducanu sends a forehand winner cross-court! This is a terrific match, and the 2021 US Open champ will now serve for set two at 5-3, having trailed by a break and break point. Tremendous behaviour.
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Raducanu is all over Wang now, making 0-30, and though Wang fights back, a big forehand raises break point. Wang, though, does well to hold for 6-4 3-3, while Cazaux has just broken rune to lead 7-6 2-0!
Go on Arthur Cazaux! He taken the breaker to four, and the number eight seed is under pressure from the 21-year-old wildcard! He’s a proper unit, Cazaux, and you can tell he fancies the job.
On Laver, Rybakina and Blinkova are warming up;; when they get going, I’ll switch from Dimitrov 6-3 2-0 Kokkinakis to them.
Rune and Cazaux are playing a first-set breaker, Cazaux with the mini-break at 4-1, while Raducanu is giving Wang plenty now, and they’re fighting through deuces … until two banging forehands seal the break-back! She was a set and a break down, now it’s 2-2 in the second, and this match is extremely alive.
Email! “With fat too much time on my hands,” says Simon Wylie, “I couldn’t help notice you wrote very eloquently ‘ooof marone’ when describing Wang. “That’s what you might think you hear when watching The Sopranos but (and here’s the pedant in me) it’s actually ‘ooof madone’ a derivation or reduction of Oh Madonna Mia.”
Yup, it’s a typo I’m afraid, R and D being diagonally adjacent on the keyboard; R and T are also proximate (smiley face). It’s unfortunately an occupational hazard, but far from my worst infraction; consider what might go wrong with “he plays a gorgeous cut-shot”!
Dimitrov now leads Kokkinakis by a set and a break, 6-3 1-0. I’m really enjoying his late-career blossoming – remember the Baby Fed days? – and though I doubt he makes a Slam final or anything, on a good day he’s more than capable of taking out someone expecting to. Back on Court, meanwhile, Rune and Cazaux are level at 5-5, and it’s a struggle for number eight seed.
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Raducanu battles for a massive hold, saving double-break point and sealing the game with a brilliant forehand winner cross-court. She’s still in big trouble, trailing 4-6 1-2, but she’s trying to find herself.
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Wang is so much better than Raducanu now, breaking her for 6-4 1-0, while Dimitrov has just taken the first set off Kokkinakis 6-3. On Court, Rune and Cazaux are 4-4, while Svitolina is up a set and a break against Tomova.
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Boris Becker is in the Eurosport studio and, now that you ask, I met him over Christmas in Accra, then two minutes later bumped into Wendell Pierce. More news as I get it.
Let's round up today's action so far
Iga Swiatek needed three sets to beat Danielle Collins
Casper Ruud beast Max Purcell in a fifth-set breaker
Carlos Alcaraz, as we saw, beat Lorenzo Sonego in four
Alexander Zverev has another scare, beating Lukas Klein in five
Sloane Stephens saw off number-14 seed, Daria Kasatkina, in three
Tommy Paul beat Jack Draper in four
Cam Norrie came from two sets down to beat Giulia Zeppieri
Qinweng Zhang beat Katie Boilter in two
Cara Burel beat number five seed, Jessica Pegula, in two
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Jerry Shang beats Sumit Nagal 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-4
Shang finishes it with an ace, and this boy could be the boy. He meets Carlos Alcaraz next, and that is going to be a lot of fun.
Excellent from Wang, who serves out to love and finishes the set with a wrongfooting backhand, from on her haunches, that sums up the set. She leads Raducanu 6-4.
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Raducanu is warming up, taking back a break and holding to love; Wang leads her 5-4 in the first.
Next on Laver: Elena Rybakina (3) v Anna Blinkova.
And Shang has broken, so he now leads by 4-3 and by two sets to love. He’s 18, lefty, Chinese – though spent a lot of time in America – and has insane quantities of talent and attitude. And as I type, out of nowhere he leaps into a forehand down the line that doesn’t hit the corner or even get that close, but is hit so flat and hard that no one, never mind Nagal is getting near it.
Wang is giving Raducanu a going-over, up 5-2 in the first and generally having her way, while Dimitrov leads Kokkinakis 4-1. I think, though, that I’m going to get Shang on, because he is a potential superstar.
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The way Alcaraz finished that, oof marone. Sonego played really well, as he acknowledges, and it was tough to play your best in the wind. But he thinks the two of them “made some good points” and “it was a good match”. Today was his 200th match on tour – he’s 20! – and being the killer that he is, Alcaraz says he’s got 200 wins, and wants to make 300. I much prefer the trainers he wears post-match than the one he wears during it, because yes, he changed.
Carlos Alcaraz (2) beats Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 (3)6-7 6-3 7-6(3)
A colossal forehand and a slam-dunk smash seal the deal, and Alcaraz meets Sumit Nagal or Jerry Shang next; currently, Shang leads 2-6 6-3 7-5 3-3.
Alcaraz whams a fine return to the back, but Sonego picks it up well and the attempted winner goes long. No matter three more match points are to come, the first two on serve.
Alcaraz has been so aggressive at the business end of this set and now leads 5-2 … 6-2, Sonego caught by one that bounces deep and flicking a forehand riposte long. Four match points…
A massive serve from Alcaraz and that’s 3-0; he wants out of there. Years ago, I remember footballers talking about looking across the tunnel to see either Man United’s 93-94 team, or Arsenal’s 98-04 teams, and thinking man, look at the size of them. I’m not sure if that’s why Alcaraz is in vast, but he’s in absolutely ludicrous shape, and he doesn’t mind who knows about it. He leads 4-2.
On Court, Holger Rune the number eight seed, and Arthur Cazaux, a wild card, are knocking up; Alcaraz serves out to love, and we’ll now have another breaker, Sonego having taken the previous one easily. But the number two seed might just’ve hit a seam these last two games, so I fancy him to nick this one … and backhand down the line means an immediate mini-break.
Sonego wallops down a service winner, and Alcaraz must now serve to stay in set three while, on Cain, Dimitrov has played a lovely leaping volley to break Kokkinakis for 3-1.
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And Wang breaks Raducanu for 2-1 then, well, goodness me. Alcaraz hoists a fine lob, Sonego does superbly to leap and deflect a backhand overhead towards the sideline … then Alcaraz dematerialises a backhand winner down the line and through the gap between umpire’s chair and net, a shot so luminous Sonego applauds. And he’s under a spot of pressure as another Alcaraz winner leaves him serving at 5-5 40-30.
So, what to watch? I’m on Raducanu 1-1 Wang, Sonego 4-6 7-6(3) 3-6 5-5 Alcaraz and Dimitrov 2-1 Kokkinakis.
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Preamble
G’day one and all, and welcome to what looks like another terrific session (of tennis).
I love the way they do evenings in Melbourne, matches running over from the day and plenty going on, because really, that’s what the first week of a Slam is about: loads of matches, none of which you watch entirely properly, some of which develop into surprise classics, all of which contribute to a feeling of wellbeing that only a surfeit of sport can bestow.
So, what’s on the menu for the next bit? Well, our principal evening sesh features what should be fairly straightforward matches for Elena Rybakina, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and Victoria Azarenka.
But on top of that, Griggzy Dimitrov and Thanasi Kokkinakis are just under way, to be followed by a belter: Jelena Ostapenko v Ajla Tomljanovic. And we’ve also got Emma Raducanu and Elina Svitolina – both of whose matches are in their early stages – Hubert Hurkacz, and Felix Auger-Aliassime. So, let’s get on with it.
