That, then, is us. A magnificent, intense, fluctuating, dramatic match, with Rublev somehow managing to find his best tennis after roughly four hours, annihilating the fifth set in fantastic style. He meets Sinner next while, on the women’s side, another fantastic set, this time for Barbora Krejcikova, who faces the defending champ, Aryna Sabalenka, next. So thanks all for your company and comments – we’ll be with you again tomorrow, so join us then! But for now, peace out.
“First of all I want to say ‘great match’ to Alex,” he begins. He said two days ago he hoped for a great match for the spectators, but now he regrets it! At 1-2 down and he was broken back in set four, he said to himself ‘No, you’re going to die today but you’re going to do everything,” and he started to play better, finding more energy. It’s always tough to play alex, he says, one of the fastest players; ‘the way moves with the legs.’ He’s happy to be in the quarters and admits that when you pay four hours with long rallies, you feel a bit of pain, but he was trying not to think about it but to push himself and do everything he could. He told himself not to cry, not to feel sorry for himself, and to keep fighting then, when asked what it’s like to be in his head during matches like this, he laughs that it’s better not to be there before conceding it’s “Like a scary movie, a lot of emotions happen!” He seems such a lovely man, I’d love for him to finally get his breakthrough, and asked about Sinner laughs “Looks like I’m in trouble," but will do his best and see what happens.
De Minaur, meanwhile, played a fantastic match, doing everything he could. The final-set bagel will hurt but he’s improved so much and isn’t finished yet, though ultimately he was beaten by a better player with better weapons playing better. I can’t see Rublev beating Sinner, but if he hits the level he produced at the end and for some of the first set, he’s a chance. Let’s hear what he has to say…
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Andrey Rublev (5) beats Alex de Minaur 6-4 (4)6-7 (5)6-7 6-4 6-0!
Rublev quickly makes 30-15 but then drills a forehand into the net. AND HAVE A LOOK! Out of nowhere, he unloads the suitcase at a backhand cross-court and though, a coupe of h ours ago, De Minaur might’ve got it back, four-odd hours in, it’s too good, and Rublev has match point! But he can’t take it, another mystifying get from the Aussie allowing him to make deuce with a forehand at the net. Rublev is grunting hard now, but that doesn’t stop De Minaur from making advantage with a big forehand; an ace follows, and he’s played the bigguns superbly tonight. Shonuff, when down advantage again, Rublev produces yet another first serve-forehand combo – “Absurd,” says Kyrgios – and if this is to be the last game of the match, it’s of fitting quality and intensity. But as I type, De Minaur finds decent depth that persuades his opponent to net … only for a decent second serve, backed up with a big forehand to restore deuce. “Probably the highest-level match I’ve seen all AO,” muses Kyrgios as Rublev finds another serve-forehand combo move to raise match point! AND THERE IT IS! A backhand on to the line, a long riposte, and Rublev has played one of the great final sets, a phenomenal display of power, love and stones, to finish a wonderful match. He meets Jannik Sinner next and I already can’t wait for that!
“The cramps are coming, I can feel em,” says Kyrgios of Rublev, while Lleyton Hewitt, Australia’s Davis Cup captain, tries to indicate the same to De Minaur and that he shoild move his man around. But at 15-all he sends a forehand down the line wide then, out of nowhere, Rublev conjures a top-spin forehand that scooshes over the net at an improbably angle, breaking the sideline and raising two points for a triple break. AND RUBLEV ONLY NEEDS ONE! He monsters another forehand down the line, D-Min can’t return, and that’s 5-0! He has played magnificently in the fifth and will now serve for the match, but that cramp means the local boy still has a chance. De Minaur 4-6 7-6 7-6 3-6 0-5 Rublev
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Kygios thinks D-Min is playing less aggressively now, and that he’s flagging physically; I daresay those two things are connected. But at 15-all on the Rublev serve, he dredges a forehand winner from the depts of his soul, only for the one-two of first serve-forehand to restore parity. from there, Rublev closes out, and he leads 4-0 in the fifth, a last-eight match against Jannik Sinner – the only player in the draw yet to lose a set – the winner’s prize.
Up 30-0, De Minaur nets, but Rublev forced that error with the way he’s hitting the ball now, early and hard. And have a look! He opens shoulders to pound a forehand that raises 30-all while making his opponent look underpowered; that opponent responds with an ace, but Rublev plays another fantastic point, nailing a backhand return then cleaning up with the fore. The crowd can see their man flagging, so they attempt to rouse him at deuce … but he strays fractionally long with a forehand. Two double-break points to Rublev, and both men know the match is here. AND THERE IT IS! Rublev does a D-MIN, expending energy he shouldn’t have to stick in the rally before destroying a backhand winner down the line, and at 3-0 he’s almost home, bellowing his approval as the crowd fall silent.
The temperature on court has dropped, we’re told, and it makes sense that, in such circumstance, Rublev is the better player, because with the ball moving less quickly through the air, his extra power is definitive. He serves superbly here, consolidating to love, and though D-Min only needs one break to alter the flow, he’s run so much further tonight and for first time looks to be struggling with the pace. Rublev leads 2-0 in the fifth.
So who’s going to win this? It’s hard not to favour Rublev, who has bigger weapons, greater experience and took the fourth set. And he’s quickly up 0-30 in game one of the fifth, a brilliant return on to the line facilitating the succession of murderous forehands it takes to make 0-40. And he only needs one, his backhand seizing control of the point, a couple of forehands consolidating, and an inside-out backhand winner sealing the break to love! Rublev strikes first in the decider!
Rublev takes the fourth set 6-3!
A big forehand sees De Minaur go long and an ace down the T takes Rublev two points away from the set. A service winner follows, then a netted return, and we’re going all the way – rightly so! De Minaur 4-6 7-6 7-6 3-6 Rublev
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De Minaur holds to love, so Rublev must now try and serve out at 5-3 to earn a fifth set. Rather him than me!
Rublev finds himself standing still during another horrendous rally, losing focus to wham a forehand long and give De Minaur 15-30. Then, at 30-all, another lob, so the Russian backpeddles to slam-dunk another overhead – “One of the best I’ve ever seen,” enthuses Kyrgios, and we wind up at deuce, then D-Min takes a forehand early, wrong-footing his opponent to raise break-back point! He can’t, though, control his next return, and Rublev cements a crucial consolidation. Rublev leads 5-2 in the fourth, and the decider this match deserves looks highly likely. We can cope!
Oh man, down 15-0, Rublev annihilates a forehand winner down the line, dispatched with terrifying velocity. We wind up at 30-all, but D-min then nets a backhand, and can Rublev break? Yes he can, because a forehand larruped long, one of the worst shot the Aussie has played under pressure, means he now leads 2-1 but trails 2-4! I’ve not a clue how this match is going to shake out because the contest is so even and pressure does funny things to everyone.
Kyrgios reckons Rublev “has the level” to win a major, there are just lots of good players around. But I think that’s a little kind – he doesn’t quite have the level, which is why he’s yet to get close, but expanding on the point, Kyrgios says he might just have one run, once, where it’s all going for him. That’s possible I guess, our new commentator saying that once the Djokovic calls it a day, we’ll see a whole host of Slam winners, and that’s his tactic – waiting until then. But back to the now, from 30-0 down, De Minaur makes 30-40, Rublev thrashes a backhand wide, and we’re back on serve in the fourth! I’m surprised he ceded his advantage as easily as that, but the constant buzzing coming from over the other side of the net must be extremely disconcerting. De Minaur leads 4-6 7-6 7-6 2-3.
At 30-15, Rubley nails a backhand winner down the line and Kyrgios wonders if fatigue is encouraging him to go for his shots off both wings. De Minaur then goes wide, and that’s the break consolidated for 3-0 in the fourth.
At 30-15, Rublev zones a terrific backhand slices zones cross-court which dips over the net, De Minaur unable to shovel it back, and then he doubles handing over break point. Rublev is playing well here, hitting hard from the back until his opponent wafts long, and that’s an immediate break! De Minaur leads 4-6 7-6 7-6 0-2!
De Minaur is lively as you like at the start of the fourth. He knows Rublev is incandescent and wanting to keep him thus, but having made 0-15 15-all he sends a forehand long, and this match does have the feel of a five-setter; we’ve been going three hours 11 minutes for our three sets and three points so far. It’s seriously enjoyable stuff too, full of brilliance and fluctuations, and is Rublev tiring? He’s a little tentative as D-min makes 30-all, but from there, closes out for the lead in set four.
If you can’t go over it, go around it 😈 @alexdeminaur@Kia_Worldwide • #Kia • #MakeYourMove • #MovementThatInspires@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/VUcYGeq8xS
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2024
De Minaur takes the third set 7-6(4)!
Rublev saves the first, backing away into the backhand corner to punish a forehand winner down the line. BUT WHAT IS THAT! Again, De Minaur is out of the rally, Rublev running in to hammer a forehand to the corner. But the Aussie skids towards it, flings a racket … and creams a winner down the line that gives him the set! How on earth did he do that?! De Minaur leads Rublev 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(4)!
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Again, an increasingly livid Rublev sends a return long, and De Minaur has three set points at 6-3!
No way! Apparently out of another rally, D-min retrieves a short ball, then a shot later flicks one that hits the cord twice, giving him 4-3, cementing the mini0break when Rublev’s return drops long, prompting cries of anguish from the Russian. 5-3 De Minaur!
Rublev frames a backhand winner cross-court, taking the immediate mini-break, but goes long to immediately return it then nets and puts his racket across his knee like a naughty child! De Minaur now has the advantage … but not for long as we reach 2-2. The Aussie, though, is managing to control more rallies than before, making 3-2 … before a serve-forehand one-two punch takes us to 3-3. These two are so well-matched.
Ooooh yeah! De Minaur leaps and stretches out wide on the forehand to force back a return, gets on his bike and, from the opposite corner, lasers a backhand winner cross-court; 0-15. Another minging rally follows, D-Min again all over the court like an orange rash before he goes long for 15-all. Then, facing a second serve, he steps in … only to lunge at a backhand return and send it out. Rublev, though, is feeling it too, his backhand falling long. But just as our breaker looks set, at 40-30 De Minaur again stays in a point in ridiculous style before finding a tremendous top-spin winner for deuce! This is compelling, engrossing, affirming stuff, and when D-Min runs around his backhand, he absolutely cleanses a forehand winner down the line for advantage and a second set point! But no expletive way! Rublev destroys a backhand that clips the outside of the sideline, in by 5mm apparently – ! – then follows it with another to restore deuce! I, and everyone else watching this, was certain that penultimate ball was going out, but somehow it stayed in and Rublev closes out for 6-6 and another breaker! This is such a tussle, physical, skilful and brutal.
71% of the world is covered by water. The remaining 29% is covered by @alexdeminaur!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2024
The Aussie world No.10 lifts the roof off RLA and takes the second set 7-6(5)#AusOpen • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/18gtOY9GeE
You can't be serious, @karenkhachanov! 🤯#AusOpen • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis #Kia • #MakeYourMove • @Kia_Worldwide pic.twitter.com/rJK5LOlxcH
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2024
Up 30-15, De Minaur tries the lob-trick again, but this time his effort sails just long, and he’s under it again. A big serve saves him, though, then another, and it’s looking like another breaker – but first, Rublev must hold at 5-6.
De Minaur will be raging he couldn’t close out but we saw it coming, Rublev’s level increasing over the last few games. He holds for 5-5, and it’d be entirely unsurprising were he to ride the wave to break again.
De Minaur slices a tentative backhand wide, but then Rublev wallops long for 15-all. Another error from the Aussie, though, means 15-30, and he takes time to compose before the next point, making 30-all when Rublev again overhits. At 30-all, though, a long rally – the 44th over nine shots, the score 22-22 – De Minaur swipes across a backhand that falls wide; break-back point. Rublev gets close to converting too, his forehand dropping just beyond the corner, and when he nets a return to hand over set point, his racket bears the brunt of his frustration. He responds superbly, though, massive hitting from the back earning deuce – he’s playing much better at the arse-end of this set than the start – and when D-Min nets a forehand, he has his first break-back point. P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E. Goodness me, P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E! De Minaur cedes all he’s worked for with a fifth double, and we’re back on serve in set three! De Minaur 4-6 7-6 5-4 Rublev
Rublev, up 15-0, sends down his 15th double of the match; De Minaur has four. But from there, he finds his big serves, holding to 15, and the Aussie will now serve for the set at 5-3 in front of an increasingly agitated home crowd.
In the first two sets, it was Rublev dictating most of the rallies, De Minaur sticking in them, but that’s much less the case now, and when the Aussie finds himself under minor pressure at 15-all, he spanks an ace down the T. Eighteen months ago, he doesn’t have the pop to do that, and to put an exclamation mark on it, sends down another at 40-15 that gives him 5-2! Rublev will now serve to stay in the set!
Rublev took the start of this set off – probably not on purpose, but he knows he could and probably should have taken the second before the breaker, so losing it knocked him. But he’s playing a little better now, holding to 15 to stay within a break-back at 2-4 in the third.
Rublev’s annoyance is increasing, and when he goes long for 40-0, De Minaur on the verge of another straightforward hold, when the ball comes back he petulantly swings at it anyway … then rips an unbelievable return cross-court for a winner. We wind up at 40-30, then a lovely backhand winner down the line raises deuce – Kyrgios thinks he shuld try this shot more often – and is this another momentum shift? Nah, De Minaur quickly closes out, and he leads 4-6 7-6 4-1.
Rublev just can’t get going, netting for 30-all when De Minaur lands one on the outermost fibre of the baseline. Then, at 40-30, he slams a backhand wide but manages to right himself, holding to get on the board in set three at 1-3.
At 30-all, De Minaur finds a terrific serve that gives him game-point, Rublev nets a backhand, and the Aussie is properly in the ascendancy now. Reflecting on the breaker, until then, Rublev had been able to get himself out of trouble with his serve and forehand, but as we said, a point here and there can decide things and that’s what happened, the ludicrous one De Minaur took with a lob ultimately decisive. De Minaur 4-6 7-6(5) 3-0 Rublev
For now, it’s De Minaur playing the better stuff, he makes 15-40 … and Rublev hammers a backhand wide! That’s the break! He was made to fight for every point there, Kyrgios notes, saying “Rublev looks like he’s about to lose it, and I know exactly what that feels like … I have ongoing conversations with about 10 different personalities in my own head when I’m out there.” De Minaur leads 2-0 in the third.
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Kyrgios is absolutely loving this contest – some might say he’s showing greater enthusiasm for it than for some of his own matches. Anyway, De Minaur responds to going down 0-15 with two humungous forehands that make him 30 and we learn that Rublev’s coach would like him to love tennis a little less to give him greater equanimity on court. Kyrgios notes he’s lacked the love in his career, and D-Min holds for 1-0 in the third.
De Minaur takes the second set 7-6(5)!
OH MY DAYS! A sensational rally, Rublev dominating and De Minaur defending – in rrrridiculous style, not just retrieving but asking a question – ends with a fantastic lob, raising set point at 6-4. But Rublev finds a decent return and from there seizes back the mini-break … only for De Minaur to punish a glooooorrious backhnd winner cross-court for the set! This is a really, really good match now, both players playing well and that set taking 73 minutes to resolve. De Minaur 4-6 7-6(5) Rublev
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This set’s been going 68 minutes so far, and when Rublev swipes a backhand wide on serve, De Minaur is two points from the set at 5-3! A fantastic forehand winner, inside-out into the corner, gives him 4-5, but the breaker is on D-Min’s racket…
Rublev was the better player in that set, looking more likely to break, and he’s soon ahead in the breaker, his forehand prompting D-Min to go long. It’s worth saying, though, that his backhand has also been decent tonight – it’s been targeted to little avail – but have a look! Rublev hits the net-cord and De Minaur streaks in as it clips off to the side, flicking a winner low around the net-post! We’re back on serve, the Aussie taking the next point too, for 3-3.
Serving at 30-15, a rally of slices ends when De Minaur goes long, but next point Ruboev misses his inside-out backhand by a few inches and goes long immediately afterwards. We’ve got our second-set breaker, and it doesn’t feel too extreme to say the match is here: if Rublev takes it, it’s probably over, but if De Minaur does, we’ve got ourselves a ball-game. De Minaur 4-6 6-6 Rublev
De Minaur plays what looks like a gorgeous pick-up coming in, but apologises when it turns into a winner so he must’ve played something different. Still, it gives him 15-30 … and Rublev responds with two service winners for a 6-4 6-5 lead.
Badabing! At 15-all, Rublev hits a forehand to the forehand corner, then opens shoulders to dispense an inside-out disgrace for a winner so conclusive that even De Minaur doesn’t bother chasing it. But from there, D-Min finds enough, making 5-5. He’s actually playing pretty well, he’s just not been able to get past Rublev’s serve and forehand when it counts, but a breaker – if we get one – can be decided by a point here and there.
I mean seriously. Imagine prompting this reaction in one of the toughest humans ever to walk the earth.
I’m struggling to find footage, but did anyone see Julia, Martina Navratilova’s wife, surprise her by learning to sing opera – Martina loves it – then performing it at her “Fuck Cancer” party on Real Housewives of Miami? It might sound silly, but it’s beautiful – look it up if you can. Back on court, Rublev again does the necessary when under pressure, a big forehand and an ace out wide taking him through deuce, so De Minaur will shortly serve to stay in set two, trailing 4-6 4-5.
Rublev has words with umpire about the shot-clock but it’s not clear as to the precise context; perhaps he wasn’t chuffed with it starting so close to the end of that monstrous rally. Anyhow, De Minaur secures a welcome straightforward hold to 15, and we’re at 4-4 in the second, things getting tense.
Rublev hares in and slams a swing volley into the net when a gentle putaway would’ve sufficed; De Minaur has 0-30. But then on 15-30, a double, a mini-tantrum, and two break points as the arena lights up. So Rublev serves out wide then cleans up with a forehand to the opposite corner – his two big weapons have been the difference so far –and have a look! A brutal rally, D-Min in control hitting to the back, until eventually Rublev works a chance for a forehand, ending the longest sequence of the match with its 35th shot, an inside-out animal on to the outside of the sideline. He’s played the pressure situations superbly so far, and seconds later is closing out for 6-4 4-3 with an ace on to the T.
Rublev makes 30-all thanks to two De Minaur forehands which drop long. Then a decent backhand out wide persuades D-Min to net, and this is a crucial point coming up … De Minaur dematerialising an ace out wide. But when he tamely goes long again, he’s in trouble again, saving himself well again the making advantage thanks to a felicitous net-cord and seeing out the game from there. We’re 3-3 in the second, Rublev by one set to love.
Now then. Down 15-30, Rublev swipes a forehand into the net, his second such error of the game, and De Minaur has two break points. So Rublev uncorks a succession of terrifying forehands, the Aussie retrieving superbly, then does really well to pick up a net-cord and close out the point, making deuce immediately afterwards. In comms, Kyrgios explains that you try and find Rublev – and Nadal’s – backhand on return, problem being they’re so good at hiding it, but on advantage, Rublev goes wide off that wing and D-Min quickly makes advantage coming in cleverly. He concedes break-point tamely, though, Rublev closes out, and I’d not be shocked if he expoits his opponent’s disappointment to break following change of ends. Rublev 6-4 3-2 De Minaur
If De Minaur wins tonight, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost to Taylor Fritz earlier, will be out of the top 10. When he broke through plaaying Futures events, I thought he’d a be a champion, but his weakness then – his backhand – is still a weakness now, and he’s showing no signs of sorting it, while opponents are taking it apart. De Minaur holds for 2-2 in the second.
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What I love about Rublev’s forehands is how flat he hits it, and in minor grief at 30-all, it quickly restores with advantage, 6-4 2-1. De Minaur is playing OK, but he doesn’t have a weapon of similar potency, which looks likely to be the decisive factor here.
A backhand down the line earns Rublev 0-15, then a flat, booming forehand 0-30. He’s more relaxed after going in front, and though he then goes long with two backhands, a De Minaur error means break point. A sapping really follows, Rublev dominating, but just as he looks to have it won, a terrific forehand on to the tootsies makes deuce, and from there, De Minaur closes out. He needed that, because coming back from a set and a break down would’ve been a very significant problem – especially given how much scurrying he’s being forced to do against an opponent chilling on the centre-line. Rublev leads 6-4 1-1.
Kyrgios reckons the first set was more important for Rublev than De Minaur, to prevent the crowd getting involved, and of course he knows a little more than I do about tennising. But the way I see it, the less good, less experienced player is less likely to win from behind, so I felt the opposite. Rublev holds to love and leads 6-4 1-0.
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Rublev takes the first set 6-4!
Another long rally, Rublev’s forehand directing De Minaur about the court, and again when the Aussie forces it, going for something big, the ball drops fractionally long; a big serve quickly eliminates break point, restoring deuce. Again, though, D-Min goes long, this time off the backhand and, well, oh dear: De Minaur serves a double, handing over the first set 4-6, and you can feel the collective sigh in the arena, energy dropping instantaneously.
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Rublev holds for 5-4, so De Minaur will now serve to stay in the first set. He opens with an ace and his average speed, 197km/h, is 10 faster than Rublev’s, not words I’d have written a year ago. But at 30-15, a long rally ends when he thwacks a forehand narrowly wide; Rublev nets a return, the he nets a backhand, taking us to deuce. Big points coming up…
Despite the crushing win, it wasn’t all smooth going for Djokovic, who coughed and spluttered throughout. The 24-time major winner said he’d been ill during the first week, but Rod Laver - the legend whose name is on the centre-court arena that Djokovic has made his own - on Saturday posed the question: “Is he having us on?”.
And then there was one (tangentially, Sarah Phelps’ version of Agatha Christie’s classic is one of the very best adaptations I’ve ever seen). Anyroad up, Rublev and De Minaur are now at 4-4, the Aussie playing the better.
Other winners today: Djokovic beat Mannarino in three, Sabalenka did Anisimova in two, Sinner rinsed Khachanov in three, Fritz sorted Tsitsipas in four, Kostyuk battered Timofeeva in two.
Excellent from De Minaur, who breaks Rublev back and to love for 4-3; we’ll focus on this match, on a rolling boil now, in a second, once we’ve been through what else has gone down today.
Earlier today: Coco Gauff made it through to the last eight, and she’s in the bottom half too – she meets Kostyuk next, then Saba or Krejcikova. The top, half, meanwhile, especially following Swiatek’s shock defeat, is so open it’s ridiculous: one of Noskova, Svitolina, Azarenka, Yastreemska, Paolini, Kalinskaya, Zheng and Dodin will be in the final.
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Krejcikova, asked about coming back from a set down, as she has in every match so far, says she’s always fighting and trying to go for her shots – she’s not wrong, she was seriously aggressive in the final set. She started slowly but felt she improved with every ball, taking the match point by point, and to turn this one around she was trying to be aggressive and served really well.
We then learn she’s a “tennis nerd”. She loves the game, the competition and being in good matches. She always wanted to plays Slams, is really enjoying it, and is looking forward to facing Saba. She’s going to recover now, doubles tomorrow – she’s seeded five – and then we’ll enjoy her quarter. I can’t wait for that.
Rublev consolidates from 0-30 down, and leads 4-1 in the first. I can’t say I’m surprised: his thing is beating everyone he should and no one he shouldn’t. As Kyrgios points out, he five in the world with a dicky second serve and backhand, so imagine how good he can be when he sorts that, but at 26 I wonder if he ever truly will.
Barbora Krejcikova (9) beats Mirra Andreeva 4-6 6-3 6-2
That’s a fantastic win for the 2021 Roland-Garros champ, who' was brilliant in the third set. She meets the defending champ, Aryna Sabalenka next, and I already can’t wait for that. Andreeva, meanwhile, continues her progress. She ran out of gas and pop in the end, but soon she won’t, and that will really be something.
Krejckova has played a superb decider, nailing groundstrokes off both wings. And another raises 30-0 – she’s two points away,
We’ll focus on Rublev v De Minaur shortly – it’s our only singles match this sesh – but in the meantime, Rublev’s forehand, which might be the definitive shot in this match, forces home a break point for 3-1. In comms, Kyrgios praises his grunting, saying he loves it – “It gives me goosebumps”.
Yeah, Krejcikova breaks again, Andreeva tamely conceding to 15, and will shortly serve for the match as 4-6 6-3 5-2.
It takes a few deuces but Krejcikova holds for 4-2, and Andreeva, who came back from 4-1 down in the third to beat Parry a couple of days ago, is running out of road. On Laver, Rublev leads 2-1 on serve.
I’ve just learnt that Cruz Hewitt, son of Lleyton, played (and lost) in the boys’ singles today. This is he….
Andreeva gets to 30-all, and someone needs to show Krejcikova and to arch the peak of her visor – important for keeping the night-time sun out of her eyes – which looks like she’s folded it in half. We wind up at deuce…
Andreeva holds again, but can she make an impression of the Krejcikova serve, down 2-3 in the third?
This, by the way, is what we said about Rublev:
Though good at most things, he isn’t brilliant at anything, which is why he’s been unable to beat the best players on the biggest occasions. And there’s no indication he can remedy the situation – perhaps the reason he shed tears of frustration while losing to Medvedev at the Tour Finals.
Immediately, Rublev is under pressure, down 15-40, but he saves the first with a trademark forehand then, De Minaaur, coming in, nets a forehand putaway. Right play, wrong execution, and Rublev eventually holds for 1-0.
In our preview of the men’s competition, this is what we said about De Minaur as our home player to watch:
Perhaps the fastest player ever, De Minaur has matured of late, adding patience, aggression and variety to his game. He’s still hamstrung by a forehand grip that restricts his ability to hit hard while telegraphing some of his shots, but already this year, he’s beaten Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev.
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Righto, Rublev is ready and he’ll serve first; De Minaur wins the first point and the crowd go wild.
Obviously it’s ridiculous how good Andreeva is at 16, but she does still look a little underpowered and it’s not certain that’ll change enough for her to win as much as her skill-level suggests she should. She holds, though, to get on the board at 1-2 in the third. But can she put pressure on the Krejcikova serve?
De Minaur and Rublev are out and knocking up.
On Cain, Andreeva finds herself down 0-40, and though she saves one break point with an ace, she then goes long and Krejcikova leads 1-0 in the third … 20, she consolidates to love.
Nick Kyrgios has been such a great addition to the Eurosport commentary team. He explains that De Minaur, if he’s to win, will have to be aggressive – he’s improved in that aspect recently – and has put on some size. Kyrgios has played Rublev twice as says his second serve “has nothing on in, middle of the box”, so needs attacking, likewise his backhand.
And Andreeva goes long on the backhand; here comes a final set.
Krejcikova is serving at 6-4 3-4 30-40, which is to say she’s got set point having just burned one…
Preamble
G’day and welcome to the Australian Open 2023, day eight – night session.
We’ve got some pretty serious action in progress, the ludicrously precocious Mrira Andreeva a set up but a break down against Barbora Krejcikova – I can’t wait to see how that one shakes out, and will discuss it in detail presently.
Otherwise, we’ve got what looks like being an absolute banger on Laver, with home favourite and number 10 see Alex de Minaur taking on nuber five seed, Andrey Rublev. De Minaur has really found himself recently, and has never played better than now; Rublev is desperately trying raise his lose-to-the-first-elite-player-he-faces ceiling. But to do that, he must first win tonight…
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