In the end, it was a one-night only affair. The return of the Special Ks – Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis – to the Australian Open saw the former champions go down 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4) to fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Bruised and wounded from injuries, the pair looked set for victory when they led by a break in the third but by the end, there was more wincing and more limping on show than winners.
The courtside photographer pit was already full 10 minutes before call time on Thursday night inside Margaret Court Arena. As all cameras pointed directly at the players’ entrance, it was not difficult to understand why they were there.
A day earlier, Osaka had produced one of the enduring images of the 2026 Australian Open, marching on to Rod Laver Arena in an outrageous outfit inspired by a jellyfish. This time, before her gritty, contentious 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 second-round win over Sorana Cirstea, she opted to leave the hat and veil back in her locker room.
Day six order of play
Rod Laver Arena
(1) Aryna Sabalenka v Anastasia Potapova
(2) Carlos Alcaraz v Corentin Moutet (32)
(29) Frances Tiafoe v Alex de Minaur (6)
Elena-Gabriela Ruse v Mirra Andreeva (8)
Margaret Court Arena
(11) Daniil Medvedev v Fabian Marozsan
(3) Coco Gauff v Hayley Baptiste
(12) Elina Svitolina v Diana Shnaider (23)
(10) Alexander Bublik v Tomas Etcheverry
John Cain Arena
(17) Victoria Mboko v Clara Tauson (14)
(19) Tommy Paul v Alex Davidovich Fokina (14)
(29) Iva Jovic v Jasmine Paolini (7)
(3) Alexander Zverev v Cameron Norrie (26)
Kia Arena
(25) Learner Tien v Nuno Borges
(Q) Zeynep Sonmez v Yulia Putintseva
(19) Karolina Muchova v Magda Linette
(18) Francisco Cerundolo v Andrey Rublev (13)
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Day five highlights
Czech 19-year-old qualifier Nikola Bartunkova stunned Switzerland’s in-form Belinda Bencic, knocking out the 10th seed with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 victory. Elena Rybakina secured a comprehensive 7-5 6-2 victory over Varvara Gracheva, while Iga Swiatek blazed past Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-3.
Naomi Osaka’s three-set win over Sorana Cirstea was overshadowed by a post-game row, with the Romanian unhappy at Osaka for shouting between serves. Defending champion Madison Keys beat American compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 and Jessica Pegula dominated another all-American battle against McCartney Kessler.
In the men’s draw, 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka marched on with a five-set victory over 21-year-old Arthur Gea, and will face Taylor Fritz in the third round. Jannik Sinner continued his pursuit of a third straight Australian Open title, sweeping past Australia’s James Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in under two hours.
Marin Cilic defeated Canada’s Denis Shapovalov to move into the third round, while Novak Djokovic barely broke a sweat in a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win against qualifier Francesco Maestrelli. The 12th seed, Casper Ruud, saw off Spaniard Jaume Munar in straight sets, while No 5 seed Lorenzo Musetti outclassed his Italian counterpart Lorenzo Sonego.
Australian hopes Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis were dumped out of their doubles opener after a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-4) loss to compatriots Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Reuters
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And with that, the final ball has been struck on a day when Sinner, Djokovic, Swiatek, Osaka, Keys, Rybakina, Anisimova, Fritz, Shelton, Pegula and Musetti all won, along with a record-breaking Wawrinka. But out have gone Bencic, Tsitsipas and Ostapenko. Coming up tomorrow: De Minaur v Tiafoe and Norrie v Zverev, along with Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Andreeva, Gauff, Medvedev, Svitolina, Paolini, Bublik and Rublev. See you for the night session. Bye!
“We’ve trained together at Rafa’s academy,” says Ruud. “It’s never easy to play someone you know well. Special thanks to everyone who stayed, I know it was cold.” He’s then asked about the situation back home. Will he be staying in Melbourne? “As far as I’m concerned yes. I’m going to check my phone right away when I get off court to see if anything has happened. Let’s see what the next days bring.”
Ruud defeats Munar 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
At 15-0, Ruud tugs a backhand into the tramlines. Think that caught a bit of his racket frame. But he’s shaking his racket in celebration after taking a short, sharp point for 30-15. A longer rally then plays out and Ruud, perhaps showing a bit of tension, makes the error. 30-all. 40-30 when Munar nets. Ruud hits deep and true … and Munar goes long. Ruud’s into the third round without dropping serve or a set. He could be a dark horse here … as long as his wife doesn’t go into labour, because then he plans to go home. His third-round meeting with Marin Cilic will be one to watch.
Ruud is a game away at 6-3, 7-5, 5-3. But Munar, who’s never made it past the second round in Melbourne and doesn’t look as if he’s going to change that record this year, is serving. At least he does have the distinction these days of being the highest-ranked Mallorcan in men’s tennis. He holds to 30 … and will now need to channel his inner Nadal if he’s to break Ruud for the first time in this match.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis knocked out of the doubles
3-1 turns into 5-2. Kokkinakis is warming up his shoulder again before serving. He lands it, but Polmans pounces with a winning volley. 6-2. The only good news for Double K is that these aren’t match points; as it’s a deciding set they’ll play to 10 instead of seven. But Kubler and Polmans extend their advantage to 8-3, before Kyrgios balloons well long and now there are match points at 9-3. Six of them to be exact. The first is saved but not the second, as Kokkinakis’s return slides into the net. Kubler and Polmans advance 6-4, 4-6, 7-6. It’s been a memorable day for Kubler, after his fiance Madison Inglis won in the singles earlier to set up a third-round meeting with Naomi Osaka.
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Into a deciding tie-break they go, after Kubler and Polmans hold from deuce. Kokkinakis is circling his shoulder and grimacing before he serves, Kyrgios looks like he’s a 100m sprinter about to burst out of the blocks as he ducks down at the net … and he then springs up to dispatch an angled forehand volley for 1-0. The next two points also go with serve and now there’s a disagreement about whether Kokkinakis touched the net while volleying. The computer says yes, so Kubler and Polmans get the first mini-break for 3-1.
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Ruud, meanwhile, has broken for 6-3, 7-5, 2-1 and is looking very comfortable, quietly going about his business, as is his way. Having reached three slam finals and lost them all, he’s so often described as one of tennis’s nearly men, alongside Alexander Zverev, but I think it’s fairer to call him a talent maximiser – he’s made the most of his gifts and deserves much credit for that.
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Kokkinakis has had some treatment on his suspect shoulder too. It’s like the walking wounded out there.
Kubler and Polmans, wearing the most mismatching of pink tops (do they not swap style notes before the tournament?) advance to 40-15 and then game. It’s 5-5. And Krygios, who said he wasn’t fit enough to receive a wildcard in the singles, will serve next. With strapping above and below the left knee he had surgery on, and an ankle support for good measure too, Kyrgios holds to 30. He and Kokkinakis nudge 6-5 ahead and have guaranteed themselves at least a tie-break.
As for Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, they’re 4-4 in the deciding third set against Kubler and Polmans. Kyrgios is hurling his racket into the night skies after missing the chance to seal the game on Kokkinakis’s serve at 40-30. From deuce they get to advantage. But Polmans punches away a volley. Deuce again. Advantage again. The 2022 champions take the game when Kubler nets. They lead 6-4, 4-6, 5-4 on serve. And even though it’s 11.24pm in Melbourne, there’s barely a spare seat on the Kia Arena.
So, what’s left? Just Ruud v Munar and the Kyrgios/Kokkinakis show. The second set has been fairly attritional between Ruud and his Spanish opponent, but the 12th seed finally strikes in the 11th game, breaking from deuce with a forehand winner backed up by a backhand winner, so he’s serving for a two sets to love lead at 6-3, 6-5. Ruud works his way to 40-30, and closes out with an unreturned serve. It’s 6-3, 7-5.
Bencic, the 10th seed, had been considered a serious title contender here, having won all five of her singles matches at United Cup, including against Iga Swiatek, and rolling past Britain’s Katie Boulter in the first round on Tuesday. But her campaign is over, while Bartunkova can look ahead to a third-round meeting against Elise Mertens – so Bartunkova’s run may not end there. Mertens is an experienced competitor, no doubt, but there are much tougher draws in the last 32.
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Bartunkova knocks out Bencic 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
Thanks Yara. Yes a result out of absolutely nowhere as the Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova, on her grand slam debut, takes out the form player of 2026, Belinda Bencic, in three sets. The 19-year-old collapses to the court when Bencic’s forehand misfires on match point and then runs into the stands to celebrate with her team as if she’s won the whole thing. Lovely scenes. Bartunkova somehow nervelessly served it out to love too. And all of this after she’d been on the wrong end of a second-set whitewash. There have been many Czech champions in tennis over the years, of course, and perhaps tonight we’ve seen the arrival of another.
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It is all happening on Stadium Australia … A huge shock is on the cards. Katy Murrells is back to bring you the latest.
Rybakina beats Gracheva 7-5, 6-2
Rybakina is applying all the pressure in this second set. Two aces and some beautiful shotmaking makes this a much easier affair than the opener and she sees out match point with a backhand. No reaction from the world No 5 as she is through to the third round.
The Melbourne crowd on the Kia Arena are clearly enjoying the all-Australian affair and are vocal in their support of Kokkinakis and Kyrgios. The chair umpire keeps trying to control the noise but Kyrgios is encouraging it, smirking at comments hurled his way. He hits a deep forehand deep and it’s just in to take the duo to set point … and Kubler and Polmans miss a return! Double K level it to take the second set amid all the antics.
Belinda Bencic, the No 10 seed, is locked in a tense battle against Nikola Bartunkova. The world No 133 gave Bencic no space to work with in the first set and saw out a 6-3 win. Bencic then won the second set in under half an hour, converting 100% of her break point to bagel her opponent. It is currently 3-3 in the third set.
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Rybakina holds her nerve and wins the first set 7-5 with a break. In true Rybakina fashion, she remains stoic and goes to have a chat with her team. Ideally she would like to close out the second set against an unseeded player in a more comfortable fashion.
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Ruud applauds Munar for saving a set point. The Norwegian leads 5-3 on Margaret Court but has been quite outspoken that his Australian Open run may be cut short at any point given that his partner is pregnant with their first child. “If she goes into labour I probably won’t be here the next day,” said Ruud after his first-round win.
Great response from Gracheva. She was so close to going 4-1 up and all of a sudden she was 5-3 down but she has bounced back to make it 5-5, with some great serves and a really strong few forehands. Rybakina’s forehand has been poor and she is murmuring towards her box for instruction.
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are up 2-1 up in the second set after their underarm serves let them down in the first, losing 6-4 to fellow Australian duo Jason Kubler and Marc Polman.
As expected, Kyrgios has been warned by the chair umpire after a few verbal outbursts. He also threw his racket to the court in frustration at one point.
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Rybakina breaks back in style. Gracheva seems to have lost her momentum just as quick as she had it, netting two returns on her serve before the world No 5 hits a stunning forehand winner.
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Rybakina’s first serve is down at 40% and she reacts with a sigh after a wild serve into the tramlines. But she saves two break points and manages to hold with a clean serve.
Hello all. Gracheva is 3-1 up against the former finalist Rybakina. The Frenchwoman, whose best grand slam showing was the fourth round at the 2024 French Open, got the break after a patient rally before serving out to hold.
Right, I’m off for a bit of a breather, so here’s Yara to keep you company …
Those are the only remaining singles matches today – while the final doubles match is pulling in the crowds on the Kia Arena because it’s Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis v another Australian wildcard pairing, Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are a set down 6-4.
Taking over from Sinner and Duckworth on Rod Laver is Elena Rybakina v Varvara Gracheva, while Casper Ruud and Jaume Munar are warming up on Margaret Court after Osaka’s victory. On the ANZ Arena Belinda Benic, who had looked in superb touch in the early stages of this season, has surprisingly lost the first set 6-3 against the Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova.
Osaka will face the qualifier Maddison Inglis, the last Australian woman standing in the singles, in the third round.
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Osaka beats Cirstea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
It’s all ending at once, as Osaka absolutely rips a forehand winner to bring up two match points at 6-3, 4-6, 5-2. “COME ON!!!!” she screams, before getting the job done. But Cirstea doesn’t seem too happy about all the COME ONS and there’s no love lost between the two players at the net. It’s a shame Cirstea’s last Australian Open is ending under this cloud. Osaka seems a little upset when she speaks on court. “I’m sorry she was mad about it,” she says, close to tears, before cheering up as the interview progresses, especially when the inevitable jellyfish question comes. “It’s just something fun that I like to do on the court. I don’t really talk that much, but I like to express myself through clothes and I’m really glad that you guys loved it.”
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Sinner defeats Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
Osaka saves two break points to hold for 4-2, just as Sinner pulls a couple of aces out of his pack to serve out his match to love. Another straightforward win without any jeopardy for the 2X champion, who’ll face the American Eliot Spizzirri in the last 32.
“I don’t know him that well because we haven’t played yet,” Sinner admits, before saying of today’s match: “I’m very happy about my performance. I know he had so many surgeries, so it’s great to see him competing at the highest level.” He then thanks the Australian crowd for going easy on him despite him putting out a home player, before saying “my body feels good and the mind does too”. Which is ominous for the rest of the draw. Except perhaps a certain C Alcaraz.
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Fritz beats Kopriva 6-1, 6-4, 7-6
On John Cain, Fritz is putting the finishing touches on a straight-sets win, 6-4 up in a third-set tie-break. A huge serve … and Kopriva can’t get it back into play. The sets got tougher as the match went on, but Fritz is looking in good form, and next has a potential cracker against Wawrinka. “I practised with Stan at the United Cup,” Fritz says after his win. “I knew he was playing well. It’s amazing what he’s still doing.”
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Back to the business on Rod Laver and Margaret Court: Sinner has extended his supremacy over Duckworth to 6-1, 6-4, 4-1 and Osaka has thumped 10 winners en route to a 3-1 lead over Cirstea in the deciding set.
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Tsitsipas goes out
What with all of that happening, I didn’t get a chance to mention that Stefanos Tstisipas, the 2023 runner-up, has disappointingly departed, losing 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 to the Czech Tomas Machac. The 31st seed said in the build-up to this tournament he was feeling far more optimistic after nearly retiring last year because of a persistent back problem, and it was good to see him smiling again after his first-round win, but he’s not been able to build on it. Up next for Machac: Lorenzo Musetti.
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Arms outstretched, Wawrinka salutes his adoring crowd before collapsing in his chair. The 40-year-old somehow finds enough energy to get back up to do the on-court interview. “I’m exhausted,” he says. “I don’t know how I’m going to recover but I’m super happy.” Mats Wilander then asks if his one-handed backhand was as good as it’s ever been today. Stan says he doesn’t think so, before saying he may grab a beer from someone in the crowd.
He’s had many a memorable win over the years, but given his age and this being his final Australian Open, I’m sure he won’t forget this match. He’s the oldest man to reach the third round since Ken Rosewell way back when in 1978.
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Wawrinka defeats Gea 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6
Right, let’s get over to the Kia Arena, because Wawrinka and Gea are in a fifth-set tie-break. As it’s the deciding set it’ll be played to 10 points – hopefully these two remember that, because poor Sebastian Ofner celebrated too early in qualifying, thinking he’d won at 7-1, before going on to lose. But I digress. A remarkable 21-shot rally has Gea cramping and Wawrinka celebrating. It’s 6-3 to the 2014 champ. Now 7-3. Make that 8-3, as Gea double faults. The qualifier looks spent, having been two sets to one up. And he looks condemned at 9-3. Stan takes a swig of his drink at the change of ends … the first match point is on his serve and after four hours and 33 minutes he gets the job done when Gea sends a tired forehand long! Stan’s farewell tour rolls on after the longest match of the tournament so far.
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I probably should have done some fashion notes for Sinner, given we did it for Osaka. And we’re nothing but fair. He’s again wearing his olive green number, with a large mustard stripe on his shorts, which matches his trainers. It’s been berated on social media, but I think it’s OK to be honest. But anyway, back to Osaka, because she’s serving to stay in the second set at 15-40, 4-5 … and Osaka blinks on her backhand! She pays the price for four unforced errors in that game and must now navigate a third set.
Sinner is serving for a two sets to love lead. Having broken for 4-3, it’s now 5-4, 30-15. Duckworth nets his forehand and it’s 40-15. The Australian can’t get his return back into play on the first set point and the Rod Laver Arena is silenced. Sinner strides back to his chair with a 6-1, 6-4 advantage.
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A striking scene on the Kia Arena as Gea steps up to serve, with the brightest of suns setting behind the stands. It’s definitely not setting on Gea’s campaign yet though, because he sees Wawrinka’s love hold and nearly matches it with a hold to 15, the only highlight for Wawrinka another of those one-handed backhand winners. It’s 5-5 in the decider.
15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game. A quickfire hold from Wawrinka and Gea must serve to stay in this match at 4-5.
Break point Wawrinka! He leads 4-3 in the fifth and has advantage on Gea’s serve. The French qualifier, cap backwards, nonchalantly saves it. Ah, the fearlessness of youth; I’m sure 40-year-old Stan is feeling the nerves more. Deuce. Advantage Gea. Game Gea, after a superb touch volley. You wouldn’t know this is the qualifier’s first grand slam tournament. He’s only 21. There’s a 19 YEAR age gap between these two. And they’re locked at 4-4.
The second set of Osaka v Cirstea is following the first set script. Cirstea moves 2-0 up, before Osaka comes straight back at the 35-year-old Romanian for 2-2.
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Duckworth looks a bit more settled in the second set. It’s 2-2, after Sinner took the first 6-1. But now it’s deuce on the Australian’s serve … Sinner is prowling … a game of cat and mouse plays out … Sinner moving forwards, backwards, sideways and then making the error! Advantage Duckworth. Deuce. Advantage Duckworth. Game Duckworth. He edges 3-2 ahead.
You wouldn’t know he’s 40.
Fritz is still flying. He leads Kopriva 6-1, 5-3, with the Czech serving to stay in the second set.
Game and first set Osaka, who breaks for 5-3, and then serves it out from break point, 30-40, down. The jellyfish walk-on outfit may now have come off, but Osaka stings Cirstea first with a backhand winner, then a forehand winner, then an ace. Big, big hitting.
Gea breaks back – before receiving some treatment to his sore knees at the change of ends. Both his knees are now taped, but the Frenchman appears unimpeded as he pushes for another break at 2-2 … but Wawrinka squeezes through from deuce. Wawrinka points to his temple and implores the crowd to get louder. They oblige.
Duckworth pulled off a five-set, four-and-a-half-hour comeback against Dino Prizmic on Tuesday. But doing so against the two-time champion is an altogether different assignment. The positives for Duckworth: he’s got the crowd on his side and Sinner has actually already lost to an Australian at this tournament. The negatives: that defeat, against the amateur Jordan Smith, was over only one point, in the One Point Slam last week. Sinner hasn’t lost a best-of-five-set match here since 2023.
Another break. This is relentless from Sinner, who’ll serve for the set only 23 minutes into the match. At 15-all, Duckworth – the 34-year-old wildcard who’s making his 13th main draw appearance at the Australian Open but has never been beyond the second round – wafts a backhand wide. And then sends one into the net. 40-15, two set points. Sinner strides to the net and it’s enough to put Duckworth off, who loops long. The set is Sinner’s, 6-1.
No sooner does Wawrinka break, than Sinner does too, with a backhand down the line that may not have the beauty of Stan’s but is also so effective. Sinner leads Duckworth 3-1. Make that 4-1, with a no-nonsense hold to 15. The world No 2 has lost only three points on serve so far.
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The Kia Arena is in raptures, because Wawrinka has claimed the first break in the decider, with Gea pushing a forehand wide. That’s four games on the spin for Stan and it’s 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 2-0.
What of Osaka, you say? Well it was a slow start from the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open winner, falling 2-0 down against the very experienced Romanian Sorana Cirstea, but she’s just got the break back after punishing a weak second serve with a backhand bullet down the line. It’s 2-2
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Fritz isn’t messing about. He’s whizzed through the opening set 6-1 in 22 minutes against Vit Kopriva, the Czech who saw off Jan-Lennard Struff over five sets in the first round. If Fritz and Wawrinka both win … they’ll be facing each other in the last 32. Yes please.
Cilic beats Shapovalov 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
Cilic has punched his ticket into round three for the first time since 2022, with the 37-year-old and 2014 US Open champ taking out the 21st seed Shapovalov in straight sets. Decent win, that. He’ll face the winner of Casper Ruud v Jaume Munar.
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Stan is still alive! He’s broken Gea in the final game of the fourth set to snatch it 7-5, finishing off with a vicious backhand winner down the line. It’s got to be one of the most devastating shots in tennis hasn’t it? I don’t think even Federer’s single-handed backhand quite had the equal beauty and brutality that Wawrinka’s does. They’re going to a fifth.
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Sinner does what Sinner does in the opening game, racing to 40-0 on serve. Though Duckworth gets his side of the scoreboard moving with an inside-in forehand winner. Sinner holds to 15.
It’s got to be the craziest outfit ever seen in tennis hasn’t it? Even Serena’s garb at the peak of her sartorial powers seems less whimsical in comparison.
And her come Osaka and the outfit that has generated more headlines than every other outfit, match and press conference combined at this tournament. Disappointingly she’s ditched the hat, veil and parasol today, instead opting for an altogether more practical visor, but the rest of the get-up is similar, and today it’s set off with a frilly turquoise tracksuit top.
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A one minute’s silence has just taken place to honour those who died in the Bondi Beach attack last month. So Sinner and Osaka will be on next.
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Meanwhile another much-loved veteran, Marin Cilic, is now two sets to the good against the 21st seed Denis Shapovalov, leading 6-4, 6-3.
Wawrinka nudges 4-3 ahead on serve in the fourth set, a set he must win if his Australian Open career is to continue, because this is the 40-year-old’s final trip to Melbourne and he’s trailing the French qualifier Arthur Gea by two sets to one.
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I should also mention Maddison Inglis’s three-set victory. The home qualifier – Australia’s last woman standing in the singles – defeated the experienced German Laura Siegemund and awaits the winner of Osaka v Sorana Cirstea. They’re due on Margaret Court Arena in about five minutes’ time, while Sinner and Duckworth will soon make their entrance on Rod Laver.
Inspired qualifier Maddison Inglis has ridden an emotional rollercoaster in her first grand slam appearance in four years to book a spot in the Australian Open third round.
Inglis has joined big gun Alex de Minaur in the round of 32 after defeating German veteran Laura Siegemund 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-7) in a tense, gruelling and sometimes fiery match that lasted three hours and 20 minutes on ANZ Arena.
After failing to serve out the match in the second set, the 28-year-old’s hopes of progressing seemed over.
But in mirroring her first-round win over close friend Kim Birrell, when she failed to convert a gilt-edged opportunity, Inglis turned it around by breaking back when Siegemund was serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set.
Despite appearing to injure herself late when stretching for a ball, the Perth product recovered and overcame some nervous moments to win the first-to-10-point tiebreaker.
Inglis fell to the ground after winning the final point in a tense rally, becoming the only Australian woman to make the third round.\
“I didn’t come in with high expectations. I can take it to anyone on any given day, but I wouldn’t have dreamed of this,” Inglis said.
“In the third set the crowd gave me the energy I didn’t think I had. Coming into this I hadn’t played a match for six weeks.”
She has spent six hours and 21 minutes on court in her two main-draw singles matches this campaign, plus a doubles match and three qualifying wins.
You can read the rest here:
Preamble
G’day! My flu fog has lifted, the rain that interrupted play yesterday has shifted and soon enough we’ll get to see Naomi Osaka dressed as a jellyfish again. Life feels good.
Also coming up in the night session we’ve got the 2x defending champ Jannik Sinner against the Australian wildcard James Duckworth, Taylor Fritz, the 2023 runner-up Elena Rybakina, the in-form Belinda Bencic and the ready-to-go-home-at-any-moment-if-his-wife-goes-into-labour Casper Ruud.
We’ll also be keeping an eye on the conclusions of Stan Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 3-2 Arthur Gea*, Marin Cilic* 6-4, 5-3 Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas* 4-6, 6-3, 2-2 Tomas Machac. And all of this comes after straight-sets wins for Novak Djokovic, the 2025 winner Madison Keys, Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Jakub Mensik, Ben Shelton over the Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny and Lorenzo Musetti in the all-Italian, all-Lorenzo affair with Sonego. But the day five departees include Jelena Ostapenko, Paula Badosa and the Australian duo Rinky Hijikata and Taylah Preston.
Let’s go!
