That’s it for today. Some classic matches. We were mostly all over Djokovic’s march past Etcheverry in straight sets before Krejcikova had to battle from a set down to beat Hunter.
No doubt, though, the best game of the day was Mannarino’s five-set thriller over Shelton. He’ll be a tricky customer in the coming rounds, as will the Aussie de Minaur.
Thanks for keeping us company. Tune in tomorrow for more live tennis action.
One Aussie gets knocked out, another goes through to the next round.
Jack Snape was on hand to see Alex de Minaur cruise past Flavio Cobolli and here’s how he interpreted it:
Here’s Krejcikova speaking after her win:
Definitely a very difficult match. I think Storm played really well. She had a great run. I am super happy I was able to get it in the second set and I played better in the third.
[Hunter had two break points in the second – Krejcikova looked composed, where does that come from?] I just go point by point. I’m just trying to get the next one. [Fair enough]
I work hard. I always work hard. These little set-back [her injuries in the past] take time to come back. I have a lot of motivation. I enjoy to be on such a big stage. This was an incredible match for me.
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Barbora Krejčíková beats Storm Hunter 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Just too good in the end. As the match went on the more experienced play grew in confidence and composure. Hunter battled well, and landed some telling blows of her own, but in the end she couldn’t stick it in the end.
A memorable run for the Aussie who had only ever won a single match in a slam before the start of the tournament. But her run is over.
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Hunter misses out on a chance to put Krejcikova under presser. She read the forehand winner and guessed the right way, but couldn’t clear the net after getting into a solid position to play the shot. 30-15.
She then misses with the forehand down the line. 40-15 and two match points for Krejcikova.
Krejcikova lands her first serve. 15-0 as Hunter can’t return.
Oooh. But then she double faults. 15-15.
Shot of the match! Big call, but I’m standing by that. Hunter, on the run, unleashes another forehand down the line and smokes the winner to take the game.
Krejcikova will serve for the match. Hunter, 3-5 down, has to go for it.
Hunter storms to a 40-0 lead. She’s been imperious on that two-handed forehand down the line. Some big serves help set it up.
Krejcikova holds. Composed as she navigated that tricky spell. Certainly an increase in unforced errors – her undoing earlier in the match. But assured finishes sees her through. 5-2 up. Now just four points from victory. Hunter has to hold, then break, then hold again. Tough ask.
Big serve from Krejcikova. Hunter can’t get her racket around it and it floats out on the return. Deuce.
30-30. Massive point. Hunter benefits from an unforced error.
And another as Krejcikova goes long. Hunter has dragged this back and now has a break point.
30-40.
Are we seeing a change in momentum? A thunderous volley to win the opening point of the game has the Aussie crowd behind their player.
But Krejcikova takes the next point to make it 15-15 and crunches an ace to make it 30-15.
What was that about momentum?
Hunter saves two break points. She’s got fight, you have to give her that. And she holds the serve after a brief deuce battle. She got through that service game. But Krejcikova still in control, albeit after a momentary lapse.
4-2 with the serve.
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Too good. Krejcikova takes the game without dropping a point and has raced to a 4-1 lead in the decisive set with a swift and well-placed two-handed back-hand. Classy stuff. She’s eight hits away from a place in the next round.
That’s more like it from the crowd. They finds their voice as Krejcikova goes long and HUnter squares the game at 30-30.
They raise their voice even more as the longest rally of the match – 15 shots – is sent long again by Krejcikova. From 0-30, Hunter as the game point.
And she closes it! She’s still 1-3 down but at least she’s on the board as “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi” rings out.
Game Krejcikova. 40-0 and it’s all so easy. 3-0. Five games in a row.
30-0 to Krejcikova. I’m surprised by the silence of the crowd. Thought the Aussie faithful got behind their players even when they’re down?
It’s now 40-0. Krejcikova isn’t missing her shots like she was earlier in the piece. She’s landing just about every winner and Hunter can’t get a footing.
Krejcikova breaks! And made it look so easy. Hunter needs to dig in here. Not sure how she finds a route back. This could be over real fast.
2-0 to the Czech.
Ah, Krejcikova is on a different level now. Two winners, one a gimme set up through graft in the rally, and another a thundering drive to the corner, sets up a set-point that she snaffles with ease.
1-0 in the set and Hunter, it seems to me, is flagging, just as Krejcikova is climbing through the gears.
No! Krejcikova takes the second set 7-5. A statement stroke on Hunter’s second serve. She steps forward, rises with the bounce and leans into a devastating forehand that is met with near silence by the patriotic Aussie crowd.
Hunter needs to find an extra gear in the decisive third set. All momentum is with the Czech.
Break point for Krejcikova. She’s timing the heck out of the ball. What a lovely swing she has. 15-40.
Oh, but Hunter lands the first ace of the match. That’s Aussie grit right there.
Can she save another set point?
Krejcikova looks on it now. She’s clearly upped her game. In the rally until she pounced on a forehand down the line. You feel Hunter has to finish this in this set or she’s in trouble.
Another point makes it 0-30 and the crowd is now silent. They can sense the shifting tide.
Krejcikova gets a bit of luck as a deflection off the net wrong foots Hunter. That gives Krejcikova the game and she leads 6-5 in the second set. Hunter has to hold or we’re going straight into a third set.
Hunter with two break points! Make that one as Krejcikova lands one on the line.
Scratch that. We’re at deuce. Krejcikova hasn’t been at her best, and Hunter has been close to her best, but credit to the Czech. She’s hanging in.
Correction! My apologies to all Rublev fans and thanks to Mattia Leoni and Johan Denis who wrote in to correct me.
The Russian has in fact made the quarters of a slam. He’s done it nine times.
He’s never made the semis.
That’s been corrected now on the key event.
Hunter holds with a perfectly executed inside out forehand. Think of a cricketer going over extra cover to an off-spinner. Does that help? Anyway, it was a great shot that takes this set to 5-5.
Lovely from Krejcikova. That looked effortless as she swung her racket and nailed a backhand into the corner. That was a big point as she was staring at a 15-40 deficit.
Now she’s got it to deuce. An opportunity for the Czech.
Andrey Rublev beats Sebastian Korda 6-2, 7(8)-6(6), 6-4
No worries for Rublev who waltzes into the fourth round and a date with the Aussie Alex de Minaur. He’s never made the semis of a slam. If he’s as clinical as he was here, he could change that record.
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Finally, Krejcikova holds. She saves break point. It helped that she landed a first serve and was therefore on the front foot ready to drive that forehand winner into the corner. She leads the second set 5-4. If she can break she’ll take this ti a third.
Deuce #6. Hunter with a drive to the corner and Krejcikova can’t return. Nor can she land her first serve. She’s played twice as many points on her second serve compared to Hunter and that’s costing her.
But she benefits from a poor drop shot from Hunter who was in no position to play it.
Up to 12 minutes in this game.
Deuce #5. On we go. Hunter is chasing that break. Krejcikova desperate to hold. This is now the longest game of the match.
Krejcikova hits the net with her first serve. But no problems with the second which is followed by a probing backhand and then a crunching winner to take back the advantage.
Nope. A blistering ace right down the middle of the court from Krejcikova takes it back to deuce.
Deuce #3! Wow. Just when you think Krejcikova will hold, Hunter catches the outside edge of the line as she returns across court.
Now she has the advantage and another break point. Can she get it this time?
Krejcikova again finds the net. Break point for Hunter. The first of the second set. If she gets it she’ll be serving for the match.
She can’t. A brave serve from Krejcikova pegs Hunter deep and the return is long.
Back to deuce.
At 40-0 Krejcikova double faults. Hunter than keeps a rally going on the second serve and wins the point to make it 40-30.
A strong drive forces Hunter in the corner but the Aussie reads the attempted winner on the forehand and she digs out a swift return that Krejcikova can’t lift over the net.
Now it’s deuce and the nerves are starting to show.
Hunter is now 8/10 on her second serve. Krejcikova can’t get on the front foot to capitalise and now Hunter has squared the second set 4-4. If she can break here she’s in business.
Rublev is getting close to a fourth-round entry. Having claimed the first two sets, he’s 4-2 up in the third. Korda is serving, but will need to hold and then respond with a break of his own to have a sniff of getting this beyond a third set.
Hunter won’t let up. She responds with an almighty roar after taking a very important point. 30-30. Next one could be massive.
It goes to Krejcikova who unfurls another wonderful forehand winner that left Hunter flat-footed.
Hunter then goes long and Krejcikova holds to make it 4-3 in the second.
Krejcikova lets out an angry yell. She’s annoyed at herself for missing another winner.
She lands the next one, though. A beautiful swing of her arm sees the ball explode off the strings and land safely for a forehand winner down the line. 30-15.
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Hunter misses a forehand and we’re at deuce. Could we see a break point? Well, Krejcikova misses herself and that gives Hunter the opportunity to close things out.
She does so with a big forehand winner across the court. She gave that everything and roared her delight.
3-3 in the second.
A reminder to anyone just dropping in, Hunter won the first set 6-4.
Rublev storms to a 2-0 lead over Korda. The fifth seeded Russian player claimed the first set 6-2 and has now won the second 78-66. The American No. 29 has to step it up or he’ll be heading home soon.
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Better from Krejcikova. Strong serves throughout and when given the opportunity, she makes herself big at the net. She takes that game for a 3-2 lead. Unlike the first set, we’re yet to see a service game broken.
Hunter takes the game! A long rally ends with a wonderful shot on the forehand as she goes across Krejcikova that lands just inside the line in the corner. 2-2 in the second set.
Krejcikova misses a simple forehand. She set up the point well, shifting Hunter to the right. But she couldn’t land her forehand in the open court out to the left.
But then she follows it up with a cross-court that does land.
So inconsistent. One minute she’s outstanding, the next she’s missing gimmes.
Now it’s Hunter’s turn to miss an open court as she gets close to the net and over-cooks a simple forehand down the line.
Deuce.
Krejcikova with a sublime forehand on the rise. That’s just the first point in the game, but that’s a bit of a statement stroke as he lifts with the bounce of the ball and hits on top of it.
Hunter, though, is nonplussed and takes the next two points to grab a 30-15 lead.
This is good stuff.
A perfect game for Krejcikova makes it 2-1. 40-0 in that one. Strong strokes from the base-line. She had Hunter on the defence throughout.
Boom! Lovely stroke from Hunter who leans into a fore-hand into the corner. She takes a 40-15 lead.
She then takes the game with a slamming volley that screamed off her racket.
A big roar shows what it means to her.
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Krejicova holds. 1-0 up and she’s still in with a 46% chance of winning the match, according the win predictor. Not sure I’d have it that high but she is the 9th seed for a reason.
Deuce in the second set. Good defence from Hunter. Krejcikova looking to assert herself tries to play a winner from a ball that wasn’t there and she goes long.
She slams a stiff serve and has the advantage. Can she hold?
“Hi Dan,”
Hi Jack Skelly.
“A friend pointed out that Storm Hunter must be one of very few tennis players in history whose name combines those of two Gladiators.”
Ah. Good shout. She just might be.
But keep an eye out for this young kid coming through the ranks by the name of Wolf Saracen. Could be a future slam winner.
Adrian Mannarino beats Ben Shelton 7(7)-6(4), 1-6, 6(2)-7(7), 6-3, 6-4
An epic! It promised to be a cracker between the 20th seeded Frenchman and the 16th seeded American and so it was. After taking the first set Mannarino went 2-1 down. And he looked buried but refused to stay down. A brilliant performance from the lefty with the soft touch.
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Hunter takes the opening set 6-4. After losing two points, she sees it home with a booming serve that was too hot for an accurate return from Krejcikova and Hunter was celebrating even before it landed beyond the base-line.
Thanks Taha. Yup, daft decision. Glad to be back indoors. If you see any typos over the next few minutes it’s because my fingers are frozen.
Anyway, glad to see Mannarino and Shelton have delivered on the promised five-set epic. The Frenchman is now serving for the match.
But I’m watching Hunter storm (gettit?) tee up three set points. Can she close it?
And that’s enough from me. Daniel Gallan’s back from a stroll outside (why did he do that – it’s silly cold out there).
Hunter slaps a winning backhand to hold her serve and go 5-3 up in the first set against Krejcikova.
Shelton’s a fighter, coming up to the net to smash a volley before Mannarino gets a backhand all wrong – the 16th seed’s got himself three break points! He nets at the first time of asking before Mannarino nails the serve-and-volley. More resistance from Mannarino takes us to deuce before a barnstorming forehand from Foster down the line gives the American another break point. He can’t convert, but then he gets another, and Mannarino nets. It’s 5-3 to Mannarino, and this thing’s still kicking.
Shelton, down 4-2 in the fifth, goes 40-0 up but Mannarino takes advantage of the American’s desire to get up to the net, chipping and passing his way to a break point. And he converts it too! Mannarino will serve for the match.
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Krejcikova recovers from a tetchy start to break back against Hunter, but the ninth seed then nets a volley to give the Australian another break. It’s 3-2 to the home star in the first set.
We’re into deuce again on Shelton’s serve, with the fifth set at 2-2. A 27-shot rally concludes with Mannarino unable to convert his first break point. But the Frenchman claims his second, with Shelton going long. Mannarino leads 3-2 in the final set.
Andrey Rublev, meanwhile, has taken the first set against Sebastian Korda 6-2 and is 1-0 up in the second.
Storm Hunter is off to a fine start against Barbora Krejcikova, breaking her opponent in the first game of the match.
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This is a proper thriller. Mannarino keeps getting onto break point; Shelton then gets that booming left-handed serve working to save himself. They’re more than four hours into this duel, and Shelton just about holds on to go 2-1 up.
Right, so the show goes on. Adrian Mannarino and Ben Shelton are into a fifth set, currently 1-1, battling away on deuce with the American serving.
Hello, folks. Just listening in to Djokovic’s post-match chat. He’s asked about his motivation, presumably because he’s won this thing a gazillion times. “I’ve been blessed to go through a very interesting life journey. Coming from Serbia in the 90s wasn’t easy for my family, my parents had to endure a lot of adversity, economically, in every sense, in order for me to live my dream, to play a sport which was very expensive, still is for our country, at that time it was super expensive comparing to some other team sports.
“My parents did everything they possibly can to provide the conditions, the possibilities for me to be able to train. I wasn’t travelling for couple of years in the junior days because of lack of resources, war, embargo, a lot of different things.
“In the end of the day, when I reflect on all of the journey that I’ve been through, that we’ve all been through as a family or as people of Serbia, it’s honestly an incredible blessing to be here and I’m very grateful for that.”
I’m off on a quick break. Taha Hashim will take over. See you later.
Novak Djokovic beats Tomás Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-3, 7(7)-6(2)
The world number one marches on. As close to flawless as you’d expect. His 100th match in Melbourne ends with an inevitable victory. He was made to work in that third set, but only in fourth gear. The first two were won in second as he unfurled sumptuous drops, crunching two-handed back-hands and a ruthless service game. Outstanding. How do you beat him?
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6-2. Ace! Djokovic with four match points.
5-2. Not yet. Etcheverry keeps the lights on.
5-1. Etcheverry gets to the net and he’s favourite to win the point as Djokovic is well behind the base-line and almost playing this shot behind him. But he somehow digs out a wicked back-hand to cramp Etcheverry to move within touching distance.
4-1. A wide serve from Djokovic forces a lunge from Etcheverry who can’t return.
3-1. Djokovic finds the net on a fore-hand after serving. He still has as grip on this tie-break.
2-0 in the tie-break. A tame shot from Etcheverry after Djokovic’s return has the Argentine chasing the game.
3-0 to Djokovic. Another brilliant return to Etcheverry’s toes from a wide serve. Djokovic read it and pounced.
Outrageous rally! 25 shots. Both players had the chance to put it away but as it went on the resuklt became inevitable. A crunching fore-hand down the line from Djokovic gives him the lead in the tie-break.
We’re going to a tie-break in the third. Well played Etcheverry. He could have rolled over after losing two sets but he’s fought and scrapped and held on. Now he has an opportunity to stay in the match a little longer.
Djokovic gives his head a tap with his racket. A pretty tame shot finds the net on his otherwise assured back-hand from behind the base-line and, a wide serve from Etcheverry, has the Argentine 40-15 up and on the verge of forcing a tie-break.
Alex de Minaur beats Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Easy does it for the Aussie. The 24-year-old 10th seed is into the fourth round of his home slam for the third time in a row, equalling his best return. He’ll play the winner of Rublev or Korda.
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Djokovic holds. Another backhand into the corner. 6-5 in the third.
Etcheverry takes a 15-30 lead. Now then. Could this be his moment. Djokovic does look a little less sharp. Oh. Hang on. Never mind. That’s a mighty serve to square it 30-30 and Etcheverry can’t get his return over the net. A long rally follows and ends with a delightful spinning drop that Etcheverry, charging from well behind the baseline, can’t reach it. 40-30 to the Serb.
Etcheverry stays in the fight. He’s held his serve to make it 5-5. If he is going to lose in straight sets he’s going to force Djokovic to work for his win. Big serves and strong drives from the front foot. No question he’s playing better now. Or perhaps Djokovic is tiring? Surely not.
Maria Timofeeva beat Haddad Maia 7(9)-6(7), 6-3
Remarkable. The 20-year-old marches on. She’s fought back from 0-3 in the first set and has beaten the No.10 seed from Brazil.
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Game, Djokovic. 5-4 and two sets up, this could be over soon.
Djokovic apologises but he takes the point after a 17-shot rally. He clips the net and Echeverry puts on the afterburners to reach it. He does, but it allows Djokovic to slide home the winner into an open court.
Sprint stats have just come up and Etcheverry has put out 28 to Djokovic’s nine. The Serb is a puppet master.
Etcheverry holds. “Tenacious” is the word. 4-4. He’s holding on. If he can break here we might have a sniff of a contest.
Lovely drop from Etcheverry. He’s playing his best tennis of the match. Almost certainly too little, too late, but good to see him up his game. He’s 30-15 up in this game.
De Minaur in firm control at 4-1 in the third. He’ll be serving for the match soon enough after taking the first two sets 6-3, 6-3.
Timofeeva is serving for the match at 5-3 over 10th seed Haddad Maia.
Inevitable. Djokovic holds his service on deuce and has yet to face a break point. Too good. He leads 4-3.
Djokokovic nails another back-hand drive into the corner. Down the line, he couldn’t have placed that better. Has anyone in the history of the game played that shot better than he has? Another point takes him to 40-0 but he can’t close it out right away. A first fault and a net-finder on the back-hand makes it 40-15. It’s now 40-30 as Etcheverry chases down a drop shot and wins the point with a running-backwards-over-the-shoulder-sort-of-slam.
And it’s deuce! Well done Etcheverry. A back-hand that’s been missing for most of the game gives him a sniff. Quality tennis.
Shelton wins the third set 77-62. The winner of that match with Mannarino will face Djokovic in the next round (sorry Etcheverry, I’m calling the result early). But don’t discount the Frenchman. I said it’d go to five sets and I’m sticking with that call.
Etcheverry won’t go away. Fair play to him. Djokovic goes long and the Argentine takes the game to square the third at 3-3.
Timofeeva is serving for the match with a 6-1 lead. Stay tuned…
Sublime from Djokovic. Amazing. A big drive forces Etcheverry deep so he has the room to drop near the net. Etcheveryy gets the long strides out and reaches the drop and does well to return. But Djokovic reads it like a book and lifts his racket above his head to lob a simple winner into the open court. Like a cat toying with a mouse he takes a 3-2 lead in the third.
Better from Etcheverry. A booming fore-hand across the court forces Djokovic to lunge and lift a tame return. Another drive from Etcheverry has him on the front foot and Djokovic’s defensive punt is long.
Etcheverry just about clings on and takes the game after getting on the right side of a lengthy base-line exchange. Improved show on that back-hand. 2-2 in the third.
Despite the lack of creativity or variety, Etcheverry’s serve has been impressive. Another howitzer sees him take a 30-15 lead. But when he fails to land the first serve, or Djokovic can return, there’s only one winner from the base-line scraps. 30-30. Big point coming up.
Aussie de Minaur takes the second set 6-3. He’s on his way after winning the first by the same score against the Italian Cobolli.
In the best match of the day, Shelton has a 6-5 lead over Mannarino in the third. They’re square with a set each.
And Timofeeva is inching towards another famous victory as she leads Haddad Maia 4-1 with a set advantage.
Another long rally goes to Djokovic. That one was around 16 strokes (I’m guessing). I don’t have the stats but I’d imagine more than 90% of rallies stretching beyond 15 shots have gone the way of Novak. Maybe they all have. Etcheverry seriously needs to start charging the net.
He doesn’t, and is now 1-2 down in the third.
Etcheverry lands his 10th ace to hold his serve. Was looking a little sketchy at one point after leading 40-15. But he survived a deuce scare thanks to some thumping serves. Now he needs to elevate his game. Get to the net, son!
Etcheverry looks sharper in this set. Or at least this service game. A sweetly struck winner on his powerful fore-hand gets him in the game and now he’s 40-15 up. Oh, he’s long at that fore-hand. He’s still reluctant to charge the net. And he’s long again. Ah man, that’s disappointing from him. Deuce.
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Timofeeva now 3-0 up in the second. After beating Wozniacki in the previous round, and now on the march against the No. 10 seed Haddad Maia, is it too early to start talking about a possible dark horse?
Elsewhere, Mannarino and Shelton are delivering on the promise of a blockbuster.
The Frenchman took the first set 77-64 but the America responded with a 6-1 win in the second. Now, Mannarino is 5-4 up with Shelton 0-30 to the good. We’ll be keeping an eye on that one that could go the distance.
Djokovic breaks to take second set. “Suffocating” is the word used on comms. He’s pinning Etcheverry back behind the base and is more than happy to get involved in long rallies. He’s toying with his opponent, bringing him forward when he wants, making him dart this way and that. “Scary” is how Kyrgios describes this level that, seemingly, only Novak can reach.
Djokovic leads 6-3, 6-3.
Amanda Anisimova beat Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4.
Cramps couldn’t stop Anisimova from claiming her spot in the next round where she’ll face the American No2 seed Sabalenka.
Here’s Tumaini Carayol’s write-up.
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“That’s so sick!” says Kyrgios on comms as Djokovic lands an inch-perfect back-hand down the line. Etcheverry can barely believe it. Still, the Argentine is a quality player and a biog server and he holds his own to make it 4-3.
Timofeeva takes the first set! Remarkable. From 3-0 down she it 79-67. Outstanding resilience from the youngster.
Shelton is also on the march. After losing the first set, he stormed to a 6-1 win in the second over Mannarino and is now 4-3 up in the third.
De Minaur is going well on John Cain Arean. He claimed the first set 6-3 and is serving at 3-2 in the second.
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Djokovic takes the game. 4-2 up. So simple. Etcheverry is evaporating. Well, maybe that’s harsh. But I just can’t see a way back for him. Not unless he does something dramatically different.
Djokovic squares it with a monster second serve. 30-30. Amazing how he remains undaunted on the second serve. He still has the confidence to climb into it. And now he takes the lead in the game at 40-30 with a thumping over-head smash. The machine rumbles on.
Oooh, a bit of afters with the crowd. Nothing as dramatic the other night but Novak has paused before serving to stare, menacingly, at the crowd. Someone has ticked him off. He cracks on and serves at 15-15, gets into a rally before sending a fore-hand long. Big point for Etcheverry. A half chance to work his way back into the contest.
Djokovic holds his serve. He looks so composed, totally in control. Stiff back-hands, powerful fore-hands and impenetrable defence. Not sure how Etcheverry has a path back into this. It’s a little one-dimensional from the Argentine but can he do anything else? If he steps out and looks to attack the net he could get picked off. On the serve he’s doing alright actually. He lands his sixth ace to hold his own serve.
3-2 to Djokovic in the second and 1-0 up in the match.
Timofeeva and Haddad Maia are locked at 6-6 in the second. An unreal match taking place at the Margaret Court Arena. And the tie-break is square at 6-6!
Djokovic breaks. He climbs into a tame second serve and drills it down the line on his forehand. 2-1 to the Serb.
Kyrgios on comms is suggesting that Etcheverry needs to start coming to the net. But he hasn’t yet and perhaps he doesn’t have that in his locker. When rallies go beyond five shots Djokovic is utterly dominant. A quality drop from deep compels Etcheverry to come to the net but he can’t lift it back for a succesful return as he lunges forward. Break point for the defending champ to make it 2-1.
1-1 in the second set. These two have raced to a game each on their own service. Now they’re locked in an epic exchange of 28 shots. Both are hammering their shots. Eventually Etcheverry goes long and Djokovic takes the point.
Let’s whiz around the rest of the matches quickly:
Aussie De Minaur took the first set 6-3 over Coboli but is 0-1 in the second.
An epic is unfolding between Mannarino and Shelton. The Frenchman took the first 77-64 but was blown away 1-6 in the second. Shelton is now 2-1 up in the third. That’s got a five-setter written all over it.
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Djokovic takes the first set 6-3. 44 minutes is all he needed. Dominant, decisive, Djokovic! Immense defence on the back-hand along with drives down the line on his fore-hand. How does anyone beat this guy?
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Etcheverry holds. He’s still 5-3 down and will have to break this Djokovic service, but he’s staying in the fight. If he can play as much on his forehand as possible he may have a chance in the coming sets.
Deuce. Etcheverry loads up on a big fore-hand drive but can’t lift it over the net. Good defence from Djokovic kept him in the point and perhaps forced Etcheverry’s hand.
Outrageous. A cross-court, back-hand winner from Djokovic is a contender for the best stroke of the tournament so far. Hyperbolic? Maybe. But it’s perfect. Still, big serves from Etcheverry and a lightning fore-hand down the line means he’s 40-15 up in the game. Outstanding tennis from both.
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5-2 to Djokovic. Simple as. He makes it look so easy sometimes. Etcheverry is playing some quality tennis of his own but it’s the clinical striking of Djokovic that sees him move within four points of the first set.
So good! Wow, Djokovic should have been out away with two thumping cross-court fore-hands from Etcheverry but his defence on the back-hand is superb. It’s so good in fact that he turns it into an attacking weapon and Etcheverry has to scramble to return. Novak goes 40-0 up in a flash.
Djokovic breaks! He’s figured out a weakness from Etcheverry. It’s that double-handed back-hand and the man with 24 slams is peppering it constantly. This latest one goes long and Novak is 4-2 with the serve.
Etcheverrys aves break-point with a crunching serve. He seemed to stiffen up when he was serving for the game which saw him lose two points in a row. But a thumping serve, and then another, means he now has the advantage. Djokovic has it back thanks to a lovely drop that beats the desperate lunge of Etcheverry.
Big back-hand down the line from Djokovic tees up a booming forehand winner. 15-30 up now. But he goes long on another forehand and hands Etcheverry a gimme to square it at 30-30. A long, searching rally follows and Etcheverry takes the point. Serving for the game now.
Timofeeva has stormed back and is now 3-3 in the first set. She was 0-3 down to Haddad Maia but the young qualifier is fronting up.
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Djokovic is so clinical. He over-hits on the first rally of the game and goes 0-15 down. But he then raises his standard and takes a 40-15 lead. Etcheverry, though, has some quality of his own and hangs on to another rally to make it 40-30. But a booming serve down the middle of the court sees Djokovic take the game. 3-2 to the defending champion.
BOOM! A second consecutive ace from Etcheverry closes the game and it’s 2-2 in the first.
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Again Etcheverry finds the net with the two-handed back-hand. Not quite generating the lift and power needed. Deuce it is. His service game is on fire though and he lands his third ace to take the advantage.
Djokovic wins an 18-shot rally. But those were crunching strokes from both players. No soft gimmes there. Quality tennis that ends with Etcheverry finding the net on a lunging back-hand. But he wins the next point on his own serve and leads 40-30.
Djokovic’s forehand looks in good shape. So says Nick Kygrios on comms. He’s climbing into those driving strokes and makes light work of that service game. 2-1 up in the first.
Haddad Maia is 3-0 over the youngster Timofeeva.
Aussie de Minaur is 2-1 up on Cobolli and in the match that is turning into an epic already, Mannarino, having taken the first set via a tie-breaker, is locked at 1-1 in the second with the American Shelton.
Right then, switching over to our main event.
Djokovic claimed the first game in the first set over Etcheverry.
But a powerful service game from the Argentine sees him take a 40-15 lead. But Novak won’t go away. A sumptuous back-hand down the tram makes it 40-30. .
Etcheverry can play! That’s a tasty drop to make it 1-1 in the first set.
We’ve got a game on the Margaret Court Arena.
Beatriz Haddad Maia, the first ever Brazilian to reach the third round of the Australian Open, is 1-0 in the first set over the 20-year-old qualifier Maria Timofeeva who produced an almighty shock on Wednesday by beating Caroline Wozniacki 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
As I type, Haddad Maia has just taken the second game without dropping a point. She looks on it!
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We’re still waiting for Novak to get going.
In the meantime, I’m watching Ben Skelton (16) take on Adrian Mannarino (20). It’s a bit of a belter so far.
The first set is locked at 6-6 with Mannarino 5-4 up and serving with two set points. Can he stick it?
Oh yes he can! The experienced Frenchman takes the first set over the 21-year-old American.
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Emma Raducanu might be out of the Australian Open, but it’s not all bad news for the young Brit.
She’s just been named most ‘influential’ British tennis player and can earn over £12K per social media post!There are worse ways to earn a buck, that’s for sure.
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I’ve just watched Novak Djokovic crying on my TV talking about a tree.
“I got connected with that tree,” the teary Serb said. “I just liked it. I liked its roots and the trunks and branches and everything. So I started climbing it years ago. That’s it. I just have a connection.”
Hey, he’s got 24 slams. Maybe there’s something to it.
Here’s a run through of selected from earlier today:
Men’s singles:
Stefanos Tsitsipas (7) beat Luca Van Assche 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.
Taylor Fritz (12) beat Fábián Marozsán 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
Jannik Sinner (4) beat Sabastian Baez (26) 6-0, 6-1, 6-3.
Karen Khachanov (15) beat Tomas Machac 6-4, 7-6, 6-4, 7-6.
Women’s singles:
Coco Gauff (4) beat Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-2.
Marta Kostyuk beat Elina Avanesyan 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Lesia Tsurenko (28) 6-0, 6-0.
Amanda Anisimova beat Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4.
Magdalena Fręch beat Anastasia Zakharova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Mira Andreeva beat Diane Parry 1-6, 6-1, 710-65
Preamble
Good morning tennis fans. We kick things off with the big man. That’s right. Novak Djokovic, the winning machine who is not afraid to get into a scrap with hecklers is on at 8am GMT/6pm AEST against Tomás Martin Etcheverry from Argentina.
Aussie Alex de Minaur is also in early action against Flavio Cobolli. The Sydney lad looked good in the last round will be after a career-best equalling fourth-round entry at the Australian Open.
On the women’s draw we have two live games coming up. The first is 10th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia from Brazil against the Russian nationally neutral Maria Timofeeva. At the Rod Laver Arena at 10am GMT/8pm AEST, Queenslander Storm Hunter has a tough task as she faces ninth seed Barbora Krejčíková from the Czechia.
Of course the action started a few hours ago. I’m off to make a coffee and when I’m back I’ll fill you in on all the happenings Down Under.
