Ajla Tomljanovic beats Shelby Rogers 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Well, that didn’t take long. That’s another Australian into the second round. It also wraps up the tennis for day two. I’m off to do something else. Before you go and do something else, look at these pictures from day two. They’re very nice.
There’s just one game left out there on the Rod Laver Arena. It’s one set-all between Shelby Rogers of the US and Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia. I’ll be back with an update on that final set shortly. In the meantime, I need some food. So imagine this blog as going on standby. [Red light on].
Monfils beats Pouille in five sets, 6-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
“Allez!” shouts Monfils as he powers down each serve. But, then, with three match points he double-faults. Of course he does, he’s Gael Monfils. He was trying to finish on a second-serve ace. He makes no mistake on the next point, forcing Pouille to waft a racket at a rocket. The rocket wins. “I’m very emotional,” says Monfils. He should be. He put himself through the wringer – Pouille has a fine future in the game, though. He was wonderful.
That's how he rolls: Gael #Monfils recovers from 2 sets down to beat the talented Pouille 6-4 in the 5th set #ausopen pic.twitter.com/OpvllYug6j
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
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Monfils breaks! He leads 5-4 in the fifth set. Pouille goes 0-30 down but battles back to 30-30 with two fantastic points won on his forehand. And then, drama! A wonderfully entertaining exchange of volleys that has both payers scuttling back and forth results in Pouille passing up a chance to volley home that he can’t miss. He does, wide down the left line. And then his inexperience is his undoing. He leaves a defensive shot by Monfils on break points when he should volley. It drops in just. That could have cost him the match.
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Monfils holds to 30. It’s 4-4 in the fifth and deciding set. Pouille at first appears spurred on by that last game, rocketing a return into the corner and levelling the game at 30-30. He then asks questions of Monfils in a long rally that shifts left and right across the court but the older pro isn’t found wanting and shows deft touch to stoop low and scoop a winner past his opponent. He holds to 30.
Pouille holds his serve with some brave and clever tennis! He leads the fifth set 4-3. Pouille saved one break point with a well-crafted shot that he finished off at the net. That took the game to deuce. He then won the longest rally to bring up advantage. Monfils fought back to tie it at deuce again but two points, won at the net, show why this young player is causing Monfils so many problems. He cuts off all the angles. Monfils has nowhere to go.
Monfils holds to love. This is ominous from the more experienced Frenchman. Every time he feels the breath of defeat on his neck, he swats it off and goes into overdrive. It’s 3-3 in the fifth set but the momentum has swung back the way of the No17 seed.
The North American battle between Sam Querrey and Vasek Pospisil is over. And Canada has won. Pospisil victorious 6-3, 6-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Monfils breaks back! Pouille kicks off with a double-fault. Monfils springs over to the other side of the court, sensing an opportunity. He tries to pass Pouille dowm the right, the youngster tries to block but the ball hits frame and lands in the net. 0-30. But Pouille carves out two points that result in winners from the net. 30-30. A backhand error gives Monfils a break point. Pouille ends the game as he started it and double-faults. This really isn’t the time for service errors to creep into his game.
And that’s a strong response. Monfils increases the pace in his serve and holds to love.
Pouille holds his serve to love. This is an extraordinary display of mental fortitude by a player who I doubt has ever played a five-setter before. He leads the fifth set 3-0. Monfils needs to fire himself up again or he’s going out.
Pouille breaks Monfils to lead the fifth set 2-0! Pouille looks light on his toes. Monfils goes 15-0 up. But then Pouille runs down a Monfils forehand and sends it back with interest to force Monfils to hit a tame forehand into the net. Monfils’ concentration appears to go as he unsuccessfully challenges a call on the left tramline. Pouille forces a break point. Monfils saves. Deuce. Advantage Pouille. Another break point. Monfils sends Pouille wide, teh Frenchman runs around it and hammers a forehand across teh court to break him. Brilliant!
Pouille holds serve to love. That’s a fine start to the fifth set. Over to you Gael. Pouille leads the fifth set 1-0.
Over on the Hisense Arena the USA’s Sam Querrey has taken his match with Canada’s Vasek Pospisil to a decider after taking the fourth set 6-4.
Monfils has battled back extraordinarily well here. Pouille is up against it. All the momentum is with the experienced No17 seed. This is the biggest match of Pouille’s career. If he can pull something out of the bag now it would be phenomenal.
French flair at its finest out on MCA as #Monfils forces a decider, taking the 4th 6-1. Pouille led by 2 sets to love pic.twitter.com/2MqP5HD8VB
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
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We’re going to a fifth set. Monfils takes the fourth set 6-1! Monfils is almost a bit too cocky, though. He lobs Pouille with a backhand to lead 30-0. But the youngster is not going to be made to look foolish. He forces two errors and then takes the game to deuce. Monfils saves two break points, but an accurate serve into the body gets him out of trouble and an ace down the line takes the match into a deciding set.
Monfils has taken his returns to another level in the past few games. He brings up three break points. Pouille saves two of them but he can’t prevent the third as he sends a forehand long. That’s 5-1 to Monfils. Perhaps, like James Murphy, he hasn’t lost his edge after all.
And then Monfils holds to love. He’s rediscovered whatever it was that went missing between the end of the first set and the beginning of the fourth. The way he psyched himself up to battle back in the third set has really worked for him. I might start staring and shouting down people in the office whenever I’m having a below-par day. Monfils leads the fourth set 4-1.
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Monfils breaks Pouille! For the first time the youngster shows signs of fatigue. A double-fault gives Monfils a 0-40 lead. Monfils goes after him on his backhand and forces him to slam the ball into the net. Is the tide turning? Monfils leads the fourth set 3-1.
Monfils has found the rhythm in his serve that was so useful in the first set. He holds with little fuss and will have a bit of energy stored up for a crack at Pouille’s serve now. He leads 2-1 in the fourth set.
To keep the James Murphy-theme going – well, to add to the James Murphy link that I posted earlier, anyway – here’s how Gael Monfils may be feeling at the moment in the face of a younger, spirite – and annoyingly for him – perhaps more talented, opponent from his neck of the woods. Pouille has held. It’s now 1-1 in the fourth set.
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Meanwhile Pouille has responded well to losing the third set to Monfils. He puts incredible pressure on the Monfils serve and shows deft touch at the net to bring up three break points in a lengthy, labour-intensive game that Monfils finally sees out with an ace. But that may have taken a bit of the spring out of Monfils’ step. He showed signs of an injury earlier. That game would have tested it. Monfils leads the fourth set 1-0.
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Over on the Rod Laver Arena the Croatian-born Australian Ajla Tomljanovic is in action against Shelby Rogers. They’re both unseeded and closely-ranked, Tomljanovic at 67, Rogers at 76. The Australian will hope to feed off the good vibes left behind there by Hewitt after his win earlier. It’s finely balanced at 4-4 in the first set.
Pouille can’t hold. Monfils wins the third set 6-4. At 15-15 Pouille plays a shot that Federer could have crafted, pushing Monfils wide with a couple of runaround-forehands and then coming into the net to win the point with a crisp volley into the open side of the court. You’d expect him to go on and take the game after such a good point but Monfils shows great fight to claw the game back to deuce and bring up a break-point with a passing shot as he comes into the net. Pouille feels the pressure and hits his first serve into the net. Monfils pounces on the second and Pouille slams his forehand into the net.
Monfils holds to love. Pouille is going to have to serve to stay in the third set. Monfils leads 5-4.
Monfils is doing everything he can to put off Pouille, who is serving. He’s staring and shouting at him after every point. It’s a bit naughty this. And his tactics are working. A fine rescue shot from Monfils is put wide by Pouille’s attempted smash and then the youngster double-faults to bring up a break point for Monfils. The first in a long, long while. But Pouille shows huge bravery, coming into the net and slamming a volley right to the line to bring up deuce. He sees it out by showing incredible nerve. He holds. It’s now 4-4.
Monfils holds to 30. He looked like he was going to win that game comfortably but the quick wrists of Pouille bring the score back to 30-40 before Monfils sends a booming serve down court to lead 4-3 in the third set.
But Pouille responds! Monfils tries his best to get under the skin of the 20-year-old with a couple of big forehands that help bring the game to 30-30. But he can’t carry it on. Pouille keeps his cool and sees the game out with a couple of big serves. That’s 3-3.
Monfils has found his battle-fever. After going 0-30 down with a couple of weak backhands he channels his inner Bruce Banner. He roars after every serve to win four points on the spin, finishing with two lightening quick aces. He needed that. The crowd are on his side and his legs are moving again. He leads the third set 3-2. This is what this match needs.
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Pouille shows lovely variety in his serve, going down the middle, sliding out wide and kicking straight up into Monfils’ body to hold his serve to love. That’s 2-2. Back to you Gael.
Monfils’ best hope – only hope – is his serve now. He is putting every ounce of energy into it. Two huge serves force Pouille to waft a couple of returns into the net. He then double-faults as he tries to force the issue but escapes from the game, holding to 30. That’s 2-1.
There’s something wonderful about a youngster playing with dazzling confidence and unhindered by expectation. That’s what Pouille is doing here. Some of his shots are breathtaking. And so accurate too. Monfils may be slightly hampered by injury but I doubt he could live up to the youngster’s game today in any case. Pouille holds to 15 to make it 1-1.
Scorching stuff from Monfils! He may be looking like he’s on his way out but the No17 seed produces some exhibition stuff to lift the Margaret Court Arena crowd to its feet. Pouille comes to the net, Monfils saves from between his legs and tries to lob his opponent with an outrageous shot that Pouille smashes towards the corner, but Monfils anticipates it and chases it down before dispatching a backhand across court. That was wonderful – and it gives him the impetus to hold his serve to 30. He leads the third set 1-0.
He can’t. Pouille wins the second set 6-3! The youngster sends Monfils scampering left and right with some blistering baseline shots. Monfils briefly flickers to life, with a cross-court passing shot that Pouille can’t stretch to reach, but the 20-year-old ratchets up his intensity and is simply too good as he sends a forehand whistling past the No17 seed, who is struggling to keep up.
Monfils digs deep to hold his serve. He trails 5-3 but has to find a way past Pouille’s serve now.
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Here’s Hewitt getting a little bit excited about the Aussie challenge at this tournament: “It’s starting to be like the good old days! It’s fantastic. We need to keep helping them make the transition,” he says of the band of talented, Australian youngsters who are through to the second round.
Monfils can offer nothing in response to Pouille’s accurate and powerful service game. The youngster holds to love to take a 5-2 lead in the second set. Monfils hobbles back to his chair.
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It looks as though Monfils has picked up an injury to his right foot to go along with his creaking confidence. He’s not moving well – and to be at his best he needs to move well. He holds his serve after being taken to deuce. Just. His serve may be his best hope of getting back into this. Pouille leads the second set 4-2.
Monfils holds his serve to bring the second set back to 3-1. He then threatens to put pressure on Pouille’s serve with a volleyed smash that levels the fourth game at 15-15 but the 20-year-old raises his game and forces Monfils to waft a backhand into the net and take the score to 4-1.
Hewitt has beaten Zhang 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4
It’s all going rather well for the Australian men, young and old. The veteran showed charecter to recover from a soul-sapping second set.
Monfils tries to battle his way back in the third game but Pouille has lifted his game to another level. Monfils brings his magic to the net but the youngster matches his athleticism. Monfils increases his pace from the back of the court and so does Pouille, who, after being taken to deuce, wins the game with a cross-court forehand that is too wide for Monfils. He hasn’t got an answer to the youngster’s game at the moment. He needs to find one. Pouille leads 3-0 in the second set inside 12 minutes.
Pouille is feeling it! He holds his serve to 30 and then forces a break point at 30-40 in the next game. Monfils, who was a picture of calm in the first set until the tie-break, doube-faults. His confident 20-year-old compatriot has given him the jitters here.
Becker is through! The French No25 seed, Julien Benneteau, is on his way home after the German Benjamin Becker’s 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Pouille wins the first-set tie break against Monfils! The youngster forces a forehand and goes long to bring the score back to 6-3. But it is Monfils who errs on the second set point with an errant forehand. He’s taken the tie-break 7-3. Well done young lad.
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Monfils cracks again. An unforced error on his backhand and a double fault give Pouille a 6-2 lead and a set-point.
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Then Monfils hits back with a forehand winner. 4-2 to Pouille.
Monfils is starting to crack. He leaves a shot mid-court that Pouille slams a cross court to make it 3-1. And then Monfils goes long with a backhand. That’s 4-1.
Pouille holds and then Monfils breaks back as the 20-year-old shows signs of pressure and goes long. That’s 2-1 to the 20-year-old.
Pouille gets the mini-break straight away as Monfils produces his first unforced error of the match.
But Pouille is showing stunning confidence. He wins a point at the net again to bring up game point. And then aces to holds to love too. 6-6 tie-break.
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Monfils took barely a minute to hold his serve to love against Pouille. He leads 6-5 and is applying the pressure once more …
Here’s an update from the Rod Laver Arena, where Hewitt is still on cruise control with the destination set for the second round.
It's showtime for #Hewitt yet again. Leads 4-1 in the 4th set v #zhang. It's like he is a teenager! #ausopen pic.twitter.com/Aote8Bhfdo
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
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And the youngster responds! He mixes his game up, playing off the baseline, winning a point at the net and bringing up game point with his third ace of the match. He double-faults … but then follows up with his fourth ace to level at 5-5. This is great from the 20-year-old.
But Monfils is giving so little away. He has yet to make an unforced error. If Pouille drops his intensity by just 10% his more illustrious French opponent will be all over him like a nasty rash. Monfils holds his serve to love to lead 5-4. Big game for Pouille coming up …
Pouille is turning it on! He’s pouncing on anything that comes his way that is even just slightly underhit. He levels at 4-4 after holding to 15 and finishing with an ace. He isn’t shy to come into the net either, showing bundles of brio.
Zhang looks to have given up the ghost. I don’t know whether he is hampered by injury or just overawed by the occasion but he isn’t moving so well now. He trails 2-0 in the fourth set. Hewitt has got him where he wants him now after recovering from a dreadful second set.
Monfils and Pouille is shaping up nicely at 3-3 in the first set. Pouille is hanging in there on the Margaret Court Arena. He just saved two break points against the N017 seed, showing feather in his fingertips to find a way past Monfils at the net and level the set. I like Monfils. Everyone likes Monfils don’t they? He does things like this …
Hewitt wins the third set with a donut! He leads 2-1 against Zhang now. The wildcard needs to show a bit of character. He was all too deferential in that third set against the home favourite.
Business as usual. #Hewitt wins set 3 6-0 v #zhang. The Aussie dominating baseline pts 51-22. Can't go through him - or around. #ausopen.
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
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There are only four matches remaining out there now, the most interesting of which – Hewitt-Zhang aside – is Gael Monfils, seeded No17, against the 20-year-old fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille. It’s interesting mainly from the point of view that there could be an upset. I’m not saying there will be. Pouille has never been past the first round of a grand slam. But we can all hope for a bit of excitement in our lives can’t we?
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And Hewitt even has time for a mini-battle in this third-set romp. He’s fought back fro 0-40 down to win the fifth game and make it 5-0. Zhang had a good go then. It wasn’t enough.
Hewitt has gone all retro. He’s much quicker over the court than in the second set and his first-serve is getting back towards something approaching consistent again too. All in all, it’s looking good for him. He’s tearing into the third set. He leads 4-0.
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Serena Williams beats Alison Van Uytvanck 6-0, 6-4
Well, that was easy, although fair play to the Belgian qualifier Alison Van Uytvanck for making a fist of it in the second set. What does Serena make of that effort: “If I could get to 19 Slams in Australia, that would be beyond amazing. But I’m just going to enjoy myself.” Indeed.
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Hewitt is back off the ropes in spectacular fashion! He holds his serve to love (1-0). He breaks Zhang’s serve to love (2-0). The mojo is back. And so is the crowd, who have got a bit giddy again.
Zhang levels the match against Hewitt at one set all. He turned it on in the second set to take it 6-1. Hewitt’s first-serve appears to have gone west in the past half hour. He could do with finding it again if he wants to avoid disppointing the healthy crowd who have stayed late to watch him at the Rod Laver Arena.
Some good news for Hewitt! He’s not the oldest player out there on the courts at Melbourne Park. That would be Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm who, at 44, is 11 years older than the Australian. What does she eat? I want some. The world No101 has lost the first set to world No141 Anna Tashishvili 5-7. But she’s probably still warming up.
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What does tennis sound like in the form of music? James Murphy, he of LCD Soundsystem fame kids, made this track using data from Slamtracker at last year’s US Open. I could imagine giving this some seriously wonky knee-moves at about 3am in Barcelona. If I was younger and cool, that is.
Hewitt forces three break points in the fifth game … but he takes none of them. Zhang pulls out a deep, powerful first serve to save the second of them. But an error gives Hewitt another chance to break back. He doesn’t take it, spurning the chance to attack his opponent’s second serve and instead granting Zhang the chance to control the rally and win the game. It’s 5-0.
Ok. L. #Hewitt now down 0-4 v #Zhang in set 2. Under a lot of pressure in every point. Defense! #ausopen pic.twitter.com/YnvmAbAmMi
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
Beep! Beep! Beep! Attention, this Hewitt is reversing. Zhang takes Hewitt’s serve to deuce in the fourth game – and then puts him under some fierce pressure. Hewitt double-faults to give Zhang another break point. His Chinese challenger snatches at the chance. He leads 4-0.
Uytvanck has made Serena work a little out there on the Margaret Court Arena. The unfancied Belgian is holding the No1 seed to 3-3 in the second set. Well done.
“Let’s go Leyton let’s go!” is the chant. Unfortunately he’s not going anywhere at the moment. He’s stalled. Zhang has raced into a 3-0 lead against Hewitt, who can’t get to his Chinese opponent’s rapid forehands across court. He’s got his eye in has Zhang. Hewitt needs to finds a bit more pep in his step – he doesn’t want this to be a marathon against a rival who’a almost 10 years younger than him.
Becker is having a right go at it out on Court 3! Calm down, it’s not 1986. Benjamin Becker, that is. The world No41 leads 2-1 in sets against the No25 seed, Julien Benneteau of France.
Zhang shows a bit of fire in his belly. He breaks Hewitt in the second game of the second set, displaying some resolute defensive strokes to wear Hewitt down and win after an eight-minute game that ended with some to-ing and fro-ing at deuce. He’s wearing a luminous yellow cap and t-shirt. Even if he goes out in the first round he’ll leave an impression … on your retinas.
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The men’s No21 seed, Alexandr Dolgopolov, will be getting an early flight home to the Ukraine. He’s been knocked out in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-2) by Italian journeyman Paolo Lorenzi. Well, I say he’s a journeyman, he’s ranked 64, he’s not bad, it’s just that he’s been round the block a few times at the ripe old age of 33.
Hewitt wins the first set against Zhang 6-3! There’s a huge cheer around the Rod Laver Arena. The Australian reacted with customary grit when he let those three games slide after taking a 3-0 lead. Zhang’s first-serve percentage dropped to 67%. Hewitt kept his up at 83% – that didn’t do the Australian any harm either.
Another come on! Another fist-pump! Hewitt has broken Zhang again. He leads 5-3 and is serving for the first set.
Over on the Margaret Court Arena the women’s No1 seed, Serena Williams, is strolling through her first-round match against Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium. She’s won the first set 6-0 in 21 minutes.
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Hewitt, perhaps riled by the ease with which he allows his Chinese opponent to get back into the first set, ups his tempo and holds to love (finishing on an ace the big show-off!). It’s 4-3 to Hewitt.
Ze Zhang has located his mojo. He breaks to love to bring the first set back to 3-2 and then holds comfortably to level up at 3-3. Hewitt may have to put a shift in this evening after all.
Another one bites the dust! The 12th seed, Pennetta, is sent tumbling out by her fellow Italian Giorgi, who won 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 with an energetic performance out on Court 6. And after a tough start against Nara, Radwanska put the afterburners on and rocketed into the second round. She won comfortably, 6-3, 6-0 in what looked like it could be a sticky draw.
Hewitt holds to love in the third game at it’s 3-0 in little time. Here’s Hewitt fist-pumping. He’s doing this right now but looks about 15 years older. Probably, because he is about 15 years older than this retro, pre-social media image from years gone by.
We're hoping for some vintage #Hewitt tonight at the #AusOpen! #ESPNTennis #UpAllNight pic.twitter.com/J7II4aiTG0
— ESPNTennis (@ESPNTennis) January 20, 2015
“Come on!” screams Hewitt as he rolls back the years to smash a return straight down the line and take a 2-0 lead. He’s enjoying this.
Pennetta is gamely trying to cling on. She’s broken back against Giorgi to bring the score back to 5-3. While, over on the Rod Laver Arena Hewitt recovered from his opening point false-start to win the first game. Its’ deuce in the second game with the Australian veteran starting to find his rhythm.
Right, Hewitt is out limbering up on the Rod Laver Arena with his opponent Ze Zhang. The Fanatics are there. Of course they are! The man from China is ranked 187 in the world. Hewitt, who is still only 33 – Yes, 33! – is ranked 87 these days but if feels like the anticipation that follows him around Australia is such that he is a top 20 player. It was a good day for Australia yesterday with Thanasi Kokkinakis, Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic all going through. Hewiit starts with a double fault. Uh-oh!
Pennetta is staring down the barrel. She trails 5-1 in the final set to unseeded Giorgi.
Andy Murray is all alone again at Melbourne Park. Here’s Kevin Mitchell to tell you why: “The familiar tales of woe, hope and expectation that attend British tennis show no immediate signs of abating, although the flame is flickering teasingly. After quick early exits at Melbourne Park on day two for Kyle Edmund and Heather Watson, as well as brave James Ward going down in flames in four sets to 31st seed Fernando Verdasco, Andy Murray was left alone again, working his backside off on the practice court.” Continue reading here …
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Radwanska takes the first set against Nara 6-3. Meanwhile, over on Court 6 Giorgi has shown her 12th-seeded fellow Italian, Pennetta, little in the way of respect and raced into a 4-1 lead. Giorgi, the smaller of the two, is bouncing around the court and making Pennetta look leaden-footed. It’s deuce in the sixth game of the third set.
So what’s going on in the buildup to Leyton Hewitt’s match with Ze Zhang of China? Well, some gongs are being given out to volunteers, that’s what’s going on. Here’s Russell Jackson … “This is absolutely pertinent insider-info live from Rod Laver Arena in the lead-up to Hewitt’s match, Gregg. A horde of decidedly-mature Australian Open volunteers are being honoured for their lengthy tenures in service of this great game. There is though, something a little too Alan Partridge about this sentence: “Looking after the change-rooms for 20 years - Linda Gordon!” *muffled applause*
So, what’s going on elsewhere in Melbourne? And, no I’m not talking about Aimee Volkofvsky’s gig at the Cherry Bar tonight. No, I’m talking about upsets and the like. Well, the next seed to topple in the women’s draw could be the 12th seed, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta. It’s one set apiece with the world No33 Camila Giorgi, a compatriot no less, who now leads the final set 2-1.
Radwanska gets a breakthrough against Nara. Her powerful hitting finally pays off in the sixth game, which she wins to love. She leads 4-2. But Nara swipes a return across court to put Radwanska’s serve under pressure in the first point of the next game. The Russia holds her nerve, though, using a sliding, wide, serve to see off the challenge of her Japanese opponent and take a 5-2 lead after holding to 30.
There was another upset earlier. In case you missed it …
The shocks keep coming in the women’s draw. #Jankovic defeated by Bacsinszky 6-1 6-4. Surprised? #ausopen
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
That was a tough draw for Jankovic. Timea Bacsinszky is ranked 41 in the world. Jankovic is No15. But the ease with which the Swiss qualified for round two is surprising. Jankovic barely put up a fight.
A very interesting tussle has just got off to a blistering start on Court 2 between the sixth seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Japan’s Kurumi Nara who, while not seeded, is ranked 39 in the world with the talent to be higher than that figure. It’s 2-2 and 30-30 in the fifth game. The rallies are intense and Radwanska must be wondering what she’s done wrong to be given such a tough opening-round match.
Morning/afternoon/evening wherever you are. Gregg Bakowski here in icy Kings Cross, where it is early. But I’m wide awake. The cold is clinging to me after that bike ride in through the frost-covered backstreets of north London. Are you ready for tennis? Ah, good. Here’s a recap of what you may have missed if, like me, you’ve not been up too long this morning. The men’s No1 seed, Novak Djokovic, cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 walk-in-the-park win over Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene. The reigning men’s champion, Stan Wawrinka, is through with minimum fuss too with a straight sets victory over Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan. He won it 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. And though she dropped the first set and looked a little shaky, the 11th seed Dominika Cibulkova has dug in and beaten Belgian Kirsten Klipkens in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. And, Venus Williams, the 18th seed, has used her wily old set of skills to fend off Spain’s Maria Torro-Flor 6-2, 6-2.
Okay. Julien Benneteau, most French name since Henri Leconte, he’s serving, big serving, big hooping serve and he’s held serve, and leads this match 5-4 in the first set.
And that’s me, The People. Thanks for the eyes and ears. And I’ll leave you with the great Gregg “Big Guns” Bakowski, who’ll be your fast-typing tennis caller man until Stumps.
Bye for now.
Hits the ball hard, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, of Spain, she’d certainly knock it flat back past you if you were playing with your mates on a Wednesday night. But Venus Williams is going to annihilate her. Maybe not annihilate. Eviscerate? No. Too strong, man, too strong.
But it’s over, baby. Good as.
So let’s head over to ... another court, whatever this mighty hot-blue arena is where Julien “United Colours Of” Benneteau of France and Benjamin Becker from Germany.
And what’s happening? What isn’t! Wrestling, isn’t. And papier-mache. There’s none of that. There is a tennis match that’s 4-all in the opening set, couple of breaks per man.
Okay, Maria-Terese Florro-Torro, something like it, of Spain, she’s serving to stay in the match. Well, not really. She’s lost the first set. And the first game of the second set. Then double-faulted to get to deuce. Venus Williams ... been a professional for literally 20 years, all she’s known is tennis. Ask her the capital of Burma you’re going to draw a blank. But ask her how to bash a double-fisted backhand hard across court on break point, Venus is like fair dinkum Albert Einstein. Tall woman. Lotta player.
But Maria-Terese Torro-Flor (her name) has held serve, and it’s 1-1 in the second set.
Oh - and Venus wins the first set during the ad break on the telly. She’s up 6-2. Bashed her way to 1-0 in the second. Maria-Teresa has more chance of beating Billy Connolly in a smart-arse competition.
Lleyton Hewitt is warming up on Centre Court, he’s about 42. Or 35. Or something but he’s been around and whacking tennis balls and running like a kelpie after a tennis ball for so long. Won Wimbledon and the US Open. Never won the Aussie thought made a final against Marit Safin who owned him and the tennis world and about 20 hotties who sat in his box like bored model-prostitutes, covered in bling, as if Marit is some sort of super-swordsman, a Ladies Man for whom one or even three women are not enough, such is his magnetism and virility why Marit needs ten or fifteen women, a lot.
Venus holds serve to love. She’s up 5-2 in the first. Maria-Teresa has more chance of winning the seat of Bundaberg in the Queensland election.
Wow. Venus turned pro in 1994. She’d have been 14. Nice one, Mad Dad. Way to run a childhood like a sports business. Wonder how many followed in old mate’s footsteps and stuffed up their children’s lives because of their stupid greed.
Well that got heavy for a bit. Let’s get back into this sixth game of the first set and Maria-Teresa Torro-Floro is down 1-4 and 0-30, and trying to blast the big blasting Venus out of the match. You’d just get her running, wouldn’t you, Venus? Few change-ups, sliced serves, sliced backhands ... I assert having never played a competitive tennis match at any level ever. But ... that’s about right, wouldn’t you say? The power game is Venus’s to win or lose. Like bowling quick to David Warner. Better off bowling a spinner at him.
That said Torro-Florro has held serve and trails 2-4 in the first set.
Hold the phones, Hisense, whatever you are, some sort of bank? Maria-Teresa has whacked a couple of powerful winners past Venus and ... that’s all. She whacks the next couple into the net. And the last one long. No! After a review on the baseline she’s got this game to deuce. But then Venus spanks one cross-court, gee she hits it hard. A little ungainly, maybe. But when she loads up ... bang. Winner, chicken dinner. And she’s won that game and leads the set 4-1.
Too big, too good, too strong, too much better at the game of tennis, the great Venus Williams, dressed in a sort of aqua combat zebra print dress, she’d be in camoflauge underwater among the coral, she’s just too much for the Spaniard with four names, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor.
That said the Spaniard holds serve, after being down a couple of breaks. And she’s down 1-3 in the first.
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Venus “I’m Your Venus” Williams serving hard to Spanish four-names Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, and though the Spaniard is hitting the ball hard and pure, Venus is hitting it back equally as hard if not harder. And for mine, you don’t go into a knife-fight with a knife if the other person has a bigger knife. You’d take a whip, say, or one of those long whacking sticks they have in Kendo, and stand back, stick and move.
But does she listen to me? No. She’s playing on Hisense as we speak. And hence she’s down 0-3 in the first against Williams of United States of America.
Righto, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, that’s four names if I’m not mistaken, like if Adam Ashley-Cooper added Kevin and was Adam-Kevin Ashley-Cooper, she’s a powerful server, yet Venus Williams, winner of Everything, blasts her best back hard, and has three break points.
Needs only one. She blasts a forehand into terra nullus and leads 2-0 in the first set.
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Okay. I’m your Venus Williams, she’s up next on Hisense, an Arena, pretty soon.
She’s playing ... who ... oh good, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor of Spain. She’s going to be fun to spell in a hurry, every game. MTTF? It may have to be.
In Showcourt Three news ... David Ferrer the ninth-seed from Spain has come back hard against 20-year-old Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil. The Spaniard leads 2-1 in the fourth set, the match going 6-7 (7-2) 6-2 6-0.
And here’s Venus. Tall woman. How old is she now? She’s been around for a thousand. But Torro-Flor, too, is tall. Torro-Flor ... it’s like a bad made-up name for a Bond Girl. Good at tennis, though, Maria-Teresa. Got to 50 in the world. You’re no mug if you get to 50 in the world, you’ve won a lot of tennis matches.
But Venus has won them all. Every one. She’s in a sort of combat-aqua-zebra print dress. It isn’t restricting her range of movement she’s screaming around like that speedy bunny. She wins the first, on serve.
Deciding set. Brengle leads 5-3. She’s up 15-0. Now 30-0. And Andrea Petkovic, 13th seed, against the Qualifier ... ominous. Brengle just putting powerful ground strokes in play.
And now it’s match point!
Three match points, indeed.
And THERE’S AN ACE! Super way to finish. Love game, and an Ace to win. Well done Madison Brengle of United States of America, she’s won 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
Venus Williams warming up on Hisense Arena, named after Alfred Hisense, inventor of the combine-harvester.
Or something. It’s probably a bank.
Okay - Germany’s Andrea Petkovic. Serving to Madison Brengle of United States of America. And it’s tight. And games are going against serve. It’s kooky. Petkovic’s exhalations after each shot is a noise like, “HOTE-Aah”. Hote-aah, indeed. But Brengle’s broken her, broken her like a high country brumby.
And she leads 5-3 in the deciding set and is serving for the match. But no-one’s held serve since 1964. Can The Brengle? We’ll see in a sec.
Madison Brengle, she played in Brisbane, qualified in Hobart, the fate of your journey-tennis-person, but good luck to her. She’s hitting heavy balls past Andrea Petkovic and now has two break points leading 3-2. And boom - cross-court, hard, forehand winner, and she leads in the deciding set 4-2. And will serve. But that’s no advantage in this match ... as Petkovic proves going to 0-30 with a pair winners, chicken dinners, etc.
Okay - break point, again. Petkovic receives. And after a series of forehands. Breaks. This is a silly set. Match. Both, probably. It’s 3-4, Petkovic to serve in the decider.
Okay, Madison Brengle of United States of America leading 3-0 in the deciding set against 13th seed Andrea Petkovic of Germany.
Tall woman, the German. Long and angular. Lean. Brengle is a more typical tennis shape, more sporty, say ... at the risk of objectifying these elite athletes. But you can do that, can’t you, talk about their physique? You do with men. Discuss.
In the meantime Petkovic holds serve, but is down 1-3 in the third against Brengle of America. The pair trade ground strokes. Petkovic makes a higher-pitched Aaah sound after each shot. Brengle’s more a hard, audible exhalation of air.
Brengle serves. Games going against serve, in the main. Petkovic whacks one past Brengle from the net and has two break points. She clenches her fist, says Come on. And then wins the game, and says it again. Fair old ball game here, two players fighting like Spartacus.
Spartacus? I’m Spartacus.
No I’m not. But these guys were:
Casey Dellacqua beats Yvonne Meusburger 6-4 6-0
World No.93 Meusburger no match for the electric “Oscar” Dellacqua-a-hoya, and the Fanatics enjoy their shared pseudo celebrity for a short moment. Get a job, hippies
Ha. Getting old.
Elsewhere on Rod Laver (Arena), Novak Djokovic has wiped the floor with Aljaz Bedene 6-3 6-2 6-4, barely getting out of a canter against the Slovenian qualifier 116th in the world. Still, lot more places in the rankings than you I’d warrant, unless you’re David Ferrer, say, and reading in between games.
My but I can go on.
So blue, this tournament. Blue everywhere. Eight courts going at once on the telly. About thirty matches running concurrently, a tribute to human organisation.
Okay - Brengle vs Petkovic. Girls. Will find out some more about them ... now.
Yay. Fanatics. Green and gold happy-clappers, like malaria, but worse. Worse than malaria. And diptheria. And fungal jock rash. Few other things. They clap and get on the telly, and I dunno. Could be getting old. Am.
Righto. Two match points for Dellacqua. She’s been too strong for Meusburger. Mind you Dennis Lillee aged 50 would’ve been too strong for Meusburger. She blasts a double-fister cross-court past the arthritic Austrian, a winner and chicken dinner, and that’s the match - 6-4 6-0
Bernard Tomic warming up. Want to like the kid. But ... yeah.
Boom - Dellacqua’s serve thuds off the dead racquet of Meusburger who’s wrists are like sleepy trout. And that is 5-0 in the second set, and Dellacqua is receiving for the match.
Okay, Showcourt Three, the court so anonymous it doesn’t even have a player named after it. Named for it. That one. Surely it could be the Mark Edmondson Court, or the Jelena Dokic. Maybe the Damir Dokic. What happened to old Damir? What’s he up to?
Regardless, ninth seed David Ferrer of Spain is 1-1 against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil. The Spaniard leads 2-0 in the third, and will be sweating it up a treat here on a muggy Melbourne. Not the 40 degree fry-an-egg on the ballboy’s back temps we’ve seen. But still pretty muggy.
Here on Margaret Court (Arena) and Casey Dellacqua is up 2-0 and serving in the second set, they reckon Yvonne Meusburger came out of retirement for this, flew to Melbourne because she thought she might be a sniff. Maybe she’d had some tidy net form, or was whacking the ball against a wall quite well and thought, I can do this, I’m good.
But Dellacqua, now, is up 4-0 in the second set, she won the first one 6-4, and the Austrian can just about pack her bags for Austria or take a nice holiday to the Great Barrier Reef, or Broome, say, or Dubbo. No-one goes to Dubbo. And that’s because it’s a hell-hole.
Look, Dennis Lillee, taking a wicket against Pakistan, aged 50.
Hero.
Casey Dellacqua takes first set against Yvonne Meusburger 6-4
Well - there you go. Funny old game, this one. Games going largely against serve. And Dellacqua takes the first set 6-4 after Meusburger double-faults. She was retired, Meusburger, according to The Internet. Must’ve got the call of the wild again, like Dennis Lillee and Ian Thorpe did. We may never know.
Here’s Dennis using an aluminium bat. Nothing to do with tennis, granted, though he does throw it away like some tennis players do their racquets.
Okay, there we go. Aussie Casey Dellacqua has failed to take the first set from Yvonne Meusburger of Austria who fought like Spartacus in a death-match watched by Romans.
She didn’t fight that hard. But she made it hard for the Australian who had three set points, and games are back with serve.
Here’s Spartacus in a death-match. Good thing we stopped slavery, mostly, isn’t it. Good one, most humans.
Over on Rod Laver (Arena) Novak “The Joker” Djokovic has blasted his way past Slovenian Qualifier Aljaz “The Jazz” Bedene and leads two sets to love about 40 minutes into their fixture.
Here on Margaret Court (Arena), Casey Dellacqua is receiving the floaty big bombs of formerly-retired Austrian ace Yvonne Meusburger. Funny old game. The Australian’s ground strokes are pure and when she hits winners they scorch past the lumbering red-head from Dornbirn described as “the administrative centre for the district of Dornbirn, which also includes the town of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau” and the “most boring town in Europe”.
I made that last bit up. Doesn’t sound like Vegas, though, does it.
Okay, deuce in the eighth game of the first set. And now break point to Dellacqua. And she’s broken again, Dellacqua. And she’s up 5-3 in the first. And serves for the set.
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Continuing with the hot-button topic of this Australian Open - why Margaret Court Arena isn’t just called Margaret Court - other things around Melbourne that could be renamed include The Yarra - The Todd Woodfjoord - a bridge across the Yarra - the Todd Woodbridge - and the ATMs - the Pat Cash Machines.
I’m here all week. Or until 7 o’clock. After that, anyone’s guess.
Regardless the great Casey Dellacqua is up 4-2 in the first set against 31-year-old Austrian World No.93 Yvonne Meusburger that her Wikipedia page describes as “an Austrian retired professional tennis player”.
And it proves why she didn’t stay retired and save the airfare to Melbourne because she’s broken Dellacqua and brought the games back to serve, 3-4. While the Austrian looks almost lumbering against the double-handed backhand of the Australian, if you hit them into the net it’s moot how hard they are. They’re an ex-parrot.
Righto, Margaret Court Arena, they should call it Margaret Court and be done with it but they don’t, and there’s no good reason why. And hark! Yvonne Meusburger of Austria has held serve and got herself on the board to trail 1-3 in the first against Casey Dellacqua. Bright orange skirt on the Austrian, blue top. There’s some funky hot clobber going around this Australian Open.
Regardless, Dellacqua holds serve and leads 4-1 in the first.
Okay, Casey Dellacqua blasts a forehand winner past seemingly arthritic Austrian Yvonne Meusburger to go up 2-0 in the first set. Patriotic posse The Fanatics do some happy clapping, they annoy me more than so many mouth ulcers.
My, she’s looking good, Casey. Left-handed, she blasts a forehand winner by Meusburger like Brian Lara cover-driving on one knee. In a fair old vein of form the last couple of years. And she’s gone up 3-0 in the first set.
Okay - Aussie Casey is away on Margaret Court ... court, and she’s gone to 40-love in the first game of the first set against ... Yvonne Meusburger of Austria. And there it is, 15-love the Aussie in a love game. Love it. Wonder if anyone’s said, Love that, biatch, when they’ve beaten someone in a love game. We may never know.
Played rugby with a bloke called Brian Meusburger, had a huge blonde beard like Grizzly Adams. First name Brian. Loved a schooner.
The Joker wins the first set 6-3 against the Qualifier All That Jazz Bedene of Slovenia, and has two break points in the first games. Now it is one break point. And now he’s broken him, the Joker, white shoes squeaking like he’s killing mice on the bouncy blue Rebound Ace.
Funny old helmet sort of haircut, on The Joker.
Aussie Casey! Casey Dellacqua is warming up on Margaret Court Arena. Why don’t they just call it Margaret Court? “And there’s Casey Dellacqua warming up on Margaret Court...”. The fools.
Righto - Bedene of Slovenia holds his serve, he trails 1-2 and is down a break in the second set.
Here’s Henri Leconte and Superbrat on the Aussie Open grass in ‘85, for no reason.
Sweet Caroline Wozniacki wins her match against Taylor Townsend of United States of America - 7-6 (7-1) 6-2. Jimmy Courier reckons Taylor reminds him of Henri Leconte because of her flamboyant play. As Marge Simpson would say: Hmmmm.
This was quite funny.
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Elsewhere, Caroline Wozniacki of ... wherever she’s from, Poland? Denmark! Won the first set of her match against Taylor Townsend of the United States of America 7-6 (7-1) and leads the second set 5-2, and is serving for the match. Reckon Caroline is a fair chance of winning that. Later she’ll get into high heels and strut about Melbourne, studiously ignoring short men who play golf.
Okay - All That Jazz Bedene of Slovenia takes part in a strong forehand rally with the World Number One Joker Man, and eventually beats him with a strong one that Joker couldn’t get to. My these guys are good at tennis. Aljaz is the 116th best player in the world, and just beat one of the best ever. Every dog has its day? Tell that to Old Yeller.
Joker breaks the Slovenian though. He’s up 5-3 and will serve for the set. Reason he’s Number One. He’s awesome.
Greetings, The People, I’m Matt Cleary welcoming you to Rod Laver Arena, and the bluest court this side of the Underwater Hockey Championships in the Agean Sea, this baby is hot-blue, bluer than the Blue Hotel, bluer than a mate called Bluey in a blue. Blue court, man. Blue.
Naturally our protagonists on the telly currently - Novak “The Joker” Djokovic and Aljaz “All That Jazz” Bedene are both in blue shirts and blending in quite beautifully. The linesman? In blue. Umpire? Blue. Even Emirates’ normally red signage is blue. Only the ball-boys are in red, scooting across the hot-blue surface like flying clown fish scuttling across the azure waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
Something like it.
Regardless, games going with serve in the first set, and the qualifier from Slovenia (the Jazz Man) is serving at 2-3. He shanks a winner. Apologises. A nice man. It’s 3-all, now. First set.
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The Djoker is on
Elsehwere, Gilles Simon is having a ball against Robin Haase and leads 6-1, 5-2, while Novak Djokovic is out on court against Aljaz Bedene. Illya Marchenko appears to have lost a little heart from those two tie-break failures and now trails Milos Raonic 3-0 in the third.
For now though, my eyes are planted firmly on the clash between Caroline Wozniacki and Taylor Townsend, who covers ground well to slice a forehand winner around the net and only then affords herself a broad grin. Wozniacki just holds serve to make it 2-2 in the second set but it’s her celebration of that moment that tells a bit of a tale; she knows she can’t let up for a second here.
That, unfortunately, is it for me today. The ever-brilliant Matt Cleary will take you through the rest of the afternoon but thanks for your company.
Cibulkova is home and hosed
She dropped the first set and looked a little shaky, but 11th seed Dominika Cibulkova has dug in and beaten Belgian Kirsten Klipkens in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Across at Margaret Court Arena we’ve got perhaps the closest contest at present, with Caroline Wozniacki having just prevailed 7-6 in a desperately-tight first set against the raking left forehand of Taylor Townsend. The young American, 99th in the world at present, is attacking the net with relish and really taking it to 8th ranked Wozniacki.
Now Townsend has the opportunity to break in the second set but fluffs her put-away. A rasping cross-court forehand winner sets up another break but Wozniacki fights back and survives, giving a big fist-pump as she levels it 1-1. She’s got a real handful here though.
Stan Wawrinka through to Round 2 & Raonic takes the second set
Milos Raonic and Ilya Marchenko are now locked in another tie-break, this time for the second set after the Ukranian barely boot a foot wrong on serve. Raonic strikes on the very first point of the tie-break on Marchenko’s serve, but Marchenko does the same and soon has it leveled up at 2-2.
Raonic launches a big forehand winner to make it 3-2, but it’s back on terms at 4-3 when Marchenko pinches back a point but then dissolves on serve, handing Raonic a 6-3 buffer and 3 set points. The Canadian needs only one and just as was the case in the first set, his coolness under pressure shows the gulf in quality between the pair. Raonic leads 7-6, 7-6.
As all that’s happening, Stan Wawrinka progresses to Round 2 with a straight sets victory over Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan. He won it 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in something just below a canter.
There’s been something of an epic taking place between Feliciano Lopez and Denis Kudla this morning. That one was locked at 6-6 in the fifth set but Lopez prevails 10-8, narrowly avoiding a calamitous first round exit. He wins it 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8.
Stan Wawrinka is flexing his muscles a little more now in the third set against the plucky Marsel Ilhan and leads 4-1. As he does, Cibulkova engages in her customary blowing of the hands and skips to a 2-0 lead in the third set after breaking Kirsten Klipkens early.
Reader Jim Denvir is keeping me updated on James Ward’s progress against Fernando Verdasco and after being pumped 6-0 in the second set he’s come back admirably, leading the third 3-1. Thanks Jim, I’m up to four screens now but it’s hard to catch everything.
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It’s still on serve between Ilya Marchenko and Milos Raonic and it’s locked at 4-4 in what’s turning out to be a reasonable First Round challenge for the big Canadian. Marchenko is barely conceding a point on serve.
Dominika Cibulkova’s resurgence continues over at Show Court 3 and after leading Kirsten Flipkins 5-3 to serve for the second set, she makes no mistake to level it at one set apiece.
71,000 people made their way through Melbourne Park yesterday, if crowd statistics are what floats your boat. I can confirm that hundreds were lined up outside the gate as early as 8am, which is certainly keen.
Meanwhile, men’s 16th seed Fabio Fognini has come a cropper against Alejandro Gonzalez, going down 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, and Brit Kyle Edmund has gone down in straight sets to American Steve Johnson, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Dominika Cibulkova has dragged herself back into that match against Kirsten Flipkens, launching into a meaty overhead smash to break serve and lead the second set 3-1. She gives a little fist pump and jumps up and down on the spot as if to avoid squandering any of the positive vibes now flowing and that perhaps helps as she nervily holds to make it 4-1.
As that’s happening, Marsel Ilhan holds serve to trail Wawrinka 5-4 in the second but the defending champion has the opportunity serve for the second set after he’s taken a breather and despite offering up a few break points, he gets it done in the end. He’s serving at just 50% right now, Big Stan. He leads 6-1, 6-4.
Caroline Wozniacki was looking very comfortable out on Margaret Court Arena and broke early to lead 2-0 over lefty Taylor Townsend but then had a jittery service game and saw Townsend break back. Brit James Ward has produced a bit of a shock in the first set against Fernando Verdasco, taking it 6-2 but he trails 5-0 in the second.
He’s got the physique of an agile NBA forward, Milos Raonic, but Marchenko is matching him for power and placement right now. The underdog forces a tie-break with another punishing service game and then Raonic is the first one to flinch in a long rally on Marchenko’s serve. The latter then produces his first ace to lead it 2-1.
At 3-3, Raonic knows he can pounce on Marchenko’s second serve and launches a colossal forehand return across court for a winner before making it 6-3 with a pair of big aces, the latter screaming through at 225kmph. Even worse for Marchenko is that he concedes the set with a double fault and Raonic walks across to his chair with a look of genuine relief.
Caroline Wozniacki, meanwhile, has started to warm up for her clash with American teenager Taylor Townsend. On Rod Laver Arena, Stan Wawrinka now leads 5-3 in the second set after a more spirited showing from Ilhan.
Channel Seven have effectively called the Wawrinka match out as a no-contest and instead switch to this encounter between the big-serving Marchenko and highly-fancied Canadian Milos Raonic. It’s locked at 5-5 at the moment as both men unleash an endless barrage of booming first serves.
Dominika Cibulkova tries to hang in there against Kirsten Flipkens but Belgian holds serve to take the first set 6-3 in 30 minutes in what looks like another potential Round 1 upset.
Kei Nishikori is through though, winning that encounter with Nicolas Almagro in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. Can he as go deep here as he did at the 2014 US Open? “Yeah, for sure,” Nishikori says, “Hopefully I can do well this week. I love to play here in Australia because I get more support than in other tournaments. It’s very comfortable here.”
Wawrinka takes the first set in 20 minutes
Wawrinka takes a bit of a tumble here as he advances to the net, firing a forehand long and finally giving Ilhan a chance to hold serve, which he does with a handsome drop-shot on the half-volley. The crowd is behind the Turkish battler as that happens and it’s doubtful that anyone wants to see a total annihilation here. Still, Big Stan takes the set 6-1 in just 20 minutes. He might be heading for the showers in another 45 or so.
Dominika Cibulkova’s struggles haven’t stopped over on the show courts and now she trails 4-1 to Kirsten Flipkens. As she does so, an advert starring Michael Chang appears on the screen and all of a sudden it’s the 1990s again. It’s about practicing...and being strong...and focusing...and, well, banks.
Kei Nishikori continues to sideswipe Nicolas Almagro, meanwhile, leading 5-2 in the third set and looking good to make an easy progression to Round 2. Milos Raonic is also out there for the first time in the tournament and leads Illya Marchenko 4-3 in the first.
If Wawrinka looked any more relaxed at the moment he’d probably be asleep. He eases through a cheap service game to lead 3-0 and looks several fathoms above Ilhan right no, breaking him yet again to lead take a 4-0 advantage and perhaps eye off an energy-saving sprint here in the first round.
Felicano Lopez’s up-and-down day continues with the Spaniard now losing the third set 6-4 to American Denis Kudla. The latter now leads 2 sets to 1 and might take a decent scalp here. As that’s happening, women’s 11th seed Dominika Cibulkova is down an early break against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens and trails 3-0.
Wawrinka’s opponent today, Marsel Ilhan, is nothing short of a trailblazer in that he’s the first Turkish player to compete at a Grand Slam tournament. He has no early answers to the Wawrinka serve and though he’s 27, looks like a nervous schoolboy at times on his own. Wawrinka breaks early to lead 2-0.
Over at Margaret Court Arena, Kei Nishikori is getting the job done against Nicolas Almagro and takes the second set to lead 6-4, 7-6. Many consider Nishikori among the stronger outside chances at this tournament and he’s giving no reason to doubt that judgement today.
Stan Wawrinka hits Rod Laver Arena
And as he warms up, here’s some other winners for you from this morning: Women’s 19th seed Alize Cornet has easily dispatched China’s Shuai Zhang, claiming a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Spain’s 24th-seed Garbine Muguruza has breezed past Kiwi Marina Erakovic 7-6, 6-0 and Slovakian veteran Daniela Hantuchova, now competing at her 15th Australian Open (how did that time fly by so quickly?), has accounted for China’s Saisai Zheng, 6-4, 6-4.
Victoria Azarenka beats Sloane Stephens to progress to Round 2
In what shaped as a bit of a nightmare match-up for both players, Victoria Azarenka has made surprisingly-light work of American Sloane Stephens in their Round 1 encounter. 6-3, 6-2 was the final scoreline there.
Elsewhere, Brit Heather Watson has had it just as tough as Stephens, going down 6-4, 6-0 to Bulgarian verteran Tsvetana Pironkova and not feeling terribly comfortable as she did so. Watson complained of blurred vision and nauseu during the match, suggesting that her efforts in Hobart might have taken a toll.
Now Stan Wawrinka is about to take to Rod Laver Arena.
Sam Stosur wins through to the 2nd Round in straight sets
She was pushed early in this encounter with World No. 46 Monica Niculescu, but Sam Stosur has put aside the odd moment of indifference to really hammer her opponent in the second set. Again she was all over the Niculescu serve and broke it easily to take the match 6-4, 6-1 in 79 minutes.
It was tense early, Niculescu holding firm at 4-4 and pushing the Australian at every turn, but it was all Stosur from there as her power more than compensated for an average serving performance.
“Definitely the start of the match was pretty tricky,” says Stosur is summary. “Obviously I’ve had my struggles at different times...but there’s no better feeling than coming out her in front of you guys and having a win.”
“By the end I just started to feel a lot better.”
For all the jangling nerves of her previous service game, Stosur dismantles Niculescu in ice-cold fashion here to break back and lead 4-1 and then holds herself to make it 5-1.
Feliciano Lopez has recovered well in the second set, winning it 6-2 to level his encounter with American Denis Kudla at one set apiece and Santiago Giraldo now leads Jan Hernych 6-3, 6-2, 1-0 in what looks a successful first-up assignment. Not so Fabio Fognini, whose good work in the first set is cancelled out by a 6-2 flop against Alejandro Gonzalez in the second.
These things could be handy today. It’s starting to heat up at Melbourne Park.
Keep your cool & #GetCourtUp in the misted fans surrounding the precinct. #ausopen https://t.co/OttioxqQgt
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
Niculescu shows she’s still got some fight left in her when she aggressively counters Sam Stosur’s serve to set up a couple of break points, both of which Stosur saves despite her first serve suddenly looking a little ragged. She offers up yet another break opportunity with her first double-fault of the game and Niculescu claws back to 3-1 after Stosur slams a backhand into the net.
Victoria Azarenka continues to make inroads on the Stephens serve and now leads 4-1 in the second set, looking like a winner at this point.
@rustyjacko I hope you've got your sunglasses ready for the inevitable neon OD.
— Kayley Jay (@kayleyjay42) January 20, 2015
They’re the sporting version of glow sticks at the moment.
Back on serve, Stosur continues with the same commanding presence, shifting Niculescu around the baseline with a series of penetrating forehands and then serve-volleys expertly to take the game and a 2-0 lead in the second set and then makes that 3-0 with a far more straightforward attack on the Niculescu serve.
The Azarenka-Stephens clash is heating up even further and now it’s Azarenka angrily approaching the chair umpire and screaming a loud “C’mon” to get herself going on serve. She holds to lead 2-1.
As that’s happening, Brit Kyle Edmund drops his first set 6-4 against American Steve Johnson and Kei Nishikori takes a 6-4, 2-1 leads against Nicolas Almagro. Columbian 30th seed Santiago Giraldo is right on top of Jan Hernych and leads 6-3, 4-1.
Stosur wins the first set against Monica Niculescu
Stosur nails her service game, moving to 30-o with a powerful, out-swinging serve down the line and then 40-0 with a textbook serve and volley to bring up three set points. The set-clincher is no less emphatic, forcing Niculescu wide on the serve and then hammering her return down the vacant line. She takes the set 6-4.
Elsewhere, 16th seed Fabio Fognini has taken the first set 6-4 against Columbian Alejandro Gonzalez but Feliciano Lopez is having a shocker against young American Denis Cudla and trails 6-3, 2-1.
The clash between Victoria Azarenka and Sloane Stephens is perhaps the best spectacle right now as the two fight tooth and nail in a marathon Stephens service game. Stephens screams at the Hisense Arena court in frustration and she’s also remonstrating with the chair umpire at one point. Not a happy camper, but she holds eventually to level it 1-1 in the second.
In a near-mirror of that scenario, Sam Stosur and Niculescu really scrap on the Romanian’s opening service game of the second set and Stosur gets the early break.
Updated
Is it anything more than a psychological barrier for Stosur here in breaking Niculescu’s serve? She’s strong an assured on her own but falling to pieces when she’s returning, shanking frame shots and firing her forehand all over the place.
The difference in those two mindsets is no clearer than the first point back on Stosur’s serve, where she attacks like a raging bull and blows her opponent off court to set up a quick 30-0 buffer and then level the set at 4-4. Niculescu has absorbed the pressure well until now but surrenders 2 break points when Stosur finds her range on the return. The Aussie wastes both of those, with huge forehand that flies long and another that balloons off the frame.
Stosur holds her composure after a few more missed opportunities and breaks to set up a 5-4 buffer in the first. Next up she’ll serve for the set.
Sloane Stephens, meanwhile, has been broken again and Victoria Azarenka claims the first set of their encounter 6-3. That’s a high quality first round match-up over at Hisense Arena.
Niculescu is really matching it with Stosur at the moment and holds again with a cheap service game, putting the pressure back on her more-fancied opponent. ‘No problem’ says Stosur, exploiting the Romanian’s dodgy forehand to great effect in a lightning-fast service game that’s punctuated by a booming ace. It’s tied up at 3-3.
Men’s 12th seed Feliciano Lopez is also out on court now and trails American Dennis Kudla 3-2 in the first set. Kei Nishikori has things tied up at 2-2 against Nicolas Almagro. Victoria Azarenka, meanwhile, looks a million bucks at the moment and breaks Sloane Stephens to take a 4-2 lead in the first set.
As Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser watches on, Stosur is drawn into a series of rallies - dangerous territory against Niculescu. Down 15-30 on her second serve, the Australian produces a heavy forehand that her opponent can’t handle but Niculescu brings up a break point when she advances to the net with a backhand winner. Stosur composes herself well to hold and make it 2-2.
Azarenka and Stephens, meanwhile, are still on serve at 2-2 in the first set and both are on point with the current tennis fashion trend of fluro, fluro and more fluro. It’s like 1991 never went away.
Stosur’s confidence builds further in her opening service game, in which the Romanian’s powers of defence are no match for brute power and placement. Stosur is doing well to avoid rallies and makes it 1-1 with a love game. There follows a series of shanks from the Aussie when she’s returning but she’s back in the contest with a strong double-handed backhand winner across court.
It’s Stosur’s forehand that is the problem at the moment but that is nothing compared to the fluffed first-serve that Niculescu sends high and looping over the baseline. She’s laughing then, but not when Stosur biffs a swerving forehand past her to make it deuce. Niculescu hangs tough and holds to lead 2-1.
Over on Hisense Arena, the clash between Sloane Stephens and Victoria Azarenka has kicked off and both hold serve early to make it 1-1.
Both Stosur and Niculescu will be happy that the weather is currently mild out on centre court but there’s also some wind swirling around and some awkward glare too.
Stosur starts a bit timidly, waiting too long to advance to the net and then making a meal of her forehand smash. “She doesn’t have a lot of weapons, but she can make you play badly,” is the verdict from the commentary box on Niculescu. The latter holds serve to start with but there are some shay moments, particularly on her second serve.
“I don’t think there’s one player out there who plays like her,” says Stosur in a pre-recorded interview.
What can we expect today from Sam Stosur’s opponent today? Well, 46th-ranked Romanian Monica Niculescu has played Stosur four times and lost each of those encounters. She’s a flamboyant player with a strong souble-handed backhand and an unusual sliced forehand, either a piece of flair or an utter liability depending on who you ask.
This match-up suits Stosur, because she will look to out-power Niculescu and dictate terms. Niculescu has reached the third round at Melbourne Park on three occasions, but she’ll have an uphill battle to avoid an early exit here.
My Highlight from Day One
Let’s hear it more time for Thanasi Kokkinakis. Not only for his 5-set victory but for his unusual twist on that tennis celebration staple - the ‘fall to the ground in mock exhaustion’. The head-stand really added something, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Let’s get this started
Welcome to Day 2 of this 2015 Australian Open. It is indeed ‘Three-Screen’ Jackson here, currently in my natural habitat; surrounded by three warm, gently buzzing screens filled with today’s tennis action. If you’d like to get involved today - perhaps sharing your own multi-game viewing techniques - you can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com
First up today on Rod Laver Arena we’ve got Australia’s number 20 seed, the unpredictable Sam Stosur up against the world number 46, Romanian Monica Niculescu. After that encounter we’ll have all the action from the clash between defending men’s champion Stan Wawrinka and Marsel Ilhan.
Elsewhere today, we’ll hopefully be seeing a real tussle between Sloane Stephens and Victoria Azarenka and a host of seeds making their first appearance of the tournament. All of the afternoon match-ups will be brought to you in inimitable style by Matt Cleary.
If you missed the action yesterday, here’s Kevin Mitchell on the mysterious case of the disappearing seeds, all eight of them on the opening day. He’s also got the latest on Andy Murray.
Day two of the Australian Open and the big names continue to flow onto the courts at Melbourne Park. Djokovic, Wawrinka, Serena, Wozniacki and Kivtova headline, with Stosur and Hewitt providing local interest on what promises to be another bumper day of action. Russell Jackson will be your eyes and ears once again for the early session, followed by Matt Cleary who will take you through to the evening session. In case you missed day one, have a recap below while the man known locally as “Three-Screen Jackson” settles into his chair and gets ready for play.
Aussies: wins for Kyrgios and Kokkinakis on strong day for locals
Brits: Murray books safe passage through
