Down a match point in the tie-break, Victor Estrella Burgos goes for broke with a huge forehand. It soars wide, however, and victory belongs to Bernard Tomic, who will face Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round on Friday after this attritional 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 win. That’s all from me today. I’ll be back tomorrow. Thanks for reading. Bye.
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Bernard Tomic holds. Time for a tie-break.
Victor Estrella Burgos fends off a late Bernard Tomic charge to hold to 30. He leads 6-5 in the fourth set and has secured a second tie-break at the very least. What’s Tomic made of?
Both players are showing nerves of steel in this fourth set and Victor Estrella Burgos holds for a 5-4 lead. Bernard Tomic will serve to stay in the set and the potential for this to turn into a dark day for Australian tennis is growing. Remember, Nick Kyrgios has already managed to lose from two sets up today. Tomic looks determined not to follow in his compatriot’s footsteps, though, and holds to level it at 5-5.
Victor Estrella Burgos appears to be pouring heart and soul into every shot. He’s grinding away from the baseline and threatening to wear down Bernard Tomic, holding once more to lead 4-3 in the fourth set.
Bernard Tomic needs to be careful. There’s a spring in Victor Estrella Burgos’s step and he leads 3-2 in the fourth set, which is still going with serve. Both men have served strongly so far.
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Victor Estrella Burgos earns a set point and he takes quite brilliantly, standing up to an array of stinging forehands from Bernard Tomic before reaching a drop volley from the Australian and pinging a forehand down the line that’s too hot to handle. The Dominican deserves that. He trails 7-5, 7-6, 4-6 and he’s definitely not out of this yet.
Estrella Burgos holds to lead 5-4. Tomic will serve to stay in the third set.
There’s only one match left today and Bernard Tomic is desperately trying to wrap it up in straight sets against Victor Estrella Burgos, who’s proving to be a stubborn opponent. Tomic leads by two sets, but they’re locked at 4-4 in the third.
Andy Murray is through to the third round despite that injury scare when he rolled his right ankle at the start of the third set. Andrey Rublev sends a backhand return long and Murray, who had squandered two match points, seals a 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 win in an hour and 37 minutes. He’ll meet Sam Querrey on Friday. Murray was excellent. His priority now will be ensuring that his ankle hasn’t suffered any lasting damage.
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Dan Evans was supposed to be playing doubles with Nick Kyrgios tomorrow. Kyrgios has just told journalists that he probably won’t be playing. Hmm.
Nick Kyrgios blames playing too much basketball in his pre-season for his 5-set defeat & knee injury #AusOpen
— Neil McLeman Mirror (@NeilMcLeman) January 18, 2017
"10-8 in the fifth and getting booed off is definitely not the best thing" -- Kyrgios on walking off court after his loss
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 18, 2017
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Andrey Rublev is offering minimal resistance now, whacking a wild forehand well wide to hand Murray another break. Murray leads 6-3, 6-0, 4-1.
Murray trying to keep rit ankle loose on the changeover, sitting with his foot in front of him, flexing it up and down. Still running though
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 18, 2017
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Ivan Lendl is on his feet in the stands, watching as the trainer manipulates Murray’s ankle. Murray’s coach has a stony expression on his face, but that’s not really news. The trainer doesn’t stay for long. It’s just an assessment and Murray’s back on his feet, ready to serve.
Andy Murray’s ankle injury can’t be that bad. He breaks to lead 6-3, 6-0, 2-1. Andrey Rublev is the one who feels sore now, although Murray has called for the trainer.
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On Margaret Court Arena, Bernard Tomic is two sets up against Victor Estrella Burgos after winning the tie-break 7-4. The Australian leads 7-5, 7-6.
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“Not good,” Murray appears to say to his box. He’s feeling wobbly. He’ll presumably have the trainer on at the end of this game. Rublev is serving at 1-1 in the third set.
"Good movement, good movement, I don't know. Shocking. Towel". Just your average Andy Murray chuntering
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) January 18, 2017
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Andy Murray tumbles at the back of the court and appears to turn his right ankle. He’s grimacing a lot. Kim, watching in his box, looks concerned, her hand over her mouth. He’s up again, but he is limping a bit. Watch this space.
Victor Estrella Burgos has dragged Bernard Tomic into a tie-break in the second set on Margaret Court Arena. The 27th seed isn’t having it all his own way against the unseeded Dominican.
At the third time of asking, Andy Murray gobbles up a set point to confirm the bagel. The world No1 leads 6-3, 6-0 against Andrey Rublev and he’s a set away from a third-round match against Sam Querrey. He’ll be able to thank Querrey for beating Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year.
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It’s turning into a torrid experience for poor Andrey Rublev on Rod Laver Arena. He smacks a forehand against the net post and Andy Murray breaks for a third time in the second set to lead 6-3, 5-0.
Russell Jackson’s report on Nick Kyrgios’s disastrous defeat to Andrea Seppi is available for your reading pleasure. Enjoy. Unless you’re Nick Kyrgios.
Andy Murray’s famous scampering skills are enough to draw a preposterous error on a break point from Andrey Rublev, who completely shanks a gimme of a smash at the net to drop his serve for a second time in the second set. Murray is cruising at 6-3, 3-0.
“Went shopping in the middle and never expected to find the modest but great stayer Seppi win Kyrgios, nor Dan Evans , as you say always unexpected and entertaining, knock out Cilic, who in turn seemed to be playing really well at the beginning,” says Diana Badder. “You absolutely never can tell with tennis.” That’s the beauty of sport, Diana, its unpredictability. Although it doesn’t seem that a surprise is likely on Rod Laver Arena, where Andy Murray has a firm grip on proceedings against Andrey Rublev. He leads by a set and a break.
In more routine news from a British perspective, Andy Murray has won the first set 6-3 against Andrey Rublev. There haven’t been too many blows for the world No1 to absorb yet, even though he’s up against the son of a boxer.
Dan Evans, who will face either Bernard Tomic or Victor Estrella Burgos next, speaks and immediately references his agonising defeat to Stan Wawrinka in New York in September. “I didn’t finish the job on the last time in the big occasion. To come through, on the last match point, was pretty pleasing for me. I struggled [in the first set], his pace on the ball was pretty quick. Just hang in and see what happens.”
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Serving to stay in the match at 5-3 down in the fourth set, Marin Cilic whacks a horrible forehand into the net to hand Dan Evans three match points. This is a huge moment in the curious career of Dan Evans, never predictable, always interesting. He saves the first, however, then the second. More tension. But he doesn’t save the third! Cilic rushes a forehand into the net and Evans has beaten the seventh seed 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the third round! He’s ecstatic and so’s his team! It’s easily the biggest win of the 26-year-old’s career. He celebrates by immediately whipping out his phone to check his messages and send a few.
Nick Kyrgios’s Australian Open is over in typically complicated circumstances. He’s lost 1-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 10-8 to Andrea Seppi and has some serious thinking to do after yet another hugely damaging defeat, one that is unlikely to do much for his notoriously fragile morale. Expect the schadenfreude to flow.
Andy Murray does break. The world No1 leads 4-2 against young Andrey Rublev on Rod Laver Arena.
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Dan Evans survives a double-fault at 30-15, wills his way to 40-30 and holds to lead 4-2 in the fourth set. He’s two games away from beating Marin Cilic. Meanwhile Andy Murray leads 3-2 in the first set against Andrey Rublev on Rod Laver Arena and is threatening to land the first break.
As for Dan Evans, he’s not allowing himself to become weighed down by adversity at all. Broken in the previous game, he earns a break point in the fifth game of the fourth set and converts for a 3-2 lead when Marin Cilic tamely nets a forehand. Once again, it’s Evans’s match to lose. Can he hold?
He was a break down – but the first set goes to Bernard Tomic on Margaret Court Arena. Three straight games for the 27th seed and he takes it 7-5 against Victor Estrella Burgos.
But wait, Dan Evans’s level dips at a bad time and he fails to consolidate the break. A gorgeous drop volley from Marin Cilic is enough for him to break straight back for 2-2 in the fourth set. That was outrageous from the Croatian.
He saves eight break points in one game, he breaks to 30 in the next. Dan Evans, everyone. Cilic saves two break points, but he double-faults on the third, and Evans breaks to lead 2-1 in the fourth set. The biggest victory of his career is really on the cards now.
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Bernard Tomic bites back straight away. He breaks to love against Victor Estrella Burgos to level the first set. The Dominican served for it, but Tomic is serving at 5-all now.
Bernard Tomic nets a limp backhand and Victor Estrella Burgos breaks the 27th seed to lead 5-4 in the first set on Margaret Court Arena. Nick Kyrgios fights back from the brink against Andrea Seppi, breaking the Italian to level the fifth set at 6-6 on Hisense Arena. Dan Evans saves eight break points to hold for 1-1 in the fourth set against Marin Cilic. It’s all happening!
Andy Murray and Andrey Rublev have emerged on Rod Laver Arena. Dan Evans and Marin Cilic are the main story at the moment, though, with the Croatian desperately trying to break for a 2-0 lead in the fourth set.
Dan Evans has saved four break points in the second game of the fourth set. Marin Cilic is turning the screw. Evans is under severe pressure at the moment.
Jack Sock’s feeling good about life after a fine 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Karen Khachanov on Court 8. The 23rd seed has a tough third-round match, though, and he’ll have to be at his absolute best to defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Pictures! Tennis pictures!
Garbine Muguruza’s place in the third round is assured. She’s come through a stiff challenge, raising her level at the right time to defeat the USA’s stubborn Samantha Crawford 7-5, 6-4. Muguruza will play Anastasija Sevastova. Next on Rod Laver Arena: Andy Murray and Andrey Rublev.
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Dan Evans maintains his composure brilliantly, forceful aggressive tennis earning him three set points. Cilic’s game has gone to pot and he’s being given the runaround by Evans, who pings a wondrous forehand away to lead 3-6, 7-5, 6-3! The British underdog is a set away from beating the seventh seed and former US Open champion. This would be the biggest win of his career, although it’s unlikely there won’t be a hefty response from Cilic, who was looking so relaxed a set and a half ago.
Garbine Muguruza has broken at a crucial moment in the second set on Rod Laver Arena. She’ll serve for the match at 6-4, 5-4 against Samantha Crawford.
Serving at 5-2 down in the third set, Marin Cilic saves two set points and holds to keep his head above water. Dan Evans will serve for the set and he’ll need to be wary of the sudden increase in intensity from Cilic.
Dan Evans holds to 15 to lead 5-2 in the third set. He’s playing gloriously. Cilic looks confused. In other news, Bernard Tomic’s match against Victor Estrella Burgos is underway on Margaret Court Arena.
Coco Vandeweghe won’t be entirely happy with herself given how she twice failed to serve out the match against Pauline Parmentier, who broke back from 5-2 down to force a second set tie-break. But the American has avoided a calamity by securing a 6-4, 7-6 victory. It wasn’t as comfortable as it shouldn’t have been, but she’s booked her place in round three and an intriguing match against Eugenie Bouchard.
Dan Evans has neatly inserted himself into Marin Cilic’s head and he’s the dominant force in this match now, breaking to 15 to lead 3-1 in the third set. Hawkeye was on his side as he challenged a Cilic ball that looked wide but was called in by the line judges. Everything’s going Evans’s way at the moment.
The Nick Kyrgios experience has taken another surreal turn. Two sets up against Andrea Seppi and playing lights out tennis, he’s somehow allowed the Italian to take their match into a deciding fifth set.
The order of play for day four is out. You can check it out here. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Johanna Konta and Serena Williams are all in action.
A tight first set, a breeze of a second and Australia’s Ashleigh Barty marches on after beating the USA’s Shelby Rogers 7-5, 6-1. Into the third round of slam for the first time in her short career, Barty’s next opponent is Mona Barthel, who’s just wrapped up an impressive 6-4, 6-4 win over Monica Puig, the 29th seed.
The USA’s Jack Sock leads by two sets against Russia’s Karen Khachanov, while Nick Kyrgios is busily imploding against Andrea Seppi on Hisense Arena. Join Adam Collins.
Dan Evans sprays a stunning one-handed backhand from left to right, picking off Marin Cilic’s approach to earn two set points! Cilic is all over the place, ballooning a wild forehand miles past the baseline, and we’ve got a real match on our hands now, which looked an unlikely prospect when Evans trailed by a set and a break. He’s been outstanding since dropping his serve, though, and his tricky game is beginning to mess with Cilic’s head. He takes the second set 7-5. It’s one set apiece and it’s all to play for!
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Garbine Muguruza, the most famous person out of Norwich since Alan Partridge, survives a wee wobble to win the first set of her match against Samantha Crawford. It wasn’t entirely convincing from the seventh seed and she has strapping on her right thigh, but she does enough to take it 7-5. Meanwhile Coco Vandeweghe has wasted two opportunities to serve out victory against Pauline Parmentier on Court 2. Vandeweghe led 5-2 in the second set. Two breaks later, however, it’s 5-all. What fight from Parmentier!
Wearing a yellow top and a green skirt, it seems that Garbine Muguruza is a fan of Norwich City. I assume she’ll be glued to their FA Cup replay against Southampton later.
Is Nick Kyrgios on the verge of unravelling? He’s chuntering after dropping the third set to Andrea Seppi, even though he still leads by two sets to one.
#Kyrgios not happy! Drops the third set 6-4. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/0zFoPWuesJ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2017
Gabrine Muguruza’s level rises at the right time and she breaks to lead 6-5 against Samantha Crawford in the first set. Dan Evans is battling hard to stop Marin Cilic from doing the same in the second set on Court 3. He’s just saved two break points. Can he hold to lead 6-5? He’s playing gutsy tennis.
Digest this from the Times of London’s tennis correspondent.
If Roger Federer loses to Tomas Berdych on Friday, he will drop out of the world's top 30 for the first time since October 2000.
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 18, 2017
The momentum may just be swinging towards Dan Evans on Court 3. He saves a break point and clings on to his serve to lead 5-4 in the first set. All of a sudden, Marin Cilic is under pressure. The Croatian led by a set and a break 15 minutes ago.
Ashleigh Barty, tipped as a future cricket star by your ever reliable Guardian, is a set up against the USA’s Shelby Rogers. The Australian edged the opener 7-5. Meanwhile Garbine Muguruza is serving to stay in the first set against Samantha Crawford on Rod Laver Arena. Muguruza’s making a meal of it.
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A minor shock is brewing on Court 5, where the unseeded German, Mona Barthel, has nabbed the first set 6-4 off the 29th seed and Olympic champion, Monica Puig. Barthel has only reached the third round in Melbourne on two occasions.
Dan Evans breaks back! I didn’t see that coming, but he’s recovered superbly from the disappointment of dropping his serve to haul himself level in the second set, forcing errors from Marin Cilic with a series of low balls. It’s 3-all.
Dan Evans is in huge bother now. He had a chance to hold at 40-30, only for Cilic to force deuce with a rasping backhand. A forehand error from Evans hands the Croatian a break point and Cilic doesn’t have to do much more than wait for another mistake. Evans nets a forehand and he’s down a set and a break.
Samantha Crawford refused to be fazed by the early loss of her serve on Rod Laver Arena. The American has broken back against Garbine Muguruza.
Nick Kyrgios has won a second set tie-break to lead by two sets to love against Andrea Seppi. Adam Collins is your man if you want to know more.
They’re still on serve in the second set on Court 7, but there are signs that Dan Evans is beginning to warm to the task of trying to deal with Marin Cilic’s power. Evans is down a set, but he’s starting to find his range with his groundstrokes and is giving Cilic a few things to think about at the start of set two.
The evening session is underway on Rod Laver Arena, where the USA’s Samantha Crawford is already a break down against Garbine Muguruza, the seventh seed and French Open champion. American fans won’t know where to look at the moment. On Margaret Court Arena, Shelby Rogers is duelling with Australia’s Ashleigh Barty. Coco Vandeweghe has won the first set 6-4 against France’s Pauline Parmentier. And after four straight defeats for the American men earlier, what a turnaround we’re witnessing now! There was a win for Sam Querrey not so long and we could be looking at two on the bounce, with Jack Sock a set up against Karen Khachanov. USA! USA! USA!
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Victor Troicki is a relieved and happy man after emerging unscathed from a testing five-setter with the Italian scrapper, Paolo Lorenzi. The Serbian was in trouble after dropping the fourth set, but he regained his level in the fifth to win 6-3, 1-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3. He’ll need to be much better in his next match, though, because he’s earned himself a meeting with Stan Wawrinka, a player he hasn’t beaten in seven attempts.
Unable to make a serious impression on the Cilic serve, Dan Evans can’t stop the Croatian from earning two set points. Cilic has stamped his authority on this match, which is what you’d expect from the seventh seed, and the first set is in the bag when Evans erratically sends a backhand long. Hopes of an upset are looking slim at this point. Evans is being outmuscled and outplayed by Cilic, who’s looked extremely composed.
Marin Cilic comfortably holds for a 5-2 lead and the players walk back to their chairs for the changeover, meaning that Dan Evans can see the doctor. Well, sort of. He scratching that left eye as he walks off – presumably some dust flew into it. But seems cheery enough during his chat with the doctor, who arrives armed with drops, and he should be fine to continue. Once they resume, Evans will be serving to stay in the first set.
Paolo Lorezni has done so well to force a fifth set, but it doesn’t look like the Italian veteran is going any further than that. Victor Troicki has reacted strongly, stomping into a 4-1 lead in the decider. He’s within touching distance of the third round, although let’s not rule Lorenzi out just yet. There’s still some fight left in him. Over on Court 2, meanwhile, Coco Vandeweghe of the USA is going great guns against France’s Pauline Parmentier. In a battle between two excellently named players, it’s Vandeweghe who’s in control early on, breaking for a 4-2 lead. Another American, Jack Sock, is also looking handy over on Court 8. The 23rd seed leads 4-2 against Russia’s Karen Khachanov. I wonder who Donald Trump’s supporting.
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Wiping and scratching out of his eyes, Dan Evans takes his time before serving at 15-30. He wins the point, but he wants the doctor on as soon as possible. It appears he’s suffering from some irritation. He digs deep to hold to trail 4-2 after 20 minutes. Now how about that doctor? Or has anyone in the stands got some drops?
Dan Evans is struggling to get a handle on Marin Cilic’s thumping serves. A third ace sees the Croatian hold to lead 4-1.
Frustrated wit the way things were going against Steve Darcis, Diego Schwartzman smashed a racquet earlier. It turns out it wasn’t the racquet’s fault. The Argentinian is out after losing to the Belgian in four sets. Darcis will face either Nick Kyrgios or Andrea Seppi next. Probably Kyrgios, who’s running away with that one on Hisense Arena, winning the first set 6-1.
A nervy opening service game from Dan Evans allows Marin Cilic to take command and earn a couple of great points. One aggressive forehand from the Croatian flashes wide; another one finds the line to earn him the early advantage.
Paolo Lorenzi and Victor Troicki have split the first four sets on Court 7. Lorenzi took the fourth 6-3 off the 29th seed and they’re into a decider.
Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, the 32nd seed, has beaten Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova 6-3, 6-4. She awaits either Garbine Muguruza or Samantha Crawford next.
Andy Murray is in action against Russia’s Andrey Rublev later, but the world No1 isn’t the only British player to focus on today. Dan Evans, the unpredictable enigma who almost knocked out Stan Wawrinka in New York last year, is about to face the seventh seed and former US Open champion, Marin Cilic, on Court 3. What Evans lacks in size he makes up for in natural talent, so while Cilic towers over a player who hasn’t always seemed smitten with putting in the hard yards away from the court, this is likely to be a highly engaging match, one full of touch and feel.
Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report on Roger Federer’s victory over Noah Rubin.
A seed falls on Court 3. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, seeded 10th, was out of sorts in a 7-6, 6-3 defeat to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, the world No78.
Over on Court 2, a huge roar goes up from the Australian fans as Alex de Minaur swipes a forehand away to hold. But don’t let the noise fool you. That was more a cry of sympathy than celebration, dignity preserved as that winner from De Minaur ensures that he won’t have to deal with the humiliation of a double bagel. It’s not enough to prevent the 17-year-old Australian from losing 7-6, 6-0, 6-1 to the USA’s Sam Querrey, conqueror of Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year and the 31st seed here. Experience prevails, but while this one ran away from De Minaur in the blink of an eye, the teenager is entitled to wonder what might have been if he’d taken the first set.
If you’re looking for live coverage of Andrea Seppi versus Nick Kyrgios, Adam Collins is your man. The players are out on Hisense Arena and play will begin shortly.
Hello and welcome to today’s rolling coverage of day three of the Australian Open. Those of you who have been paying attention will be aware it started several hours ago, though, so you’ll probably be eager to hear about what’s already happened. In which case, allow me to inform you that little known 17th seed, Roger Federer, is continuing to cause a stir, continuing his fairytale progress by seeing off a spirited challenge from young American Noah Rubin in three sets. Federer, who looks like he could be one to watch in the future despite his low ranking, faces 10th seed Tomas Berdych next after the Czech’s win over Ryan Harrison.
All in all, it’s not been a great day for the American men, with Steve Johnson falling in three sets to Stan Wawrinka, who was in no mood for any funny business after his epic against Martin Klizan on Monday, while 19th seed John Isner has just lost 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 9-7 to Mischa Zverev of Germany. Ouch. That’s quite the capitulation from Isner. Still, Venus Williams is safely through to the third round on the women’s side. So’s Angelique Kerber, although the world No1 failed to convince in her 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 win over fellow German Carina Witthöft.
Really, though, winning is all that matters at this stage of the tournament, and that’s what the likes of Andy Murray, Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and Garbine Muguruza will all be looking to do as the day progresses. They’re all in action, with Kyrgios about to face Andrea Seppi on Hisense Arena, and we’ve also got a potentially cracking match between Britain’s Dan Evans and Croatia’s Marin Cilic later on. Don’t be going anywhere.
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