Oh, but before we part, have some reports. Here’s Russell Jackson on how Daria Gavrilova was beaten by Karolina Pliskova. And what about Kevin Mitchell on Joanna Konta? And here’s Kevin again, on how Andy Murray’s departure from the tournament opens things up for Roger Federer.
And that’s your lot for the day. We’ll be back at the same time tomorrow, with tennis, tennis, tennis all over the place. Cheers for reading!
A belting match in the end, the final set swinging wildly at the last. Monfils looked like he had the momentum behind him after going up a break, but Nadal then stormed back after looking lost to win four games on the spin and take his place in the quarter-final. There he will play Milos Raonic.
Nadal beats Monfils 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Monfils misses a couple of volleys, and suddenly it’s match point on his own serve. He saves that one with an absolutely perfectly timed whipped forehand that Nadal gropes for. But then another arrives...Monfils hits his first serve into the net, then from the second he puts a backhand wide and that’s the match!
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Fourth set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 5-4 Monfils (* denotes server)
Nadal holds to love. This match has gone back and forth and back again, and a few minutes after Monfils looked the clear favourite, Nadal has snatched back control.
Fourth set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-4 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Monfils is suddenly twitching now. A couple of unforced errors give Nadal a break point...which he takes with a double-fisted cross-court backhand! And to think some people were questioning his stamina....
Fourth set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-4 Monfils (* denotes server)
Some signs of life from Nadal. He holds pretty emphatically, featuring one shot which is the sort that could well jolt him back into life. We shall see...
Fourth set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 2-4 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Monfils is cooking now. A nerveless hold, and Nadal really doesn’t look happy. In the past, you’d never question Nadal’s stamina, but now...?
Fourth set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 2-3 Monfils (* denotes server)
A brilliant, brilliant point from both players ends as Monfils rapidly changes pace from leathered groundstrokes to a delicate drop-shot, followed by a careful pass. Nadal looks rattled now, and he nets a backhand to set up three break points. And he takes the second so very luckily, the ball catching a big chunk of the net but plopping over it. He’s not lucky to be back in the match though - something shifted towards the back end of the last set, and Monfils is arguably favourite now...
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Fourth set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 2-2 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Monfils flings down an ace. That’s 12-2 in favour of the Frenchman thus far in this match. But he goes down 15-40, including an errant challenge to a groundstroke that went long. He claws it back to deuce, then advantage, but a double-fault restores parity. Then he closes out the game with a 13th ace.
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Fourth set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 2-1 Monfils (* denotes server)
Rapid hold from Nadal. In these situations it sort of feels like players are just getting the early games out of the way as quickly as possible before they get to the business end of the set.
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Just to break into this match, if you’re in the UK you can have a look at some highlights from Jo Konta’s win over Ekaterina Makarova from earlier. Konta will play Serena Williams in the quarter-final. If you’re not in the UK...hard cheese I’m afraid.
Fourth set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 1-1 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Monfils cracks out the jumping volley/slam again, just to keep the punters happy. He holds when Nadal nets a relatively simple return.
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Fourth set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 Monfils (* denotes server)
The fourth starts with a straightforward hold by Nadal. Just jabs for the moment from both sides.
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Monfils wins the third set 6-4, trails 2-1
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-6 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Ah. Yes. Well. Monfils goes 0-40 down and it looks like that break was for nothing. But he sends down a couple of superb serves to bring it back to deuce...then double-faults to donate another break point. Nadal nets that one, then Monfils sets up a set point with a brilliant ace...which he nets. Nobody seems keen to take this game...but Monfils eventually does by hammering a brilliant cross-court forehand home. That’s the set!
Third set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-5 Monfils (* denotes server)
Here we go. Monfils gets himself a rare break point, and closes it out at the first time of asking, as Nadal puts a backhand just wide. He’ll now serve for the third set...
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 4-4 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Bubbling along now, this. Hopefully towards some sort of spicy denouement to the set. Monfils holds.
Third set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 4-3 Monfils (* denotes server)
More of a contest now. Monfils makes Nadal work for his hold, and hints at even taking a break, but in the end Nadal retains the slight advantage. No break in this set, though.
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 3-3 Monfils* (* denotes server)
A marginally more measured approach from Monfils. And it pays off, after a while, taking the hold but not after a considerable scrap. He closes out the game with a jumping volley at the net. He is, once again, an entertainer.
Third set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 3-2 Monfils (* denotes server)
Monfils tries a slightly new approach, namely just trying to leather the cover off everything to...mixed results. It gets him as far as deuce, but then a remarkable Nadal return from one of those howitzers leads to Monfils netting a forehand. If he’d maybe just taken a bit off one of those...
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 2-2 Monfils* (* denotes server)
An encouraging hold for Monfils, no alarms, no surprises.
Third set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 2-1 Monfils (* denotes server)
An event-free, solid serve hold from Nadal ends as Monfils nets a backhand return. Hopefully this match doesn’t peter out, but it’s a long, long way back for Monfils now.
Slamtastic...
@NickMiller79 One more final would be a joy. It would be 17 Slams versus 14 Slams. That's a lot of Slams. #AusOpen
— Matthew Lumby (@MatthewLumby) January 23, 2017
Third set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3, 1-1 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Nadal plays one of those shots on the run that used to be a staple of his. One second the ball is there, he flicks a wrist then it speeds, dips and curves over the net, and you never had a chance. Nonetheless, Monfils hangs on and holds serve, closing the game with a phenomenal backhand down the line.
Third set: Nadal* 6-3, 6-3, 1-0 Monfils (* denotes server)
A straightforward hold to open the third , and what could be final set. Just something to keep in mind, but Nadal and Roger Federer are in opposite sides of the draw. One more final for old time’s sake?
Nadal takes the second set to lead 2-0
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 6-3 Monfils* (* denotes server)
A slightly limp end to the set from Monfils, despite one fizzing backhand down the line and a similar forehand, but ultimately Nadal breaks and takes the set with a fierce shot at the net that Monfils puts just long.
Updated
Second set: Nadal* 6-3, 5-3 Monfils (* denotes server)
Crumbs. What a couple of shots from both men, particularly Monfils who hits a perfectly placed tracer bullet down the line for a winner. But to no avail, as Nadal draws him into the net with a drop shot, puts a volley that would have been out of reach to virtually any other tennis player alive. Monfils reaches it, but can’t keep his return in. Tennis, this. Tennis.
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 4-3 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Ach. And there’s the frustration of Monfils. Nadal comes up with some brilliant forehands, but not a great game by Monfils, serving up a couple of dibbly-dobbly shots to allow the Spaniard to break back straight away.
Second set: Nadal* 6-3, 3-3 Monfils (* denotes server)
Now then. Monfils has suddenly turned on the style, racing to a 40-0 lead, one forehand winner particularly fine. But he breaks after a floating Nadal backhand goes long. Now then...
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 3-2 Monfils* (* denotes server)
A moment of brief levity as the two players debate over where a serve, called out, landed. The conclusion is that neither knows. Monfils nonetheless holds, and both players seem to be in, well, a holding pattern at the moment, Nadal still in control.
Second set: Nadal* 6-3, 3-1 Monfils (* denotes server)
Nadal comes back with some more relentless strokes, and Monfils seems to pull up slightly, possibly favouring an ankle. Regardless, Nadal closes out for a solid hold.
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 2-1 Monfils* (* denotes server)
Well that’s slightly more encouraging. Monfils looks like he’s finding his range, a couple of powerful groundstrokes leading to a relatively straightforward hold.
Second set: Nadal* 6-3, 2-0 Monfils (* denotes server)
Some vintage Nadal stuff, making Monfils use every inch of those absurd legs. But again he wins the game thanks to a careless shot, Monfils putting a double-fisted backhand low from a decent, if not brilliant serve.
Second set: Nadal 6-3, 1-0 Monfils* (* denotes server)
The umpire has a word with Nadal before the set starts, possibly about the thorny old issue of time. Specifically, the amount Nadal takes when receiving serve. It doesn’t seem to trouble him too much though, breaking in the first game thanks to some of those violent forehands, and a couple of very sloppy shots from Monfils. The last two points were forehand boomed long, and a backhand that drifted avoidably into the tramlines.
We’ll go game-by-game now, given this is the only game left going.
Nadal takes the first set, 6-3
Quite the showman, is Monfils. He plays what can only be described as a ‘no-look’ slice before winning a point with a marvellous lob over the skuttling Spaniard. But that isn’t enough, as a rally with a few punishing Nadal forehands ends with Monfils putting one of his own way, way, way long and wide.
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Nadal has set point, but Monfils draws him in and plays a delightful drop-shot to save it. He then sends down an aces to salvage the game, but it’s still 5-3 and Nadal will now serve for the set.
So all eyes now on Monfils v Nadal. While it’s a bit difficult to fully get on board with a balding Nadal, he seems to be dealing with it all quite well. Monfils holds, but that’s only to limit the damage in the first set, as he trails 4-2 to Nadal.
Raonic beats Bautista Agut 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
That’s that, as Raonic ultimately blows his doughty opponent away in the fourth, closing the match out with some vicious serves and finally takes it with a terrific forehand down the line. He’s into the quarters, where he’ll play the winner of Nadal v Monfils.
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Speaking of sashaying away with things, Nadal has stormed into a 3-0 lead over Monfils. The first game suggested we would be here for a while with that match, but maybe not...
Raonic sashaying away with this one now. He breaks again, and is about to serve out for a 5-0 lead in the fourth set...which he does after a couple of absolute hammers of rallies, but closes out the game with a brilliant wide second serve, followed up by a forehand that leaves Bautista Agut standing. Just one more game required, now.
Meanwhile, Nadal and Monfils is underway. Nadal serves first, so naturally the game takes about 50 minutes. That’s not the only reason for its length, mind: Monfils produces some superb forehands and keeps the rallies going, but Nadal eventually takes the game as the Frenchman nets a return.
Just like sets one and two, Raonic has barrelled out of the gates in set four, breaking serve and winning the first three games to take control. Can he keep hold of it this time?
Raonic wins third set to take 2-1 lead
Bautista Agut double faults to give Raonic a break and set point...which he takes when the Spaniard goes long with a forehand. That’s 2-1 to the big Canadian, and it’ll take quite an effort for Bautista Agut to recover from here.
Raonic is frustrated. He nets to concede a break point and throws his racket to the floor....but saves it with a brilliant inside-out forehand. And then he fends off the threat to hold serve. Quite the contest this, particularly given the one-sided starts to the first and second sets.
Next up on the ol’ Rod Laver Arena is Gael Monfils vs Rafa Nadal. Should be a good ‘un. Meanwhile, over the road, they’ve decided the spit-spots of rain are enough to close the roof, and they’re off once more. Raonic holds to lead 4-3 on serve in the third set, having split the first two.
Pliskova beats Gavrilova 6-3, 6-3
There was a minor wobble in that last game, but Pliskova closes out a straightforward win with an ace. The Australian hopes for the tournament are done, and Pliskova goes through to the quarter-finals, where she’ll face Mirjana Lucic Baroni.
A few more spots of rain, and again they’re waiting to see how heavy it is. Quite why they haven’t closed the roof/didn’t close it when there was some drizzle earlier, is unclear.
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A brief moment of hope for Gavrilova as she holds and receives a pep up from the crowd, but she loses the next game and will now serve to stay in the match.
Pliskova breaks in the second, then holds to take a 4-1 lead. This might not last much longer, and currently looks like a pretty comfortable progression for the fifth seed.
A brief interlude. They’re back on, now. It’s going with serve in the second set of Gavriolva v Pliskova, while Raonic is serving in the first game of the third against Bautista Agut.
Rain!
We have drizzle in Melbourne, and for the moment the players have stopped as they assess whether it’s going to last, and whether they need to close the roof.
Bautista Agut wins the second set
And there it is. Excellent shot from Bautista Agut to leave Raonic standing and admiring the effort, taking the second set 6-3 and making it 1-1. Game on.
Raonic finally gets a game, holding serve in more typically Raonic fashion to make it 5-3. But Bautista Agut will now serve for the set...
Scenes in the Raonic v Baustista Agut match, where the Spaniard has now won four games in a row to take the lead in the second set. Raonic is being forced back, back, back...and there’s another game ticked off, and Bautista Agut is 5-2 ahead in the second.
And the revival was relatively brief. A Pliskova forehand ends the mini comeback, and she takes the first set 6-3 over Gavrilova.
A bit of hope for Gavrilova. She’s over the low-level despair that seemed to engulf her in the early stages and has claimed a break back. now 5-3 down in the first. She’s still serving to stay in the set, though...
Dimitrov beats Istomin 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-1
By the end, Istomin just wanted out. A shame in some respects, as what could have been a decent contest was basically ended when Istomin suffered that injury at some point in the second set. Still, Dimitrov did what he needed to do and will now face David Goffin in the quarters.
Another break for Dimitrov, and now he’s serving for the match against his virtually immobile opponent...
Right on cue, Bautista Agut has stormed back in the second set against Raonic. Just as in the first, he has broken back and it’s now 2-2 on the Spaniard’s serve.
Istomin is on the board now, at least. It’s 4-1 to Dimitrov as the Uzbek labours on with that back/hamstring problem.
Grim start for Gavrilova. She blasts a relatively routine volley long, to lose serve for a second time in the first set. She’s 4-1 down, the home crowd are slightly baffled, and she looks rather unhappy with life.
3-0 to Dimitrov. Are we classing this as officially ‘brave’ yet from Istomin?
A similar tale for Raonic, who breaks in the first game of the second set against Bautista Agut, then holds to make it 2-0. Remember this is how the first went initially, mind.
In two shakes of a rabbit’s tail, Dimitrov is 2-0 up in the fourth over Istomin.
Despite some game play from Istomin, Dimitrov takes the third set 6-2. Istomin is still not moving well, and while you do have some sort of admiration for his gumption in sticking with this until the bitter end, it might not be the wisest thing.
Meanwhile, over on Rod Laver, home fave Daria Gavrilova has started her match against Karolina Pliskova, and not well either - Pliskova breaks in the first game.
Raonic takes the first set 7-6
And after all that, Raonic powers back to take the tie-break, with some powerful groundstrokes.
Fair play, after being 4-0 and 5-1 down in the breaker, Raonic has produced some terrific play to claw it back to 5-5...
Make that 4-0. Raonic is malfunctioning.
And we’re into a tie-break in the other match, which Bautista Agut takes a 2-0 lead in. Hello...
Istomin is hanging in there. Dimitrov balloons one long and he holds another - still 4-2 down in the third, but he’s in better shape than he looked in the early stages of this set.
You wouldn’t mess with Dimitrov’s supporters. “GRIGOR! GRIGOR! GRIGOR CHAMPION” they bellow from the stands, with the look of a bunch that would pull your arms off if you asked them to pipe down a bit. Meanwhile, their man saves a break point then holds to take a 4-1 lead in the third.
Istomin strikes back! You don’t need to move very far to serve well, and he shows that by holding impressively. Winning any game against a bloke 102 places above you in the ranking is impressive, but it’s doubly so when you can barely move.
And Bautista Agut holds to make it 4-4 in the first. We could have a match on our hands, after all.
Meanwhile, scenes in the other game, where Bautista Agut isn’t going to let Raonic bully him out of the tournament. He breaks back, with the help of a Raonic double-fault, to give himself a sniff in the first.
And here’s some more treatment, which actually seems to be focusing more on Istomin’s back rather than his hamstring. He’s won only one point in the set so far.
Eeesh. Istomin can’t move properly. His pride might quite understandably prevent him from defaulting, but it might be the sensible move. He can’t stretch, and it does indeed look like some sort of hamstring twang. The shrewd move might be to accept that, as the world No.117 he’s come further than anyone expected, take the ranking points and avoid more serious injury. It’s 3-0 now in the third.
Ah. That treatment might not quite be enough. Dimitrov sends a service game past what might as well have been a mannequin in sunglasses, Istomin’s movement significantly compromised. It wouldn’t be a colossal shock if he pulls out at some point.
Without wishing to make excuses for him, Istomin did seem to be labouring a little in that last game, and that suspicion is confirmed as he requests some treatment from the physio, which involves some stretching and bending on his leg. If it’s his hamstring then we might be in trouble here, but perhaps it’s just an early dose of cramp.
After a right old tussle in the fourth game, Bautista Agut is finally on the board, converting after a bunch of deuces to make it 3-1 to Raonic. But in more or less the time it’s taken to write that update, Raonic blitzes his next service game, including an absolutely absurd second serve ace and a textbook serve-volley to re-establish the three game lead, to love. It’s 4-1 now.
Dimitrov takes the second set 7-6
In the end that was a fairly comfortable tie-breaker for Dimitrov, closing it out with the absolute minimum of fuss to level the match 1-1.
Woof! Istomin produces one of those net-skimming cross-court winners that was a winner almost before it came off his racket. But it’s not massively useful as Dimitrov pulls him hither and thither to set up four set points...
We’re into a second set tie-break on the Margret Court Arena, and Dimitrov has just forced Istomin into an error to take a 3-1 lead.
“Think you’re being a bit unfair on old Raonic there,” writes Alex Hunter. “He’s developed his game considerably and seems like a decent fellow so ‘golem’ is a bit harsh! Wouldn’t mind if he picks up a maiden slam for his efforts over last few seasons but now Muzzard is out would love to see Tsonga win a slam...”
There’s a look of glassy-eyed, robotic determination in Raonic’s eyes - he’s already 3-0 up in the first over Bautista Agut, and you get the sense that one won’t last too long.
Dimitrov has a break point to take a 6-5 advantage in the second, but Istomin - ranked, lest we forget, 117th in the world - sends down an ace that clips the line, a line Dimitrov peers at ruefully. Istomin then takes the game with a couple more terrific serves, and Dimitrov must now serve to stay in the set.
Raonic v Bautista Agut has started, and the Canadian golem has battered his way to the first game. Is there a more joyless, mechanical sportsman in the world? Your nominations to the usual (the one just up there) address, please.
Now, Dimitrov. He’s in some bother, is the world No.15, having lost the first set 6-2 to Istomin and now serving for 4-4 in the second. He’s never come back from two down before, apparently, so this one’s pretty big.
Morning all. So, in this post-Andy Murray world, what is the state of play? Firstly, while the favourites have been eliminated from the men’s draw, Serena continues serenely on, through to the quarter-finals where she’ll face none other than Joanna Konta. But you’ll want Kevin Mitchell to tell you about that, rather than me.
Earlier eighth seed Dominic Thiem was knocked out by 11th David Goffin, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4, and he’ll face the winner of the ongoing match between Grigor Dimitrov and David Istomin, which we’ll tell you about shortly. Later on Rafa Nadal and Gael Monfils face off, while the man who is presumably now the de facto favourite, Milos Raonic, will roll out his robot act against Roberto Bautista Agut. Meanwhile, Australia’s Daria Gavrilova will play Karolina Pliskova. And that pretty much brings you up to speed.
Hello. Nick will be here shortly. Here’s Kevin Mitchell on Roger Federer, whose chances of an 18th grand slam improved significantly after he defeated Kei Nishikori, and Andy Murray followed Novak Djokovic out of the tournament:
There is a decent chance the two players who will contest the title next Sunday will have a combined age of 65 and were, by general consensus, headed for the sport’s dustbin.
With Murray and Novak Djokovic already gone, the buzz here at the start of the second week is that Federer and the 30-year-old Rafael Nadal – both of whom lost chunks of last season to injury – will still be standing towards the end of the second week.
The smart money has correctly installed Stan Wawrinka as the new favourite, followed by Milos Raonic and Nadal. Nevertheless it is the comeback of Federer, who has cut a stylish swathe through the first four rounds culminating in a five-set win over the fifth seed, Kei Nishikori, that has sent a shiver of familiar excitement through the tournament and the game.
