An exquisite backhand volley from Nadal brings up his first match points. He can’t take them, though, sending two backhands long. But a big serve brings up a third opportunity and he’s clinical this time, a trademark bullet of a forehand finishing the job. That’s it. Rafa Nadal is through after a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 win over Marcos Baghdatis that settles the debate about whether he’s a proper contender for this title. He wasn’t really tested today, mind you, and he’s likely to face a stiffer examination against Alex Zverev on Satuday. That’s all from me today, though. Day four of the Australian Open is over. Thanks for reading and emailing. Bye.
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Marcos Baghdatis saves three break points, only to double fault on the fourth. He challenges the second serve in vain. It was inches wide and Nadal breaks to lead 6-3, 6-1, 4-2.
In this form, no one will want to play Rafa Nadal. Back to his best? I doubt that will ever be possible. I doubt he’ll ever return to his terrifying peak again. But he looks light, quick and fit, and he’s moving so adroitly around the court, holding to lead 3-2 in the third set. There’s a long way to go, but he’s certainly capable of adding to his 15 slams, especially with Novak Djokovic out.
Marcos Baghdatis is refusing to give up. He saves three break points and holds in the fourth game of the third set. You can only admire his optimism.
“No!” Baghdatis yelps. He nets a backhand and Nadal holds in the third game of the third set. They’re still on serve in this set, but it’s a only matter of time until Nadal breaks.
Dominic Thiem is finally into the third round, beating Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-1, 6-7, 6-4. The eighth seed will play Benoit Paire next.
This is remorseless, scary stuff from Rafa Nadal, who sets up a set point with a ruthless smash. Baghdatis is completely out of ideas. He nets a backhand and Nadal leads 6-3, 6-1. Baghdatis looks thoroughly fed up. You wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now, especially if you happen to wear a bigger size.
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Trailing 6-3, 4-1, Marcos Baghdatis is complaining to the umpire about the slow pace of the court and how big the balls are getting. He reckons it’s impossible to hit a winner. If the Cypriot’s assessment is right, these are inviting conditions for Nadal.
Rafael Nadal is crushing Marcos Baghdatis’s spirit, which isn’t very nice of him, breaking again to lead 6-3, 3-0. Baghdatis has his face buried in his towel during the changeover. That’s what Nadal can do to you. Dominic Thiem is proving similarly merciless on Margaret Court Arena, breaking to lead 6-2, 6-1, 6-7, 3-1 against Jordan Thompson.
Bagdhatis’s lack of consistency his hurting him. Despite his ability to stun the crowd with the occasional piece of inspired tennis, it’s not a formula for success against Nadal, who breaks in the first game of the second set. The Spaniard appears to be in excellent physical condition.
Jordan Thompson looked down and out an hour ago. Then again, the Australian has already fought back from two sets down once this week and he’s threatening to do so again after winning the third set tie-break 8-6 against Dominic Thiem on Margaret Court Arena. Thiem, who leads 6-2, 6-1, 6-7, will have to be careful now. Thompson’s woken up the locals.
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Marcos Baghdatis holds and Rafael Nadal will serve for the first set again at 5-3. Baghdatis manages to force his way to 30-all, but Nadal earns a set point with an ace and converts it when the Cypriot nets a backhand. After 48 minutes, the first set is in the bag for Nadal, who’ll be eager to puncture Baghdatis’s levels of belief as soon as possible in set two.
Marcos Baghdatis deserves this, a break of serve that keeps Rafa Nadal waiting. At times the Cypriot is playing some inspired tennis. It’s unlikely to detain Nadal for too long, given the level he’s hit, but at least he’s given the Spaniard something to think about after breaking to trail 5-2 in the first set.
Kevin Mitchell attended Novak Djokovic’s press conference and heard what the world No2 has to say about the crisis enveloping his tennis his defeat to Denis Istomin.
The relentlessness of Rafa Nadal is making Marcos Baghdatis miserable. It’s looking grim for the Cypriot as he drops serve again and Nadal will serve for the first set at 5-1.
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Sustained fire from Rafael Nadal is enough to overwhelm Marcos Baghdatis and carve out the first break of the match. Looking to consolidate the break, Nadal finds himself trailing 15-40 in the next game, Baghdatis returning splendidly. But Baghdatis is too tentative and Nadal, whizzing around the court in manic fashion, forces the game to deuce and holds to lead 4-1 thanks to some outstanding shotmaking. Nadal looks ominously sharp. The suffocating intensity’s back.
Boris Becker, Novak Djokovic’s former coach and a pundit for Eurosport now, has been speaking about the world No2’s defeat.
I absolutely never expected him to have trouble with Denis Istomin. No disrespect but Nole is a six-time Australian open champion. But I could tell in the first set he was way too defensive and way too passive. The first set in a three out five match is always very important. In the fourth set again he was a bit lethargic and not playing at full power. Then once you’re in the fifth set anything can happen and credit to Denis he kept his composure, he kept his nerve, he went a break up and kept serving well and hitting the lines so it’s well deserved.
It’s a tough one – I feel for him and I still have so much respect for him. This is a new situation for him, the Australian Open was always the foundation of the year and you leave Australia with the title in the bag and the 2000 points and the year plays much easier. And now it’s a new situation and I think the team has to stick together and sleep on it because nothing is going to come out of it tonight. They need to find a cure for this current situation.
When you’re with somebody so close for so many years and so many titles you’re emotionally very attached and I felt for him – I wasn’t feeling particularly well this afternoon. We are friends, we have a great relationship and I hope he’s going to turn it around.
I’m really shocked that Novak Djokovic lost as well. I’m still Team Djokovic and I’m just digesting what happened. I thought he was playing much too defensive and never really took the initiative and never really fought for it. Dennis Istomin was just too good and didn’t give him a chance. He was very courageous in his play and put him under pressure and merited the win. It’s not unusual for a player like Istomin to win. He’s a player that has been around a long while. He has a good technique. He has a good serve and has played qualification rounds that has given him a lot of experiences which helped him today.
The third game of the first set on Rod Laver Arena and this is already an absorbing contest. After butchering two forehands, Rafael Nadal finds himself staring at a break point. But Baghdatis nets a forehand down the line, a missed opportunity without a shadow of a doubt, and it’s back to deuce. Eventually Nadal holds to lead 2-1.
The final match on Rod Laver Arena today has a touch of nostalgia to it: Rafael Nadal versus Marcos Baghdatis, two men who are both on the wrong side of 30. But don’t you dare tell Nadal that his best days are behind him. The Spaniard is back after missing most of 2016 with a wrist injury and he looked sprightly in his first round win over Florian Mayer. With Novak Djokovic removed from his path, the former champion will be thinking that he can make a big statement about the level of his tennis in Melbourne and prove to the doubters that there’s plenty left to come from him. This could be a troublesome match, though, if Baghdatis, who lost in the final here to Roger Federer in 2006, has brought his box of tricks with him. The 31-year-old Cypriot, ranked 36th in the world, can make life awkward for anyone.
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At the cost of only three games, Dominic Thiem is two sets up against Jordan Thompson. The Austrian leads 6-2, 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena and there’s been little evidence that Thompson is capable of mounting a comeback.
Serena Williams wastes one match point, then double faults on her second. She carves out a third, though, and a place in the third round is hers when a wonderful forehand down the line at the end of an engrossing rally forces Lucie Safarova to flail a forehand wide, bringing a cracking match to a close. It’s all over. Williams wins 6-3, 6-4 and she’s looking strong. She’ll face her fellow American, Nicole Gibbs, next. They’ve only met once, in Stanford in 2012, and you don’t need me to tell you how that one went.
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It’s an uphill battle for Jordan Thompson. Dominic Thiem calmly polishes off the first set, winning it 6-2. Over on Rod Laver Arena, meanwhile, Serena Williams, is increasing the volume of her “Come ons!” and the quality of her tennis. Lucie Safarova has impressed, but she’s struggling to live with her now. The Czech double-faults under pressure and Williams breaks to lead 6-3, 4-3. She’ll expect to have this wrapped up soon enough, ensuring that she’s nice and rested come Saturday, unlike Benoit Paire, who’s taken three hours and 28 minutes to beat the Italian entertainer, Fabio Fognini, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
A minor upset on Court 7, where Greece’s Maria Sakkari, the world No94, has beaten Alize Cornet, the 28th seed. Sakkari is through to face Daria Gavrilova of Australia.
What Jordan Thompson would give for a simple service game. Trailing by two breaks, he managed to build a momentum by breaking Dominic Thiem to trail 4-2 in the first set. Yet the Australian is struggling on serve. He’s quickly down 0-40 in the next game and although he saves one break point, he finds himself 5-2 behind after slicing a forehand into the net. Thiem, a bright red bandana covering his heavily gelled hair, will serve for the first set.
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Dominic Thiem, who was seeded to face Novak Djokovic in the last eight, has made a confident start on Margaret Court Arena against Australia’s Jordan Thompson. The eighth seed already has an early break. Better news for Australian fans, though, is that Daria Gavrilova is through after beating Ana Konjuh 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.
Lucie Safarova gave as good as she got during the first six games of the opening set, but that just seemed to bring the best out of Serena Williams. The world No2 rolls through the gears and seals the opening set 6-3 with some blistering serving.
Serena Williams let out a cry of anguish after wasting one break point. But she remains patient, earns another and takes it with a crunching backhand return off a second serve to lead 5-3 in the first set.
Benoit Paire and Fabio Fognini, two of the more unpredictable players on the men’s tour, have gone into a fifth set on Court 3. Paire led by two sets to one, but his Italian opponent hit back by taking the fourth set 4-3.
It’s been a highly entertaining start on Rod Laver Arena, where Serena Williams is already being stretched by Lucie Safarova. Williams saves a break point with some vicious groundstrokes to hold for 3-2. “Come on!” she cries.
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Timea Bacsinszky made hard work of it in the second set, but the 12th seed is through to the third round. She’s beaten Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic 6-1, 7-6, fighting back from a break down to force and win that decisive tie-break. Next for her is either Alize Cornet or Maria Sakkari. Cornet is a break up in the third set on Court 7. Daria Gavrilova is in a similarly strong position on Hisense Arena. The Australian leads 3-2 in the third set against Ana Konjuh.
Here are video highlights of Novak Djokovic’s defeat to Denis Istomin.
It’s not as big an upset as Novak Djokovic losing to Denis Istomin, but it’s a surprise nonetheless. Agnieszka Radwanska, the third seed, has been thumped 6-3, 6-2 by Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, the 34-year-old world No79. What an awful result for Radwanska. Will she ever win a slam?
Russell Jackson has also written on Novak Djokovic’s demise.
A man in an inflatable T-rex costume is entertaining the crowd on Hisense Arena. Beats me.
Daria Gavrilova has experienced something of a collapse in the second set on Hisense Arena. Ana Konjuh will fancy her chances of reaching the third round after taking it 6-1 to level that match.
Next on Rod Laver Arena, it’s another world No2. Serena Williams will be determined to avoid going the same way as Novak Djokovic, of course, although Lucie Safarova, a nifty player, could give her a few problems. Safarova was a French Open finalist in 2015.
While we all recover from the drama on Rod Laver Arena, the world is still spinning elsewhere and tennis is still occurring around Melbourne Park. Margaret Court Arena, for instance, where Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, the world No79, has nabbed the first set 6-3 against Agnieszka Radwanska, the world No3. Radwanska is a break up in the second set, though. Meanwhile Australia’s Daria Gavrilova, the 22nd seed, dominated the first set against Ana Konjuh, winning it 6-2. But Konjuh is 4-1 up in the second set on Hisense Arena. In other news, Alex Zverev did win the battle of the young guns earlier, beating Frances Tiafoe in three sets. The German will face either Rafael Nadal or Marcos Baghdatis, who are last on Rod Laver Arena today.
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Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report on Novak Djokovic’s shock exit.
Barring a demented run from Stan Wawrinka, it seems Murray will be No1 until the end of Wimbledon at least.
@JacobSteinberg worth pointing out that this result is likely to cement Murray at number 1 too, Novak just lost a lot of points
— Titus Michaeleus (@TitusMichaeleus) January 19, 2017
“Excited though I now am about Murray’s chances of taking his first Australian Open, I can’t help but think that the naysayers will be out if he does, with their usual assertions that he only did it without having to beat Djokovic,” says James Taylor. “Personally I couldn’t give a flying one who he beats to get there just as long as he does!”
There would have been a reason he wouldn’t have had to beat Djokovic in that scenario.
In other news, Nick Kyrgios has just logged into his Twitter account.
He knows everything 😂 https://t.co/LQoWbBG0W0
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 19, 2017
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Looking at Djokovic’s side of the draw, another obvious beneficiary is Rafael Nadal, who faces Marcos Baghdatis later. If everything plays out according to seedings, the Spaniard would still need to get past Milos Raonic in the last eight, but he’ll undoubtedly be delighted that there’s no chance of meeting Djokovic in the semis now. Grigor Dimitrov, who does have an awkward third round match against Richard Gasquet on Saturday, should also be feeling optimistic. The Bulgarian, seeded 15th, has started the year promisingly after flattering to deceive in each of the previous two seasons, and he was due to meet Djokovic in the fourth round.
“Morning Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “I know how these things work, and that I really shouldn’t be doing this because it’s (way) premature, but just like the four tops I can’t help myself. GIVE ANDY THE TROPHY NOW!!!”
A few obstacles remain in the world No1’s way. Stan Wawrinka, for example, his potential semi-final opponent. It could be Kei Nishikori or a certain Roger Federer in the last eight. He’s still got to get past Sam Querrey tomorrow. Arguably the player this benefits most at the moment is Milos Raonic, who was due to face Djokovic in the last four, having lost all of their eight encounters.
“I feel sorry for Novak, I was playing so good today,” Denis Istomin says. “I surprised myself today. I want to thank my team, my mum. You do a good job. Since the third set, I had cramp in my leg. I didn’t know how I could hold it.”
After four hours and 48 minutes on court with the ultimat competitor, he’s struggling to hold his emotions together as he chats to Jim Courier. It’s understandable. He’s 30 years old, he’s ranked 117th in the world and he’d only been to the third round on two occasions here. He probably didn’t think he would get that far this year. He hadn’t beaten Novak Djokovic in any of their five previous matches and had only ever taken one set off the world No2, but he’s earned himself a match against Pablo Carreno Busta, the 30th seed, on Saturday. Djokovic was the defending champion, the undisputed king of Melbourne, the holder of six Australian Open titles. It’s Djokovic’s earliest exit from a grand slam since losing in the second round of Wimbledon to Marat Safin in 2008. A penny for Andy Murray’s thoughts.
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DENIS ISTOMIN BEATS NOVAK DJOKOVIC 7-6, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6, 6-4! NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS OUT!
Novak Djokovic sat with his eyes closed during the changeover. He took a few deep breaths, seemingly to calm himself down and prepare for the challenge ahead. But he loses the first point of this game, netting a forehand, and Denis Istomin, the world No117, is three points away from beating him. Make that two points. Djokovic nets a backhand to make it 30-0. He hangs in there during the next rally, however, and Istomin makes it 30-15 when he knocks a backhand wide. A stunning sliced serve down the middle from the outsider brings up two match points, though! Take a deep breath, Denis. But there’s still no chance of Istomin panicking. He’s been ice cool throughout this fifth set and another fine serve forces Djokovic to stretch and block a backhand return long! That’s it! The defending champion is out, beaten by a player ranked 115 places below him, a player he led by two sets to one an hour and a half ago!
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Fifth set: Djokovic* 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 4-5 Istomin (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic nets a forehand to make it 0-15. Istomin responds by sneezing two backhands long to make it 30-15. These are tense times on Rod Laver Arena. Istomin is getting ahead of himself a bit. He whacks a forehand return wide to make it 40-15 and Djokovic does enough to hold. But can he break? If he doesn’t, he’s out. It’s as simple as that now!
Fifth set: Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 3-5 Istomin* (*denotes server): A Rosol-esque forehand down the line from Istomin makes it 30-0. If he’s nervous, he’s hiding it well. As it happens, the man from Uzbekistan wears glasses during his matches. Maybe this is why. Again he mounts a successful challenge when a serve’s called out. It clipped the line and goes down an ace for Istomin, who holds to love when Djokovic slaps a shot into the net. Istomin is a game away from beating Novak Djokovic. Yep, you read that correctly. The defending champion will serve to stay in the tournament.
Fifth set: Djokovic* 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 3-4 Istomin (*denotes server): Lose this game and Djokovic would be on the brink. So he holds to 15. A rapid service game from the world No2 shifts the spotlight back on to Istomin.
Fifth set: Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 2-4 Istomin* (*denotes server): The question now, of course, is whether Denis Istomin, the world No117, can see this through. He’s not beaten Djokovic in five attempts, twice losing to the Serbian in straight sets in the Australian Open and it goes without saying that this would be the biggest win of his career, so he can be forgiven for feeling a little jittery at the moment. Sensing nerves, Djokovic is on his case at the start of this game, forcing backhand errors for a 15-30 lead. But Istomin isn’t having any of it. He challenges when an ace is called out. Hawkeye shows it was in and from 30-all, a couple of superb winners sees Istomin consolidate that break. He’s inching closer to the finishing line. His knees are probably beginning to wobble.
Fifth set: Djokovic* 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 2-3 Istomin (*denotes server): Istomin earns the smallest of openings at the start of this game, a sumptuous backhand pass from left to right catching out Djokovic at the net for 0-15. Djokovic follows that up by spooning a forehand long for 0-30. Now then. This is interesting. Dial that up to very interesting – a stonking Istomin forehand return makes it 15-40 and here are the first break points in this set. Istomin pulls the trigger too early on the first, though, sending a wild forehand long, but he sounds like he’s just experienced the happiest moment of his life when he converts the second with an exquisite backhand down the line! Novak Djokovic is in a hole now, all right!
Fifth set: Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 2-2 Istomin* (*denotes server): Istomin loses the first point of this game, dinking a volley down by his feet into the net. Hey, these things happen. He makes up for it by punching away a backhand volley for 15-all. The next two points are shared as well, but Istomin stays calm and holds to 30 with a smash.
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Fifth set: Djokovic* 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 2-1 Istomin (*denotes server): Djokovic holds to love, arrowing a backhand down the line at 40-0, to keep the scoreboard ticking along.
Fifth set: Djokovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 1-1 Istomin* (*denotes server): Istomin continues to serve solidly, marching into a 40-0 lead with some commanding tennis. You wouldn’t think he’s ranked 117th in the world. Remember, though, there are 115 places between these two and Djokovic rattles back into the game, a huge return making it 40-15, a backhand into the net from Istomin making it 40-30. A third straight point for Djokovic, who’s suddenly entered Wall Mode, makes it deuce. But Istomin holds. He’s determined not to hand out any free gifts.
Fifth set: Djokovic* 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7, 1-0 Istomin (*denotes server): Novak Djokovic moves some way towards repairing the damage with a routine hold to 15 at the start of the deciding set. He’s still so dangerous. You can back him to pounce on any dip in Istomin’s energy levels, a development that wouldn’t be a huge surprise given the effort the underdog has expended just getting this far.
At the fourth time of asking, Denis Istomin does it! A huge ace out wide leaves Djokovic rooted to the spot and, improbably, they’re heading into a fifth set on Rod Laver Arena! It’s doubtful anyone saw this coming before play started, least of all Istomin, but Uzbekistan’s most famous tennis player has turned this match into one hell of a fight. Djokovic is looking frazzled. A major story’s brewing here and I’m going to switch into game-by-game mode now.
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Novak Djokovic saves the first two set points with a fine serve and some strong defending. Over to Istomin, who will serve at 6-5.
Serving at 5-2 in the tie-break, Denis Istomin loses focus a little, aiming a forehand down the line wide. But he’s got three set points when Djokovic wafts a forehand return long!
The first mini break goes to Denis Istomin in the tie-break, a rasping return forcing Djokovic back on his heels. Istomin leads 2-1 in the tie-break. A brilliant forehand down the line makes it 3-1 and an ace out wide makes it 4-1. Djokovic is in a spot of bother here.
Novak Djokovic holds to 30 to force a tie-break. You have to admire Denis Istomin’s hustle. Has he got enough to drag Djokovic into a fifth set, though? Well, he did win an epic first set tie-break, so he has every reason to believe that he can.
Alex Zverev is firmly in control on Court 2, where he leads 6-2, 6-3 against Frances Tiafoe. The 24th seed could be up against Rafael Nadal in the third round, assuming the Spanish great beats wily Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis later.
Ivo Karlovic has done it symmetrically, beating Andrew Whittingon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The 20th seed took five hours and 14 minutes to beat Horacio Zeballos in the first round, having trailed by two sets, but the Croatian’s had an easier ride today. His next opponent is David Goffin, who downed Radek Stepanek earlier.
It was a mixed day for the British players. Johanna Konta reached the third round at the expense of Naomi Osaka, beating her in two straight sets, but Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund are both out. Watson squandered five match points before losing 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-8 to Jenny Brady, while Edmund had an appalling afternoon against Pablo Carreno Busta, going down 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to the 30th seed, who awaits the winner of the intriguing match between Novak Djokovic and Denis Istomin, who has just held to lead 6-5 in the fourth set on Rod Laver Arena. Istomin roars. The crowd roars. Djokovic stares. Is he heading into a fifth set?
Denis Istomin gets a look at a second serve on a set point, only to net a forehand at the end of a tight rally. Novak Djokovic lives on. That was an escape for the world No2 and he makes the most of it by holding for 5-5 in the fourth set. Istomin will serve with new balls.
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Let’s head around the courts. On Court 2, Alex Zverev, the exciting young German, is a set up against another rising star, Frances Tiafoe, a teenager who’s tipped to make Americans feel better about the state of men’s tennis in the coming years. In veteran news, Ivo Karlovic is two sets up against Australia’s Andrew Whittington on Court 8 – surprisingly there hasn’t been a tie-break yet - while Nicole Gibbs has just won an all-American clash with Batman villain Irina Falconi on Court 20. Gael Monfils, seeded sixth in the men’s draw, is also through to the third round. The enigmatic Frenchman has just helped himself to a 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-0 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov.
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Preamble
Hello. When I woke up in freezing London much, much earlier this morning, Novak Djokovic was a set down to Denis Istomin. But before readers from Uzbekistan get too excited, especially when they hear that Istomin had two set points in the second set, things haven’t been going to plan for their hero in the past hour and a half. Djokovic saved those set points and predictably went on to level the match before sweeping away with the the third set. The world No2 leads 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 ... but he’s not been at his best today. The fourth set has been a toil for him and we join the action with Istomin leading 5-4, Djokovic serving to stay in it.
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