So that wraps up the second round. Thanks for your company and do come back tomorrow, when Jacob Steinberg will be in the hot seat on what is expected to be another sweltering day in Melbourne. The match of the day could be Nick Kyrgios v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, while Rafael Nadal, Grigor Dimitrov, Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Ostapenko play too, along with the British No2, Kyle Edmund. Bye!
Updated
Federer – probably relieved that there’s no sign of Will Ferrell – is interviewed by Jim Courier on court:
I knew he was going to go for his shots so it was a question of focusing on my own serve and then trying to get a break. There’s maybe 60 guys asking [to play in the night session because of the heat] and I’m one of them. For sure it helped. Having the run I had last year was incredible. 3-1 down in the fifth set in the final [against Nadal], the way I was able to stay calm, it was maybe one of my favourite moments on a tennis court. Gasquet’s got one of the best backhands in the game. It’s a good one, a good match-up for me [Federer leads the head-to-head 16-2].
Federer defeats Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (4)!
... 5-2 Federer after his 17th ace. Federer attempts to slice and dice Struff into submission on the next point but the German refuses to succumb and pings away the winner. 5-3 Federer, 6-3 Federer, three match points. Struff saves the first with a winner deep into the corner, but Federer’s serve out wide on the second is too strong and Struff can only stab into the net! The defending champion is into the Australian Open third round, where he’ll face Richard Gasquet.
Updated
Federer is serving to take the third set into a tie-break. He produces a serving masterclass and it’s 15-0, 30-0, 40-0, game in 50 seconds. Struff gets off to the worst of starts in the breaker by double faulting. Federer backs up the mini-break for 2-0 but then misses an absolute gimme. Struff then throws in an ugly error of his own. 3-1 Federer, 3-2 Federer, 4-2 at the change of ends ...
Federer holds to 15 for 5-5. He’s slapping his thigh in disgust when he misses a chance for 0-30 on Struff’s serve. Instead it’s 15-all. Struff constructs the next point well but then fluffs his lines with the volley. 15-30. Double fault, 15-40. Two break points and if Federer takes one of them, he’ll be serving for the match. Struff is made of stern stuff though and biffs a backhand winner, 30-40. Then a forehand winner, deuce. Federer nets and, from 15-40 down, it’s Struff’s advantage. And he takes it! The German nudges 6-5 ahead.
Federer, usually so serene, perhaps looks a little annoyed that he’s still out there. Serving at 4-3 down, he rattles through to love. So it’s 6-4, 6-4, 4-4. This would be the perfect time for him to break, and he strikes with the first point, but four swats of the racket from Struff and the game is taken away from Federer. Struff holds for 5-4 and Federer will serve to stay in set No3.
Tomorrow's order of play
(All times local, +11 hours from GMT)
Rod Laver Arena
11:00: Luksika Kumkhum (Tha) v Petra Martic (Cro), Marta Kostyuk (Ukr) v (4) Elina Svitolina (Ukr), (3) Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) v (30) Andrey Rublev (Rus), (17) Nick Kyrgios (Aus) v (15) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Fra), (30) Kiki Bertens (Ned) v (2) Caroline Wozniacki (Den)
Hisense Arena
11:00: (6) Bob Bryan (USA) & Mike Bryan (USA) v Max Mirnyi (Blr) & Philipp Oswald (Aut), Elise Mertens (Bel) v Alize Cornet (Fra), Andreas Seppi (Ita) v Ivo Karlovic (Cro), Ryan Harrison (USA) v (6) Marin Cilic (Cro)
Margaret Court Arena
11:00: Denisa Allertova (Cze) v Magda Linette (Pol), (10) Pablo Carreno-Busta (Spa) v (23) Gilles Muller (Lux), Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr) v (19) Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk), (1) Rafael Nadal (Spa) v (28) Damir Dzumhur (Bih), (7) Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) v (32) Anett Kontaveit (Est)
Show Court 2
11:00: Kyle Edmund (Gbr) v Nikoloz Basilashvili (Geo), (4) Lucie Safarova (Cze) & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cze) v Raluca Olaru (Rom) & Olga Savchuk (Ukr), Radu Albot (Mol) & Hyeon Chung (Kor) v (2) Henri Kontinen (Fin) & John Peers (Aus), Kaia Kanepi (Est) v Carla Suarez Navarro (Spa)
Show Court 3
11:00: Jessica Moore (Aus) & Ellen Perez (Aus) v (10) Irina-Camelia Begu (Rom) & Monica Niculescu (Rom), (1) Latisha Chan (Tpe) & Andrea Sestini Hlavackova (Cze) v Oksana Kalashnikova (Geo) & Varvara Lepchenko (USA), Samantha Stosur (Aus) & Samuel Groth (Aus) v Priscilla Hon (Aus) & Matt Reid (Aus), (24) Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (Arg) v Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukr)
Court 7
11:00: Steve Johnson (USA) & Sam Querrey (USA) v Pablo Andujar (Spa) & Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spa), Wesley Koolhof (Ned) & Artem Sitak (Nzl) v (7) Oliver Marach (Aut) & Mate Pavic (Cro), (9) Feliciano Lopez (Spa) & Marc Lopez (Spa) v Ben McLachlan (Jpn) & Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger)
Court 8
11:00: Nikola Mektic (Cro) & Alexander Peya (Aut) v (11) Juan Sebastian Cabal (Col) & Robert Farah (Col), Fabio Fognini (Ita) & Marcel Granollers (Spa) v (16) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Divij Sharan (Ind), Dalilia Jakupovic (Slo) & Irina Khromacheva (Rus) v (2) Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) & Elena Vesnina (Rus), Elise Mertens (Bel) & Demi Schuurs (Ned) v (3) Ashleigh Barty (Aus) & Casey Dellacqua (Aus)
Court 13
11:00: Michaella Krajicek (Ned) & Alla Kudryavtseva (Rus) v (14) Hao-Ching Chan (Tpe) & Katarina Srebotnik (Slo), (12) Raquel Atawo (USA) & Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Ger) v Eri Hozumi (Jpn) & Miyu Kato (Jpn), Vania King (USA) & Franko Skugor (Cro) v Arina Rodionova (Aus) & John-Patrick Smith (Aus)
Court 19
14:00: (6) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Yi Fan Xu (Chn) v Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rus) & Anastasija Sevastova (Lat), (10) Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) v Leonardo Mayer (Arg) & Joao Sousa (Por)
Court 20
11:00: Lesley Kerkhove (Ned) & Lidziya Marozava (Blr) v (8) Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe) & Shuai Peng (Chn), Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spa) & Marcelo Demoliner (Bra) v Nicole Melichar (USA) & Nicholas Monroe (USA), Alicja Rosolska (Pol) & Santiago Gonzalez (Mex) v Johanna Larsson (Swe) & Matwe Middelkoop (Ned)
Updated
Well, well. Federer has been broken for the first time this tournament, which perhaps is just reward for Struff’s endeavour. The German world No55 leads 3-1 in the third set but Federer is keen to get back on level serving terms immediately and is pushing at 30-all on Struff’s serve. Struff scrambles to 40-30 but then double faults. Deuce. These two are playing this match at such a pace, they’re barely allowing themselves a breath between points. Federer blocks back a stinging serve and wins the point. Federer’s advantage. Game Federer. Natural order is restored.
Updated
Novak Djokovic is a six-time Australian Open champion but he’s probably not the tournament organisers’ favourite player right now. After reportedly calling for a boycott of next year’s event unless players get a bigger share of the revenue – something he denied after his first-round match – today he’s been talking about his unhappiness at having to play during the searing heat of the day session:
It could be even hotter tomorrow, with the temperature forecast to exceed 40 degrees. “Good luck for the guys,” said Djokovic’s defeated opponent Gael Monfils after their match. “I’m telling you I was dying on the court for 40 minutes.”
Federer is serving for a two sets to love lead. 15-0, 30-0, 40-0. He then opts for a classic one-two punch straight out of the tennis textbook, serving wide, before stepping into court and directing the winner to the other side. It’s 6-4, 6-4. The defending champion is a set away from a last-32 match against Richard Gasquet, the 31-year-old former prodigy who was once touted as the next Federer.
Updated
Federer then decides to underline the point by breaking Struff for 4-3 – before consolidating the break by holding the love. The highlight is a beautiful backhand winner down the line. Federer leads 6-4, 5-3.
At the start of this tournament, some observers felt Federer was the favourite almost by default given his rivals’ injury struggles, but I think it’s fair to say he’s looking like the favourite on merit – although Rafael Nadal has been mightily impressive so far too. Few would argue if we ended up with another Roger v Rafa final this year. It’s remarkable what those two have achieved over the past 12 months. At this point in 2017, Federer was a 35-year-old returning from an injury that had kept him out for six months and Nadal was a 30-year-old with creaky knees who hadn’t won a grand slam since 2014. Now Federer is the reigning Australian and Wimbledon champion, Nadal is the French and US champion, and the youngsters are scrambling to stay in touch.
@KatyMurrells I know there are plenty other top players to watch but Federer still leaves me wide eyed at his effortless brilliance which I know takes an enormous effort. My dad used to say “this boyo is too much how in gods name does he do that” I’d say god is thinking the same!
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) January 18, 2018
It’s been another day of destruction in the women’s draw, with Johanna Konta and Garbine Muguruza both going out. Of the remaining top-15 players, there’s only one grand slam champion left, Jelena Ostapenko. Here’s our reporter Kevin Mitchell’s take on the action:
So that leaves only one match on court, as Federer struts his stuff against Struff. The defending champion claims the first set 6-4 and has two break points early in the second at 1-1. The second break point culminates in a wonderful exchange, the point of the match so far, and Struff prevails. He flexes his biceps. Deuce. Advantage Struff. Game Struff.
Updated
Tennys Sandgren goes on to play the world No92 Maximilian Marterer in the third round – so has a real chance of making the fourth round on his Australian Open debut. Marterer has just seen off Fernando Verdasco in five sets, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3.
“There’s been a lot of training to get to this point today,” says Sandgren on court. “I wish him the best in his recovery. I was really happy to get my first grand slam win here, and now I’ve got my second. I’ll go for the third one and give my best. I was definitely aptly named. It was my great-grandfather’s name. I had to be at least half decent at the sport. I think I’ve done that.”
Stan Wawrinka loses 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to Tennys Sandgren!
Ace, Sandgren has two match points at 6-2, 6-1, 5-4, 40-15. Another ace, and that’s that! Sandgren has put out a wounded Wawrinka, securing his first win over a top-10 player. Sure, this wasn’t a top-10 player anywhere near his top form, but Sandgren still had to play his game and complete the victory, which he did impressively with 32 winners. If Wawrinka had been at his best he surely would have won, but it could still have been a very competitive match given Sandgren’s performance.
Updated
Wawrinka is serving to stay in the Australian Open at 5-3 down – but even if he was to hold here, the mountain is too steep to climb. He’s not getting back into this match. Only his fourth ace of the evening brings up his advantage, and he knifes an angled backhand volley to take the game. He gives himself a little fist pump, probably congratulating himself for the shot rather than an attempt to stir himself into action, because he knows the end is near.
Wawrinka does not have fitness on his side but he still has pride. He’s battling to at least make the scoreline in this third set respectable and has three games on the board – however Sandgren has the break and is close to the finish line, leading 6-2, 6-1, 4-3.
A full list of today’s singles results for you
Men’s singles, second round
Dominic Thiem (5), Austria, def. Denis Kudla, United States, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Adrian Mannarino (26), France, def. Jiri Vesely, Czech Republic, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-3.
Novak Djokovic (14), Serbia, def. Gael Monfils, France, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (21), Spain, def. Tim Smyczek, United States, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Hyeon Chung, Republic of Korea, def. Daniil Medvedev, Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-1.
Alexander Zverev (4), Germany, def. Peter Gojowczyk, Germany, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Julien Benneteau, France, def. David Goffin (7), Belgium, 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Fabio Fognini (25), Italy, def. Evgeny Donskoy, Russia, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.
Tomas Berdych (19), Czech Republic, def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Juan Martin Del Potro (12), Argentina, def. Karen Khachanov, Russia, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (0), 6-4.
Marton Fucsovics, Hungary, def. Sam Querrey (13), United States, 6-4, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-2.
Nicolas Kicker, Argentina, def. Lukas Lacko, Slovakia, 6-2, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5.
Richard Gasquet (29), France, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
Women’s singles, second round
Simona Halep (1), Romania, def. Eugenie Bouchard, Canada, 6-2, 6-2.
Lauren Davis, United States, def. Andrea Petkovic, Germany, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0.
Ashleigh Barty (18), Australia, def. Camila Giorgi, Italy, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
Naomi Osaka, Japan, def. Elena Vesnina (16), Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Bernarda Pera, United States, def. Johanna Konta (9), Britain, 6-4, 7-5.
Barbora Strycova (20), Czech Republic, def. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, Spain, 6-3, 6-4.
Lucie Safarova (29), Czech Republic, def. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, 6-2, 6-4.
Karolina Pliskova (6), Czech Republic, def. Beatriz Haddad Maia, Brazil, 6-1, 6-1.
Su-Wei Hsieh, Taiwan, def. Garbine Muguruza (3), Spain, 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Agnieszka Radwanska (26), Poland, def. Lesia Tsurenko, Ukraine, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Angelique Kerber (21), Germany, def. Donna Vekic, Croatia, 6-4, 6-1.
Maria Sharapova, Russia, def. Anastasija Sevastova (14), Latvia, 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Ana Bogdan, Romania, def. Yulia Putintseva, Kazakhstan, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Madison Keys (17), United States, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova, Russia, 6-0, 6-1.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, def. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (28), Croatia, 6-3, 6-1.
Caroline Garcia (8), France, def. Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 8-6.
Federer is already gliding around Rod Laver, where he’s playing the German Jan-Lennard Struff. Who, you ask? Well Struff is the 27-year-old world No55, who’s won only three matches in his grand slam career compared to his opponent’s mere 325. But he boasts some real firepower, cranking down 19 aces and 45 winners in his straight-sets victory on Tuesday. So Struff has the kind of game that could – if he’s playing at his very best – bother Federer in the early rounds. It’s currently two games all.
Updated
Appreciate Wawrinka doesn't want to quit this match, but he's in pain. Just hope he doesn't do himself any more damage
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) January 18, 2018
It’s sad to see Stan so out of sorts but it’s wonderful to see Sandgren making the most of his moment in the spotlight. And all of this after Sandgren had career-saving hip surgery a few years ago – Andy Murray take heart.
Stan stops the rot by holding serve for 5-1. But a nerveless hold from Sandgren and that’s the set done. With only 57 minutes on the match clock, the world No97 leads 6-2, 6-1.
A news of a well-fought victory for the Alex Zverev, the fourth seed, who has defeated his German compatriot Peter Gojowczyk 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Next up: Hyeon Chung in round three. Zverev may feel he has a score to settle against his young rival after the South Korean accounted for Zverev’s injured brother Mischa in the opening round. If Zverev gets through that, there could be a fourth-round match against a certain guy called Novak Djokovic.
Updated
The bagel is still on. Sandgren leads 5-0 in the second set and Wawrinka is grimacing in pain, touching his troublesome knee. Will this match even finish?
So yes next on Rod Laver is the GOAT who, hopefully for his sake, hasn’t been trying to get in the mood for some tennis by watching his fellow Swiss’ match. Because Wawrinka is having an absolute shocker. After a service game lasting nearly 10 minutes, Wawrinka is huffing, puffing and broken again. Sandgren leads 6-2, 4-0.
Ashleigh Barty beats Camila Giorgi 5-7, 6-4, 6-1!
After two close sets, Barty has pulled away in the third and has two match points at 5-1, 40-15. The Australian finishes in style, with her 12th ace of the day. For the second match in a row, Barty has come from a set down to neutralise a big hitter. And another one – Naomi Osaka – waits in the third round. “It’s a Barty party!” the on-court interviewer announces, rather excitedly.
“It was nice to get through that in the end,” says Barty. “Could have been a pretty sticky match. This is amazing, there’s nothing better than playing on this court. I’m so lucky to be out here. I hope I didn’t hold [Federer] up for too long.”
Updated
Sandgren has spent almost his entire injury-hit career travelling around the US in his car playing Futures and Challenger events – and here he is bossing the 2014 champion, who is down on his haunches as Sandgren surges 3-0 ahead in the second set. Wawrinka, playing his first tournament since last year’s Wimbledon after knee surgery, is clearly not right physically.
“I’ve watched Stan battle with Novak a few times, mostly in bars after I’ve been knocked out of whatever Challenger I’ve been in, thinking these guys are pretty good,” Sandgren said before the match. “How many grand slams has [Wawrinka] won? Three? I’ve won one grand slam match, so there’s a bit of difference there.” Not at the moment there isn’t.
Wow. Tennys Sandgren is causing quite a stir on Margaret Court, where he has whizzed through the first set 6-2 against a misfiring Stan Wawrinka, who’s been spraying balls all over the place. The 26-year-old Sandgren – perhaps inspired by his fellow unheralded American Mackenzie McDonald, who gave Grigor Dimitrov an almighty scare yesterday – had never won a grand slam match coming into this tournament.
Updated
Elsewhere, Alex Zverev has dropped his first set of the tournament but is still ahead, leading Peter Gojowczyk by two sets to one, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6. Richard Gasquet has advanced with the minimum of fuss, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, while Fernando Verdasco – no stranger to long matches in Melbourne – is involved in a tussle against Maximilian Marterer. Verdasco has been edged out 7-5 in the third-set tie-break and Marterer leads 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.
Updated
But no sooner than Giorgi has broken, than she is broken herself to concede the set. She slumps to 0-40 on serve, three set points for Barty. The big-hitting Giorgi lets rip on the first, and wallops away a smash from near the back of the court on the second. Giorgi is striking the ball hard on the third too, but some excellent retrieving from Barty eventually sees her draw the error from her opponent. Barty has the set 6-4 and they’re going to a decider!
Updated
What of the other scores? You ask and you shall receive. Ashleigh Barty has most of the Rod Laver Arena on their feet as she breaks Camila Giorgi for 5-3. The Australian will serve to level up the match at one set all. But it doesn’t exactly go to plan. At 15-30, she’s slow on her feet, off-balance, and her shot goes long. 15-40, two break points. Barty saves the first, there’s some wonderful rat-a-tat on the second, with Barty on the baseline and Giorgi at the net. Giorgi must have feel like she’s won the point five times before she actually does. The Italian breaks and they’re back on serve, Giorgi trailing 5-4.
Interested to see how Tennys Sandgren fares tonight. Dude can run, and could prolong proceedings if Stan is off his best. #AusOpen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 18, 2018
Davis is one of three American women to have won their singles matches today. Madison Keys, last year’s US Open runner-up and a semi-finalist in Melbourne in 2015, has also advanced, along with Bernarda Pera, who put out Britain’s Johanna Konta much earlier. It’s been a wipeout for the men so far, with Sam Querrey, Denis Kudla and Tim Smyczek all losing. And Tennys Sandgren will have to most produce the result of his career to prevent it from becoming four defeats from four. The gloriously named 26-year-old from Tennessee - who was clearly born to play tennis - is next up on Margaret Court against the 2014 champion, Stan Wawrinka.
Halep will be delighted to have got through that so quickly given her ankle problem. We’ll have to wait and see how it stands up to a tougher examination. Bouchard offered little resistance today, it’s amazing how far her game is from where it was a few years ago. Next up for Halep is the American Lauren Davis, who won 12 consecutive games in a remarkable match earlier to defeat Andrea Petkovic, the conqueror of Petra Kvitova, 4-6, 6-0, 6-0.
Halep’s thoughts:
I feel well on this court. I’m really happy I can play third round. Two years in a row I lost in the first round. Even though I’m a bit injured, I moved very well. I feel the pain but I didn’t think about it. I don’t feel the pressure, I just enjoy being No1 in the world.
Simona Halep beats Eugenie Bouchard 6-2, 6-2!
Bouchard’s trainers are exactly the same bright yellow as the tennis balls, which is proving rather distracting. I keep on looking at the Canadian’s feet rather than the ball. No such problems for Halep though who times her shot perfectly to put away a wonderful winner. But from the sublime to a slip-up, as a rare unforced error makes it 30-all before Bouchard gets a break point at 30-40. Halep rises again with two brilliant winners – one on each side for good balance – to get her first match point. And she takes it! Halep is through 6-2, 6-2!
Updated
It’s still one-sided on Margaret Court, where Halep leads Bouchard 6-2, 4-2 and has break point. The world No1’s ankle has held up superbly. She secures yet another break and will serve at 5-2 for a place in the third round.
Within 60 seconds... pic.twitter.com/QOfKMf2FfE
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 18, 2018
Angelique Kerber knows the way to the media's heart. "Angelique Kerber has donated her birthday cake to the press." Always liked her.
— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) January 18, 2018
Camila #Giorgi takes the first set against [18] @ashbar96!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2018
The 🇮🇹 impressing in a tight first set.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/kgA3hww0tl
As the clock strikes 8pm in Melbourne, it’s still 38 degrees. And it could be 42 tomorrow. Meanwhile Giorgi is doing her best to cool Australian hopes. The Italian breaks Barty and will get another crack at serving for the opening set at 6-5. She has two set points at 40-15, but bending down to scoop up a low ball, tamely nets a backhand. 40-30. Barty batters a forehand winner down the line. Deuce. Giorgi calmly dispatches the smash, her advantage and a third set point. Barty rifles her return long and Giorgi makes herself very unpopular on Rod Laver by winning the first set 7-5 against the Australian No1.
Updated
Barty, at 5-3 down, must hold serve to prevent Giorgi taking the first set. The home favourite succeeds – before putting pressure on the Italian in the next game at 15-30. Then at 30-all, Giorgi double faults for the first time! It’s break point Barty. Giorgi’s shot skips off the top of the net and flies into the tramlines! They’re back on serve at 5-5. Meanwhile there’s no rest for poor James Keothavong. The British umpire was hit in the head by Viktor Troicki shot yesterday but has escaped from the firing line and is back in the chair tonight.
Updated
The first set is on the board for Halep. The top seed brings up three set points at 40-0. She engages in a backhand duel with Bouchard, who prods long. Halep secures the set 6-2 and then starts the second as she means to go on with a break. Bouchard is yet to hold serve.
Alex Zverev, the 20-year-old with star quality, is in a hurry. The fourth seed’s raced through the opening set 6-1 against his fellow German Peter Gojowczyk. Zverev may have reached the second week of a grand slam only once – but the talk is justified. This guy is the real deal. Could this fortnight mark his major breakthrough?
Updated
Seven games played between Halep and Bouchard, and there have been six breaks. Halep leads 5-2 and will attempt to hold serve to take the first set.
Over on Rod Laver, Ashleigh Barty has nearly 15,000 Aussies cheering her on against the in-form Italian Camila Giorgi, who reached the Sydney semi-finals last week. Barty is one of the most multi-talented sportspeople in the world having switched from tennis to cricket in 2014 before returning to tennis two years later – and her second coming in tennis has brought her to a career-high ranking of 17. She’s quickly developed from a good story to a legitimate contender. It’s going with serve in the early stages, with Barty leading 3-2.
Updated
Halep and Bouchard have already traded breaks. It’s 1-1 in the opening set. How will Halep’s ankle hold up? The world No1 rolled her ankle in the first round and only practised briefly before the match. Even though she’s not fully fit, she will probably still fancy her chances against Bouchard, who has tumbled down the rankings from No5 to her current position of No112. It’s been a curious decline. Bouchard was the poster girl for the future of women’s tennis when she reached the Wimbledon final in 2014 but since then she’s reached the fourth round of a slam only once and has even been knocking around on the ITF circuit. A third break in a row gives Halep a 2-1 lead and the first hold of the match allows the Romanian to build a 3-1 advantage.
Updated
A match report for you:
The day session hasn’t quite finished yet: Alex Zverev follows Del Potro on Hisense; the one-time prodigy Richard Gasquet leads Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-2; the current prodigy Naomi Osaka has just downed the Russian 16th seed, Elena Vesnina, 7-6 (4), 6-2; and the Spanish matador Fernando Verdasco is a break down in the opening set against the wonderfully named German Maximilian Marterer.
But the night session stops for no one, and is already under way. On Margaret Court it’s Simona Halep v Eugenie Bouchard, while on Rod Laver it’s Ashleigh Barty, the only Australian woman left in the singles, against the feisty Italian Camila Giorgi.
Delpo’s thoughts:
I’m so happy to be playing in Melbourne after so many years. I had pains in everywhere but I’m still standing up. These guys are so strong, I feel like I’m getting older. He hit his forehands and serve harder but I took my chances to win the match.
Juan Martin del Potro beats Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-4!
After three hours and 45 minutes, Del Potro, the ever-popular 2009 US Open champion, has his opponent on the ropes. It’s match point at 5-4 in the fourth, Del Potro looks for all the world like he’s going to finish it with a forehand – what else? – he winds up ... and blazes out! But on the second match point Khachanov knocks himself out by firing his forehand into the net. The 21-year-old Khachanov is a frightening prospect for the future but the 29-year-old Del Potro has shown he is still a frightening proposition on his day. Delpo must now piece himself back together physically before Saturday’s third-round meeting with Tomas Berdych.
Updated
Much was expected of David Goffin this fortnight. Some were talking about the Belgian as being very much in the mix for the title given the way he ended last season. Word was that he was looking incredible in practice. But he’s not been able to replicate that on the match court and the seventh seed has been beaten 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (4) by the French veteran Julien Benneteau in his final Australian Open.
Monfils said for 40 minutes he was “dying on the court”. Thinks there should be leeway for breaks between points and sets.
— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) January 18, 2018
Pow. Wow. Del Potro floors Khachanov with a forehand winner. The injury is still clearly bothering him so he’s keeping it simple out there, trying to land as many first serves as possible and strike knockout blows with his forehand, one of the most feared shots in tennis. Del Potro leads 5-4 in the fourth and will shortly be serving for the match.
A big win for Hyeon Chung on Court 8. The South Korean’s beaten his Next Gen rival Daniil Medvedev in the battle of the 21-year-olds, 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-1 – and it could be another meeting of precocious talents in the last 32 – if Alex Zverev gets through his second-round match, which follows Del Potro on Hisense.
The spectators have briefly taken off their tin hats on Hisense, in the match of cannonfire between Juan Martin del Potro and Karen Khachanov, because Del Potro is receiving medical treatment for a leg problem. It would be a great shame if an injury was to do for the popular Argentinian today, given the problems he’s had on that front over the years, but he’s still in charge on the scoreboard, leading 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 3-2 with the break in the fourth.
Updated
Our man in Melbourne, Kevin Mitchell, has more on Johanna Konta’s bitterly disappointing defeat earlier:
Updated
Will Ferrell's tip for hydrating in the hot weather: drink plenty of clam chowder. https://t.co/HFHEznh1V6
— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) January 18, 2018
Updated
Given it was only Djokovic’s second match since Wimbledon last July, his fitness in the brutal conditions was impressive, and the elbow didn’t appear to give him too many problems. It may be too soon to say whether he’s a serious contender for the title this year – he can certainly get better – but he must be fairly pleased with his return to the grand slam fray.
Djokovic's 4-set victory a tribute to his fitness and his spirit. He was once the weaker man on brutally hot days like this
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 18, 2018
Updated
No questions about the mooted boycott of the 2019 Australian Open which Djokovic allegedly called for at a players’ meeting last week – but angrily denied after his opening match on Tuesday. Doubt the hacks will give him such an easy ride in the press room later.
Djokovic defeats Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3!
On his fourth match point, Djokovic puts away a volley to get the job done against Monfils. That’s now 15 unanswered wins against the flamboyant but often frail Frenchman, who looked like he might have waved the white flag in the red hot conditions having received treatment from the trainer. “We both suffered on the court today, really tough conditions, brutal, especially for the first hour and a half,” Djokovic says. “Gael is one of the best athletes in our sport, so I was just hanging in there. He wasn’t at his best towards the end of the second set. It’s great to be back again.”
Updated
G'day!
And welcome to day four of the Australian Open, where the heat has been on Johanna Konta – both literally and figuratively. With the temperature hitting around 40 degrees in Melbourne, the Sydney-born British No1 suffered an unexpected second-round exit against the world No123, the American Bernarda Pera, 6-4, 7-5. Going into the match, there were signs that the world No10’s form was returning after a miserable second half of 2017 yielded only two match wins. It’s now back to the drawing board for Konta and her new coach, Michael Joyce.
Konta isn’t the only seed to wilt today, because the maddeningly inconsistent Wimbledon champion and third seed, Garbine Muguruza, has also gone out, 7-6 (1), 6-4 to the unseeded Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan.
There have been straight-sets wins though for Maria Sharapova and the birthday girl Angelique Kerber – who next play each other in a possible blockbuster in round three – and victories too for Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Garcia and Agnieszka Radwanska.
Dominic Thiem is probably still sitting in his ice bath after the fifth seed endured nearly four hours in the soaring heat to come from two sets down to defeat the American Denis Kudla, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Tomas Berdych is also through.
The day session is still going strong with Novak Djokovic on the verge of victory No15 against Gael Monfils, the six-time champion leads 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 5-3. Juan Martin del Potro is 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-5 ahead on serve in the battle of the big hitters with Karen Khachanov, and Hyeon Chung is 7-6 (4), 6-1 up on Daniil Medvedev, which is very much a match for the future.
And all of this with the night session still to come in an hour’s time with Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Australia’s No1 Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep v Eugenie Bouchard under the lights.
So keep cool and carry on reading.
Updated
