Amid all that excitement, I failed to mention that the Australian men’s No2, Matt Ebden, has gone out in straight sets, 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-4 to Alexandr Dolgopolov. Edben has never made it past the second round of a singles draw at a major, and the wait goes on. Meanwhile on the stroke of midnight, the Australian women’s No2, Daria Gavrilova, steps on to court to round off day three’s play (or should it be day four now?) against the Belgian world No36, Elise Mertens. So no sleep for those two but after six hours of typing, I’m tempted to have a little lie-down. Thanks for joining me today and do come back for more of the same tomorrow, when Federer, Djokovic, Wawrinka, Del Potro, Zverev, Muguruza, Sharapova, Halep, Kerber, Barty are all in action, along with Konta. Bye!
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Awesome ovation and reaction from Mackie. Huge grin as the crowd gives him what he deserves.
— Courtney Nguyen (@FortyDeuceTwits) January 17, 2018
Lots to love about McKenzie McDonald......including his name. 🏴 #AusOpen
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 17, 2018
2 5 set matches today where the loser has won more points than the winner, Shapovalov won 7 more than Tsonga,McDonald won 2 more than Dimitrov.
— Nick Lester (@nicklester) January 17, 2018
A visibly relieved Dimitrov, still dripping, speaks.
We used to practice together back in California so I knew him a bit, but he’s improved so much. He played an unbelievable game. I’m just really happy with the win, not because of the way I played but because of the way I fought.
The world No3 kisses the camera and is then ushered off court rather quickly to let Gavrilova and Mertens sleepwalk their way on to Rod Laver.
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Dimitrov downs McDonald 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 8-6!
Dimitrov is flying. He holds to love – and then on the opening point of the next game somehow manages to get to McDonald’s volley and return it with interest for the winner. Will that give him the springboard he needs to finish McDonald off? Possibly yes, because a point later it’s 0-30 for McDonald’s second service game in a row. Again, McDonald gets back to parity at 30-all. Dimitrov, on the run, has the chance to put the forehand down the line for what would have been a winner but he nets! 40-30 McDonald. Deuce, as this time Dimitrov does thread the winner down the line. Advantage Dimitrov – match point – as McDonald double faults. What a time to do it. McDonald winds up a forehand ... but nets! Dimitrov survives after nearly three and a half hours, but all of the pre-match talk about him being one of the biggest contenders for the title will calm a little after that inconsistent display.
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There are no tie-breaks in the fifth set at the Australian Open, remember, so it could be quite some time before the women’s match begins. I wonder if the players are having a sleep in the locker room. Seriously though, it must be so hard to maintain energy levels all evening and come out at this time and play a match. They’ll be relying on adrenaline. Dimitrov is maybe taking pity on them because he charges 0-30 ahead on McDonald’s serve, possibly two points from victory. McDonald recovers to 15-30, and then 30-all when Dimitrov’s lob goes long. And Dimitrov hits beyond the baseline again. 40-30. Deuce. Advantage McDonald. Game McDonald. It’s 6-all.
Dimitrov just hit his third backhand winner of the night. At 6-5 in the fifth. #AusOpen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 17, 2018
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It’s 11.27pm in Melbourne. And Gavrilova v Mertens hasn’t even started yet. Dimitrov edges 6-5 ahead.
McDonald blazes into the tramlines before biffing away a forehand winner. He then pounces on a timid second serve to put away another winning forehand. 30-all. Big point. Will it be game point Dimitrov or break point McDonald that, if the American underdog won, would leave him serving for the match? Game point Dimitrov, as the world No3 has his opponent scurrying right and left. Game Dimitrov, who leads 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 5-4. But the Bulgarian isn’t ahead for long. McDonald is once again lapping up the adulation of the crowd after a remarkable pikc-up as he holds for 5-5.
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But anything Dimitrov can do ... McDonald sprints through on his own serve, holding to 15. It’s 4-4.
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Dimitrov and McDonald are level at 3-3 in the final set, so let’s focus on the denouement. This is a remarkable performance from McDonald, who’s in completely unchartered territory here. Remember, he’s the world No186 who’s playing only his third match at a grand slam. He turned pro a year and a half ago having played college tennis in the US before that.
McDonald ended the previous game by holding his arms aloft and soaking up the applause – he’s certainly gained a few thousand fans in the crowd this evening – and that seems to have riled Dimitrov, who rattles through this service game to lead 4-3 after nearly three hours.
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Day four order of play
Muguruza, Halep, Kerber, Sharapova and Konta all play tomorrow. Here’s the order of play for Thursday:
(All times local, +11 hours from GMT)
Rod Laver Arena
11:00: Maria Sharapova (Rus) v (14) Anastasija Sevastova (Lat), (3) Garbine Muguruza (Spa) v Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe), (14) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v Gael Monfils (Fra), (18) Ashleigh Barty (Aus) v Camila Giorgi (Ita), Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger) v (2) Roger Federer (Swi)
Hisense Arena
11:00: Marketa Vondrousova (Cze) v (8) Caroline Garcia (Fra), Beatriz Haddad Maia (Bra) v (6) Karolina Pliskova (Cze), Karen Khachanov (Rus) v (12) Juan Martin Del Potro (Arg), Peter Gojowczyk (Ger) v (4) Alexander Zverev (Ger)
Margaret Court Arena
11:00: (5) Dominic Thiem (Aut) v Denis Kudla (USA), (21) Angelique Kerber (Ger) v Donna Vekic (Cro), Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rus) v (17) Madison Keys (USA), (1) Simona Halep (Rom) v Eugenie Bouchard (Can), Tennys Sandgren (USA) v (9) Stan Wawrinka (Swi)
Show Court 2
11:00: (9) Johanna Konta (Gbr) v Bernarda Pera (USA), (19) Tomas Berdych (Cze) v Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spa), (7) David Goffin (Bel) v Julien Benneteau (Fra), Denis Istomin (Uzb) & Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) v Samuel Groth (Aus) & Lleyton Hewitt (Aus)
Show Court 3
11:00: (13) Sam Querrey (USA) v Marton Fucsovics (Hun), (29) Lucie Safarova (Cze) v Sorana Cirstea (Rom), Nicholas Monroe (USA) & John-Patrick Smith (Aus) v Nick Kyrgios (Aus) & Matt Reid (Aus), (29) Richard Gasquet (Fra) v Lorenzo Sonego (Ita)
Court 5
11:00: Taylor Townsend (USA) & Renata Voracova (Cze) v (11) Shuko Aoyama (Jpn) & Zhaoxuan Yang (Chn), (1) Lukasz Kubot (Pol) & Marcelo Melo (Bra) v Paolo Lorenzi (Ita) & Mischa Zverev (Ger), Natela Dzalamidze (Rus) & Xenia Knoll (Swi) v (5) Timea Babos (Hun) & Kristina Mladenovic (Fra), Alize Cornet (Fra) & Heather Watson (Gbr) v (15) Alicja Rosolska (Pol) & Abigail Spears (USA)
Court 7
11:00: Tim Smyczek (USA) v (21) Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spa), (28) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Cro) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr), Evgeny Donskoy (Rus) v (25) Fabio Fognini (Ita), Naomi Osaka (Jpn) v (16) Elena Vesnina (Rus)
Court 8
11:00: Lesia Tsurenko (Ukr) v (26) Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol), Ana Bogdan (Rom) v Yulia Putintseva (Kaz), Hyeon Chung (Kor) v Daniil Medvedev (Rus), Fernando Verdasco (Spa) v Maximilian Marterer (Ger)
Court 10
11:00: Guillermo Duran (Arg) & Andres Molteni (Arg) v (3) Jean-Julien Rojer (Ned) & Horia Tecau (Rom), Adil Shamasdin (Can) & Neal Skupski (Gbr) v Marcus Daniell (Nzl) & Dominic Inglot (Gbr), Guido Pella (Arg) & Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (Arg) v Hans Podlipnik-Castillo (Chi) & Andrei Vasilevski (Blr)
Court 12
11:00: Scott Lipsky (USA) & David Marrero (Spa) v (8) Raven Klaasen (Rsa) & Michael Venus (Nzl), (15) Marcin Matkowski (Pol) & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pak) v Marcelo Demoliner (Bra) & Treat Huey (Phi), Damir Dzumhur (Bih) & Dusan Lajovic (Ser) v (2) Henri Kontinen (Fin) & John Peers (Aus)
Court 13
11:00: Nicolas Kicker (Arg) v Lukas Lacko (Svk), Jiri Vesely (Cze) v (26) Adrian Mannarino (Fra), (7) Kiki Bertens (Ned) & Johanna Larsson (Swe) v Nadiia Kichenok (Ukr) & Anastasia Rodionova (Aus), James Cerretani (USA) & Kenneth Skupski (Gbr) v Leonardo Mayer (Arg) & Joao Sousa (Por)
Court 14
11:00: Lara Arruabarrena (Spa) v (20) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cze), Lauren Davis (USA) v Andrea Petkovic (Ger), Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Rus) v Lara Arruabarrena (Spa) & Arantxa Parra Santonja (Spa), Daria Gavrilova (Aus) & Daria Kasatkina (Rus) v Jennifer Brady (USA) & Vania King (USA)
Court 15
11:00: Monique Adamczak (Aus) & Storm Sanders (Aus) v Eri Hozumi (Jpn) & Miyu Kato (Jpn), Jeremy Chardy (Fra) & Fabrice Martin (Fra) v (12) Pablo Cuevas (Uru) & Horacio Zeballos (Arg), Madison Brengle (USA) & Monica Puig (Pur) v Alison Bai (Aus) & Zoe Hives (Aus), (4) Pierre-Hugues Herbert (Fra) & Nicolas Mahut (Fra) v Matthew Ebden (Aus) & John Millman (Aus)
Court 19
11:00: (13) Nicole Melichar (USA) & Kveta Peschke (Cze) v Kimberly Birrell (Aus) & Jaimee Fourlis (Aus), Leander Paes (Ind) & Purav Raja (Ind) v Nikoloz Basilashvili (Geo) & Andreas Haider-Maurer (Aut), Marius Copil (Rom) & Viktor Troicki (Ser) v (16) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Divij Sharan (Ind)
Court 20
11:00: (16) Barbora Krejcikova (Cze) & Katerina Siniakova (Cze) v Priscilla Hon (Aus) & Ajla Tomljanovic (Cro), Zarina Diyas (Kaz) & Magda Linette (Pol) v Naiktha Bains (Aus) & Isabelle Wallace (Aus), Mikhail Elgin (Rus) & Andrey Rublev (Rus) v Max Purcell (Aus) & Luke Saville (Aus), Petra Martic (Cro) & Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk) v Lauren Davis (USA) & Alison Riske (USA)
Court 22
11:00: (6) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Yi Fan Xu (Chn) v Kirsten Flipkens (Bel) & Francesca Schiavone (Ita), (10) Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) v Ryan Harrison (USA) & Vasek Pospisil (Can), Xinyu Jiang (Chn) & Qianhui Tang (Chn) v Mona Barthel (Ger) & Carina Witthoeft (Ger)
And back to Andrew Benton’s question. On the women’s side ... who knows? Predicting anything in the women’s game is an occupational hazard. Wozniacki has the consistency but not the weapons – and is likely to get ousted by one of the bigger hitters at the business end. Garbine Muguruza is arguably the biggest talent in the draw but is incredibly inconsistent and there are question marks over her fitness. Simona Halep is struggling physically too. Angelique Kerber, the 2016 champion, is returning to form and could be in the mix. Maria Sharapova of course has the pedigree. And throw Johanna Konta in there too. She loves playing in Melbourne and looks to have got herself out of the rut she was stuck in during the second half of 2017.
Meanwhile Andy Murray tweets:
Not the sort of trip I envisaged on the way over here...was pumped to get back competing @AustralianOpen but ended up getting hip surgery and doing crosswords with my mum😞 heading home positive about the future✌️
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 17, 2018
Having watched some of the @AustralianOpen on the tv the court speed looks great.. Rewards and allows for attacking tennis... A lot more variety in the points getting played... Much more fun to watch 👍🎾🔥
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 17, 2018
E-I-E-I-SIX-OH: McDonald bagels #3 Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth set and we’re going five. #AusOpen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 17, 2018
Alexandr Dolgopolov has the upper hand on the Australian No2, Matt Ebden, and leads 7-6 (7), 4-3 with the break.
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Set point for McDonald ... and Dimitrov nets! The world No186 has bagelled the world No3 and this one is going the distance. It’s Dimitrov 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6 McDonald.
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@KatyMurrells So, who do you think's going to win? I say Nadal and....Wozniacki, why not. No idea re-doubles. Who's the smart money on?
— Andrew Benton (@thangnangman) January 17, 2018
Nadal certainly should have a say. If he can stay fit, there’s no reason why he can’t go one better last year when he lost in the final to Federer. At the moment the smart money would be on a Rafa v Roger final but the likes of Dimitrov, Kyrgios, Zverev will be hoping to shake up proceedings too. And don’t discount Djokovic if his elbow holds up.
Dimitrov isn’t exactly convincing at the moment, though. Having won that third set you’d expect him to take this match away from McDonald in the fourth, but he’s 4-0 down. It’s disappointing from Dimitrov given how well he ended last season, claiming his biggest title to date at the ATP World Tour Finals and moving to a career-high No3 in the world. This season has been talked about as a potentially defining one for him, when he could finally deliver on his ridiculous talent and win a slam, but he’s showing his inconsistent side today. He’s tanking the fourth set, and now trails 5-0.
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At 5-4 down, serving to stay in the third set, the moment gets to McDonald. The young American slips two set points down, 15-40. But he then shows some touch at the net – not for the first time during the match – and Dimitrov isn’t able to chase it down! 30-40. Dimitrov strikes with a fierce forehand winner to take the set, let out a huge roar and fist pump to his box, where his coach Dani Vallverdu (formerly in Team Murray) is applauding. I thought Dimitrov opted for the tried and tested “COME ON!” after sealing the set. The commentator thinks it was “FIRE UP!”. Anyway, I digress. Dimitrov now leads 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 and the entertaining Russian Andrey Rublev awaits the winner after completing a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 victory over Marcos Baghdatis.
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There could be another break on Rod Laver, because Dimitrov is 0-40 down. The world No3 fends off the first break point, scrambles back to retrieve a lob to save the second and thunders away the third. From 0-40, the Bulgarian’s back to deuce. And after his second advantage, he secures a big hold to lead 4-3 on serve.
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Dimitrov – showing no thought for poor Gavrilova and Mertens in the locker room - just can’t pull away against McDonald. They’ve just traded breaks and it’s 3-3 in the third set.
There are three men’s singles matches still to be settled. Grigor Dimitrov and Mackenzie McDonald – who’s got quite some forehand on him – are still level at one set all, and it’s two games all. Andrey Rublev has the edge over Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 4-2. The Australian No2 Matt Ebden, who put out John Isner in the first round for the biggest win of his career, leads 6-5 on serve in the opening set against Alexandr Dolgopolov. And there’s one women’s match yet to get started: home favourite Daria Gavrilova against Belgium’s Elise Mertens. As the clock ticks past 10pm in Melbourne, it could be a late one.
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Julia Goerges had won 15 consecutive matches coming into today – a run that took in titles in Moscow, Zhuhai and Auckland. But it wasn’t to be a sweet 16. The German 12th seed has been beaten 6-4, 6-3 by France’s Alice Cornet, whose consistency wore Goerges down. Meanwhile the diminutive Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro is through to the last 32, defeating Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
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Umpire takes one for the team #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/leo5UVtq14
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2018
Is my brother ok? 😂 #AusOpen
— Anne Keothavong (@annekeothavong) January 17, 2018
Dimitrov is surely in that chasing pack too. The comeback is on for the third seed, who’s putting the American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald back in his place on Rod Laver. After conceding the first set 6-4, Dimitrov has raced through the second 6-2.
A Nick Kyrgios match wouldn’t be a Nick Kyrgios match without its drama – the noisy helicopter, the crowd disturbances, the broken shoelace, the broken umpire’s microphone and, by the end, the broken umpire – but despite Kyrgios’s frustrations between points, he remained fairly focused during them. His serve – always one of his strongest weapons – was firing and, importantly for him given his injury struggles, he moved well. In the past that’s the kind of match he could have lost but he came through strongly. A few more performances like that and perhaps he should be put in the group behind Federer, Nadal and Djokovic (if fit) as a possible title contender.
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Credit to Kyrgios, who stays on court for around five minutes to sign autographs. Not many players would do that. And then he speaks:
It was tough. A lot of things going on. We had a helicopter above us for three games, and the [umpire’s] mic wasn’t working either. I’m just happy to get through. A lot of adversity, definitely didn’t feel like an Australian Open match. I’m looking forward to [Tsonga]. He’s one of my idols and a good friend of mine.
Kyrgios beats Troicki 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (2)!
It’s tie-break time on Hisense. Will Kyrgios settle the match or will Troicki take it to a fourth set? Kyrgios has Troicki slipping and sliding at the net at 1-1, before curling a wonderful forehand winner down the line to make it 2-1, which soon becomes 3-1 and then 4-1. That’s three points on the spin for Kyrgios and two on Troicki’s serve. Kyrgios then rifles down a serve ... which Troicki blazes straight into the umpire James Keothavong’s right ear. Ouch. Keothavong somehow manages a smile and quips that it’s not his day, presumably a reference to the technical difficulties he’s had with his microphone during the match and the amount of grief he’s had to put up with from both players. 5-1 Kyrgios, make that 6-1, five match points. Troicki saves the first but can do nothing about the second as Kyrgios clobbers away a winner! The Australian No1 takes his applause from the home crowd and advances to the third round, where he’ll play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the finalist here 10 years ago. Tsonga perhaps isn’t as dangerous as he was but he can still produce a performance on his day – as he did earlier against Denis Shapovalov – so Friday’s match could be a cracker.
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A storm could be brewing on Rod Laver, where Mackenzie McDonald, the American qualifier with only one grand slam match win to his name, has taken the first set 6-4 against Grigor Dimitrov. No one would have predicted this; Dimitrov looked in such fine form in the opening round.
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Kyrgios blinks! Serving for the match, he’s broken for the first time. From match point up in the previous game, it’s now 5-5 and Kyrgios needs to regroup. His mental resilience looks to have improved this year; he must now prove it.
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And look here, Kyrgios has match point on Troicki’s serve at 5-3, 30-40 in the third set. Troicki biffs a backhand deep to Kyrgios’s left wing, the Australian gets it back but Troicki settles matters with a deft volley. Deuce. Advantage Troicki. Game Troicki. Kyrgios will have to serve this out.
If you’re just joining the live blog, some thoughts on Kyle Edmund’s win earlier. Britain’s only representative in the men’s singles played superbly in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over the dangerous Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, who stunned Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open last year. It was impressive the way the 23-year-old maintained his focus after his five-set win over last year’s US Open runner-up, Kevin Anderson, in the first round. Edmund will go into his third-round match as the favourite against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili and, given how his quarter of the draw has opened up, the world No49 has a real chance of reaching the last eight. This could be a defining slam for him.
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Kyrgios – despite the increase in mutterings and murmurings as the match has gone on – is in command. He has the break in the third to lead Troicki 7-5, 6-4, 3-2. I’m not sure why he’s getting involved with so many verbals, he doesn’t need to. Perhaps it’s proving so straightforward for him on court that he’s getting bored. It’s an interesting dynamic between him and the home crowd; undoubtedly he has their support but they do enjoy winding him up too. A drop shot from the baseline doesn’t come off for Kyrgios but it doesn’t matter. He’s serving so well and he holds for 4-2.
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Dimitrov doesn’t seem to have read the script. The Bulgarian’s an early break down, 4-2, to Mackenzie McDonald, the 22-year-old world No186 from Los Angeles who only turned pro a year and a half ago after a successful college career. Dimitrov conceded the break to love.
Grigor Dimitrov is under way on Rod Laver. The third seed is one of the favourites to claim the men’s title but he certainly won’t be winning any prizes for his dress sense. Once again he’s clad in pink, or the Liquorice Allsorts outfit as some have called it. Mind you, the pink has been serving the Nike-sponsored players pretty well this tournament, given the form of Rafael Nadal, Kyle Edmund, Nick Kyrgios and Juan Martin del Potro.
Sweet. #punintended pic.twitter.com/YP1qnrmOKz
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 17, 2018
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A match report for your perusal:
15-0, 30-0, 40-0 Kyrgios, after a bit of Hawk-Eye drama. Clever from Kyrgios on the first set point, as he takes the pace off his backhand. It takes Troicki by surprise, who can’t get it back into play. Kyrgios leads 7-5, 6-4. And now it’s Troicki’s turn to get involved in some between-game antics, as he challenges a fan “to meet me after the match”. The crowd riled him with a “10, 9, 8 ...” countdown in the ninth game after one of his laces snapped, so maybe it’s some afters from that.
Kyrgios is cruising on Hisense. He leads 7-5, 5-3, with Troicki serving to stay in the second set. There’s been a bit of chatter from Kyrgios to the umpire, Britain’s James Keothavong, during this set because of some off-court distractions including a noisy helicopter and a fan trying to film Kyrgios from the crowd but he’s putting in a pretty professional performance out there. Troicki holds, and then Kyrgios has a few more words for the umpire, before he steps up to the plate to serve for a two-set lead ...
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It wasn't easy but Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares are into round two of the doubles after a 5-7 6-4 6-4 win over Tiafoe and Young
— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) January 17, 2018
Britain’s Laura Robson, meanwhile, with her American partner Coco Vandeweghe, lost in the first round of the women’s doubles earlier. Robson hasn’t been able to find a way back to the top of the game after her wrist problems and, at 227 in the world, wasn’t ranked high enough to play in the singles this year. Here’s an interesting piece from our tennis correspondent, Kevin Mitchell, about Robson’s struggles.
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Elsewhere: Andrey Rublev, the talented young Russian, leads Marcos Baghdatis, the 2006 finalist, 6-4, 4-4. Casper Ruud’s run is over, the teenager comprehensively beaten 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 by the 24th seed, Diego Schwartzman.
The American horror story in this half of the women’s draw has reached its grisly conclusion with the last remaining US player – Nicole Gibbs – beaten 7-6, 6-0 by Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands. Madison Keys, Lauren Davis and Bernarda Pera play in the other half of the draw tomorrow though.
And Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi – who was 630 in the world last summer after a long period off tour because of injuries and illness – has defeated the 2016 Olympic champion, Monica Puig, 6-4, 6-3. Kanepi said that at her lowest point she didn’t care if she never played tennis again but she’s now through to the third round of a slam for the first time since 2014.
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While Kyrgios stays calm, Troicki is struggling to keep his emotions in check. After being broken at the start of the second set, the Serb whacks a ball into the skies, and receives a code violation for his troubles. Kyrgios leads 7-5, 2-0.
An ace down the middle from Kyrgios – his 10th point on the spin – seals the set, 7-5. There’s been no craziness so far, instead composure. Perhaps he is finally growing up. The mercurial Australian has had a superb and serene start to 2018 – winning the Brisbane warmup – and he’s carried that into the early rounds here. Having not been past the second round of a grand slam in 2017, he could do some real damage at Melbourne Park if he stays fit and focused.
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Nadal’s win means the night session will be under way soon on Rod Laver, though a little later than planned. First up: Grigor Dimitrov, the third seed, against the American Mackenzie McDonald. Meanwhile on Hisense, it’s into the business end of the first set between Nick Kyrgios and Viktor Troicki, who are level at 5-5. But then two double faults in a row from Troicki and it’s three break points to Kyrgios at 0-40! A long rally, Kyrgios finally steps it up, then steps into court to dispatch the winner! Kyrgios leads 6-5 and will serve for the first set.
Nadal speaks.
Leonardo is a player with big potential. I had to hit some great shots in the tie-break to beat him. Being here is a very special feeling for me. He’s a tough opponent and I wish him all the best for the season.
I’m happy to be in the third round. A second win in a row is important for me. Being here is a special feeling. It’s been a long day and the crowd are still here, so many thanks.
He’s asked how his knees are feeling. With his best poker face on, he gives nothing away. Nadal’s then asked what it’s like without Uncle Toni in his box, who stepped down as his coach at the end of last year:
Hopefully he was watching the match at home. I have my team here with me and we are working the right way. Toni is always there when we need anything.
Nadal beats Mayer 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4)!
Two match points for Nadal at 6-4 in the third-set tie-break. Mayer can’t get Nadal’s serve back into play and that’s that! Nadal wins 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) and, ever the gent, applauds Mayer off court. The score perhaps doesn’t reflect how well the Argentinian played; he really took it to the world No1. But the stats do show how well Nadal played: 40 winners, only 10 unforced errors and his first serve was over 70%. Knee problems? Pah! What knee problems. If Nadal is feeling fine physically, there’s no reason why he can’t go a set better than last year and win the title.
Updated
The latest performance of the Nick Kyrgios show is under way on Hisense. Australia’s top title hope was nice Nick in the first round; apart from an early warning from the umpire after venting at a noisy fan who interrupted him, he was on his best behaviour. But will it be naughty Nick today? He’s taking on Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, another bad boy of tennis who is no stranger to a rant or two. Troicki, who served a ban a few years ago for violating tennis’ anti-doping programme for failing to provide a blood sample, was introduced on court today as a “journeyman of the tour”. Not sure whether he’ll take that as a compliment or not. It’s going with serve early on, Troicki leading 2-1. Make that 2-2, sealed with a huge serve from down the T from Kyrgios.
Have you EVER seen an outburst like this at #Wimbledon!? Viktor Troicki 😳 https://t.co/JPRDrazzC1
— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) June 30, 2016
I was about to write match point Nadal at 6-3, 6-4, 5-4. But then Leonardo Mayer comes up with a raking forehand winner and instead it’s 30-40, break point. Rafa recovers to deuce but he then goes long! Another break point, Mayer’s advantage. And the Argentinian takes it! What a time for Mayer to break for the first time in this match. It’s 5-5 in the third.
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There’s plenty of screaming and fist pumping on the Margaret Court Arena, because Jelena Ostapenko is through. Ying-Ying Duan overcooks a forehand and Ostapenko, the seventh seed, advances 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Having surprised everyone to win the 2017 French Open at the age of 19, she’ll be determined to show this year that she’s not a one-slam wonder. One to watch this fortnight.
The results so far
Men’s singles, second round
Damir Dzumhur (28), Bosnia-Herzegovina, def. John Millman, Australia, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Pablo Carreno-Busta (10), Spain, def. Gilles Simon, France, 6-2, 3-0.
Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, def. Malek Jaziri, Tunisia, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 3-6, 6-2.
Ryan Harrison, United States, def. Pablo Cuevas (31), Uruguay, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Marin Cilic (6), Croatia, def. Joao Sousa, Portugal, 6-1, 7-5, 6-2.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (15), France, def. Denis Shapovalov, Canada, 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
Kyle Edmund, Britain, def. Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgia, def. Ruben Bemelmans, Belgium, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.
Andreas Seppi, Italy, def. Yoshihito Nishioka, Japan, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.
Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, def. Yuichi Sugita, Japan, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 7-5, 4-6, 12-10.
Women’s singles, second round
Luksika Kumkhum, Thailand, def. Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, 6-1, 6-3.
Petra Martic, Croatia, def. Irina Begu, Romania, 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Denisa Allertova, Czech Republic, def. Zhang Shuai, China, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Magda Linette, Poland, def. Daria Kasatkina (22), Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine, def. Olivia Rogowska, Australia, 6-3, 7-5.
Elina Svitolina (4), Ukraine, def. Katerina Siniakova, Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Katerina Bondarenko, Ukraine, def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (15), Russia, 6-2, 6-3.
Magdalena Rybarikova (19), Slovakia, def. Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.
Caroline Wozniacki (2), Denmark, def. Jana Fett, Croatia, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
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What of the night session, you ask? Well it has a strong Australian air to it. Nick Kyrgios will kick off the action shortly on the Hisense Arena against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki. There are two other home favourites in action: Matthew Ebden plays Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov and Daria Gavrilova faces Belgium’s Elise Mertens. Away from the Aussies, we’ll also get another glimpse at one of the favourites for the men’s title, Grigor Dimitrov, who should have a fairly straightforward evening against the American Mackenzie McDonald.
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The day session ain’t over until it’s over, though. Rafael Nadal, following Wozniacki and Svitolina’s three-set victories on Rod Laver, got on court a little later than expected but doesn’t look like he’s planning to hang around for long. The top seed looks in top nick, leading Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 6-3, 6-4. You can follow Mike Hytner’s game-by-game here.
Jelena Ostapenko, last year’s fearless French Open champion, had a fairly easy time of it in the first round against the 37-year-old Francesca Schiavone, but has been taken to a third set today. The 20-year-old Latvian is 3-1 up in that decider against China’s Ying-Ying Duan.
Nicole Gibbs, the only American woman in singles action on day three after that miserable Monday for the US saw Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe go out, is a set down, 7-6 (3), to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.
Also on court: Monica Puig, the unlikely Olympic champion of 2016, is in the first set against Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi. And Casper Ruud, the teenage Norwegian qualifier, trails Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-4. Both players won their opening matches 11-9 in the fifth set so perhaps aren’t feeling too sprightly today.
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Hello!
Welcome to day three of the Australian Open. Or more accurately the second part of day three. As the clock ticks past 6pm in Melbourne, play has been going for seven hours, and there have already been some right old battles.
Caroline Wozniacki, the second seed, came back from the brink, 5-1 and two match points down in the final set, to win six games on the spin and survive 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 against the world No119, Jana Fett.
Elina Svitolina, the bookies’ favourite for the women’s title despite having never won a grand slam, also needed three sets to advance. The Ukrainian eventually prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 against the Czech Katerina Siniakova.
Svitolina will next play her compatriot Marta Kostyuk, who’s creating one of the stories of the tournament. The 15-year-old world No521 defeated Australia’s Olivia Rogowska 6-3, 7-5 to become the youngest player to reach the third round of a major since 1997.
On the men’s side, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 2008 finalist and man who perhaps should have been a grand slam king given his explosive talent, has downed Denis Shapovalov, the man (well only just - he’s 18) who could be king in the future. Tsonga recovered from 5-2 down in the fifth to beat the explosive Canadian 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 and avenge his loss at last year’s US Open.
Good news for British interests: Kyle Edmund has backed up his big win over the 11th seed, Kevin Anderson, in the first round with a businesslike 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, who put Novak Djokovic out of this tournament last year (more on Edmund shortly).
And two of Monday’s conquerors have been conquered: Belinda Bencic – after ousting Venus Williams – has lost, as has Zhang Shuai, who stunned Sloane Stephens in the first round.
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