Thiem beats Paire 4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, 3-6!
What a marathon, a five-set slog. But it is Dominic Thiem, the No 7 who comes out on top. Benoit Paire did superbly to fight back from two sets down but, eventually, came unstuck as Thiem dipped into the reserve tank at the death. Almost four hours later, Paire’s wait to beat a top-10 player in a slam for only the second time goes on. A huge effort from both players. Thiem will face Alexei Popyrin, the 19-year-old Australian in the next round. “I wish it could have been a little bit shorter,” Thiem says. “It’s 2.15am, thank you guys for staying up so late. But I’m very happy that I thought back and I will use a nice day off tomorrow.”
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Dominic Thiem earns a FOURTH match point. Can he?
Wow! Thiem arches is back in agony, as Paire saves not one but three match points. Paire bounces a shot off the net cord to take things to deuce. What a contest, with Paire, on his haunches, producing some wonder shots. A disbelieving Thiem looks like he just wants the court to gobble him up.
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Thiem goes to 40-15. He has two match points.
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Thiem moves to 30-15 at 5-3 up. It has gone 2am in Melbourne, maybe that explains Paire’s ridiculous challenges. Anything will do at this stage of the game.
Thiem breaks Paire – after a 21-shot marathon rally! Things were looking rosy when Paire slammed his 21st of the match zooming beyond Thiem. But then he missed a simple backhand at 40-30. At deuce, his first serve lets him down and then he fires a wild forehand wide. At break point, Thiem stays in a long slog of a rally and Paire, whose legs fell strenuously heavy, cannot pull off an ambitious lob. Dominic Thiem will serve for the game, set and match ...
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Thiem leads the final set 4-3. Paire, with his collar up, is not feeling quite so cool. Paire spoons a backhand long, and Thiem clinches the seventh game of the fifth set. It’s anyone’s game.
Paire clinches his service game. It’s 3-3 in the fifth.
It’s hardly cloak and dagger, as Thiem wins another service game. A 13th double fault by Thiem almost allows Paire in for a sniff of a break. But a gift by the Frenchman – a sloppy forehand into the net – helps Thiem re-take the lead. Thiem leads 3-2 in the fifth.
Just as they started this match, Thiem and Paire are looking inseparable once more, level-pegging at 2-2 in the fifth set. And just as Thiem sensed he could break Paire, the Frenchman hammers an unstoppable serve down the middle of the court to oil the engine for a comeback. Then a sweeping forehand leaves Thiem in trouble.
A fist pump from Thiem, as he moves into the lead in the final set. The Austrian, who has been pegged back after establishing a two-set lead, is 2-1 up in the fifth. We will have a winner, sooner or later. It is 1.40am local time in Melbourne, so the numbers are dwindling in the crowd. There are a couple of hundred spectators left.
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A fairly predictable start to the fifth set: Paire is bouncing from pillar to post, darting into the net and lapping up Thiem’s mistakes. Thiem is staggering round the court, allowing Paire a comfortable hold. It is 1-1, with Thiem serving to try and snatch back the lead. The atmosphere has fallen flat. Even the crowd are exhausted.
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Inevitably, in the end, Benoit Paire wins the fourth set 6-1! And the Frenchman probably heads into the fifth – and final – set against Dominic Thiem as favourite. Both players were trying to expend a little less energy in the closing stages of that one, safe in the knowledge they were going to have to try and last the distance. It may come down to who has more legs left to finish the job. Thiem does look shattered, Paire a little more composed.
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The fourth set is turning into something of a whitewash. Benoit Paire is absolutely flying. He feels a million dollars, 5-0 up now. Paire is a game away from restoring parity. He has shown some real mettle. Thiem needs to try and arrest the slide. His bounce-back ability is part of the reason he has established himself inside the top 10 in the world, but he is way off the pace at the moment. Paire, by contrast, can suddenly do no wrong.
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Paire storms into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. And a brittle-looking Dominic Thiem feels like the world is against him. First he is on the wrong end of a challenge from Paire’s serve before his opponent’s wild backhand helps him back in. But the Frenchman steadies himself and takes a fifth consecutive game. Thiem is struggling. Funny old game, eh?
It is a case of role reversal on Margaret Court, with Benoit Paire suddenly in the driving seat, having raced into a 2-0 lead in the fourth set. Thiem looks weary and could badly do with changing things up a little, if he has the energy or appetite to do so. A five-setter is the last thing he needs.
Benoit Paire wins the third set 7-5 – but the winner is extremely fortuitous! Paire earns a third set point – and this time takes it – with a dinked drop shot glancing off the roof of the net and fooling Dominic Thiem, who suddenly looks as though he’s on his last legs. Neither player can have much left in the tank, with three hours of play gone. So, it’s 4-6, 3-6, 7-5 – and counting.
Paire takes it to 6-5 in the third. Can Thiem bounce back?
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Dominic Thiem saves two set points to take proceedings to 5-5 in the third. Paire lets Thiem back in at 40-15, and boots the tennis ball in fury. Thiem takes it to deuce, when Paire’s ambitious lob doesn’t come off. Then comes an unwavering ace, his fifth of this marathon contest. Relief for team Thiem, who is sweating buckets.
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Hats off to Benoit Paire, who shows superb resilience to poke his nose in front at 5-4 in the third. He had to dig in and stave off Thiem in a slogging rally at deuce, before the Frenchman took advantage. So close yet so far for Thiem, who already has two sets in the bag. He must have thought the end was nigh, two-and-a-half hours in. Saying that, it still could be.
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Thiem levels things up at 4-4 – but Pair is not a happy bunny, insisting the Austrian’s winner was outside the line. Wishful thinking on Paire’s part. All of that after Paire spanners his racket into the advertising hoardings and the umpire tells off a spectator – like a naughty child at teatime – for having a word with Paire, in what is a fairly empty court.
Paire holds to take the next game and move in front at 4-3. He may be two sets behind, but the Frenchman has shown plenty of fight. Thiem thought he had rumbled Paire then, but was defeated at deuce. Can Paire finish off the job?
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Paire eats up another service game. He leads Thiem 3-2 in the third set. Both have squandered chances to run off into the sunset.
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Paire leads the third set 2-1. Paire is working his way through a lovely back catalogue of shots – a cheeky lob, a deft touch and a cute volley. The Frenchman is trying to change the course of this match, but Thiem still holds all the cards, two sets to the good. A lax volley at the net almost sees Paire come unstuck but he – just about – comes out on top of a very fun rally. Thiem works wonders to reach a dink that drops right on the tramlines and then kisses the net, but Paire prospers.
Dominic Thiem picks up the second set 6-3, topping things off with a ripping backhand down the line. It was a real beauty. Thiem is very much in the driving seat, looking comfortable. Benoit Paire, however, looks shot. A spent force, perhaps.
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Nick Kyrgios has had his say on his first-round exit:
I don’t think that was at all the reason I lost today. He [Milos Raonic] played unbelievable. Unbelievable serving. Never seen serving like that in my life. I’ve never been a part of it. I was just watching it literally going side to side. I was trying to mix up where I was standing, trying to move before, during, like trying to do anything. He was in such a good rhythm on serve, I couldn’t do anything. He was way too good tonight. Every time I returned, he served and volleyed. He volleyed unbelievable. He was so composed on big points, he made returns, jag returns on big points on my serve. He was way too good for me tonight.”
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The winner of this match faces Alexei Popyrin, the teenage Australian who sent Mischa Zverev packing a little earlier. The 19-year-old won 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 and his reward will be a date with either Thiem or Paire. Time for a quick glance at the second-round action coming your way:
Men’s singles draw
Djokovic v Tsonga, Daniel v Shapovalov, Goffin v Copil, Harrison v Medvedev, Fognini v Mayer, Ivashka v Carreno Busta, Kohlschreiber v Sousa, Karlovic v Nishikori, Zverev v Chardy, Bolt v Simon, Chung v Herbert, Wawrinka v Raonic, Coric v Fucsovics, Donskay v Krajinovic, Pouille v Marterer, Cilic v McDonald, Albot v Verdasco, Bautista Agut v Millman, Nishioka v Khachanov, Tsitsipas v Troicki, Travaglia v Basilashvili, Monfils v Fritz, Evans v Federer, Anderson v Tiafoe, Thompson v Seppi, Dimitrov v Cuevas, Fabbiano v Opelka, Berdych v Haase, Kuala v Schwartzman, de Minaur v Laaksonen, Ebden v Nadal, Popyrin v Paire/Thiem
After a very competitive first set, the crowd are filtering out from Margaret Court, as Paire begins to throw his toys out of the pram. He cuts a frustrated figure, while Thiem has steadied himself at the perfect time. He looks composed and ready to thrash out what’s left of this set. Thiem leads 4-1 in the second, with Paire serving. But the Frenchman wallops a superb backhand beyond Thiem and kickstarts the comeback.
Ah, Benoit Paire is livid with himself after failing to build on taking the first game of the second set. Thiem fights back into pole position, to lead 2-1 in the second. A wide forehand by the Frenchman helps Thiem into the ascendency. As day two gradually draws to a close, a quick look at the women’s second-round action on the way over the next 48 hours:
Women’s singles draw
Halep v Kenin, Cornet v V Williams, Navarro v Yastremska, Bouchard v S Williams, Bacsinszky v Vikhlyantseva, Konta v Muguruza, Giorgi v Swiatek, Brengle v Pliskova, Osaka v Zidansek, Siegemund v Hsieh, Wang v Krunic, Andreescu v Sevastova, Mertens v Gasparyan, Potapova v Keys, Zhang v Pliskova, Kuzmova v Svitolina, Kvitova v Begu, Bencic v Putintseva, Tsurenko v Anisimova, Boulter v Sabalenka, Barty v Wang, Sharma v Sakkari, Sharapova v Peterson, Larsson v Wozniacki, Stephens v Babos, Vondrousova v Martic, Kontaveit v Sasnovich, Pavlyuchenkova v Bertens, Collins v Vickery, Hives v Garcia, Vekic v Birrell, Haddad Maia v Kerber
Dominic Theim wins first set against Benoit Paire 6-4! A wild return by Thiem helps Paire to deuce, who pulls out a timely fifth ace. Paire then throws one long, and challenges in vain. Thiem then gets a slice of luck, holding his hands up apologetically as his backhand cannons off the top of the net, eluding the Frenchman. And then Paire darts wide and Thiem takes the set. Paire is grumbling that Thiem’s shot was out, but the umpire is having none of it. The Austrian takes first blood.
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What a game! Benoit Paire and Dominic Thiem are inseparable, with the Frenchman turning it on to breeze through and take the eighth game. They are neck and neck at 4-4 in the first set. Paire has never gone further than the third round in Melbourne. The winner will play Alexei Popyrin, the 19-year-old who swatted Mischa Zverev aside earlier. Thiem looks a little rattled, summed up by a double fault after a hefty second serve.
Osaka sealed victory over Linette in just 58 minutes, but Thiem and Paire are thrashing things out on Margaret Court. It is hard graft for both players, both slogging it out, with the Austrian shading it at the moment. Thiem leads 3-2, but it look as though it is going to be a marathon. Both are pretty nifty on serve. No breaks so far. Thiem made it to the fourth round in 2017 and 2018.
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Naomi Osaka, the reigning US Open, talks. The 21-year-old made that look easy. First things first, what about those pesky bugs? “I’m not really that great at catching, I would accidentally squish them so it’s probably not a good idea for me [to help remove them].” Don’t say I don’t bring you all the big news and reaction.
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Osaka beats Linette 6-4, 6-2!
After a raft of 16 winners helped clinch the first set, Naomi Osaka wraps up the second with an aggressive finish against Magda Linette. Only after a ballboy makes a real mess of removing an unwanted beastie from the court. The crowd love it, though, gasping and sighing at the ballboys’ troubles, before Osaka proceeds to breeze to 40-0. The Japanese takes the final game with a dynamite ace. Osaka seals victory inside the hour.
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Deep into day two, Dominic Thiem gets the ball rolling with two shellacking aces. On Rod Laver, Naomi Osaka leads 3-1 in the second set after clinching the first. Magda Linette has it all to do.
What’s still on the menu on day two? Well, Naomi Osaka is into the second set of her duel with Magda Linette and Benoit Paire takes on No 7 seed Dominic Thiem on Margaret Court shortly, after Halep has just beaten Kanepi in what proved a real battle for last year’s runner-up. A reminder that Johanna Konta, Elina Svitolina, Serena and Venus Williams, Alex Zverev and Kei Nishikori are among the names to have already booked their second-round spots.
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Halep talks after a fine comeback victory, against Kanepi, who knocked the Romanian out of the US Open. “I don’t want to remember that match because it was a tough one,” the world No 1 says. “I knew that she was a very tough opponent, I had to be strong on the legs and believe that I could win the match. I am very happy that I can play in the second round. It is not easy to play against Kaia.” Halep really does speak brilliantly too, and does so here in this interview with Donald McRae:
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Halep beats Kanepi 6-7, 6-4, 6-2!
The No 1 was pushed all of the way, but Halep is all smiles after fighting back to beat Kaia Kanepi, who left the Romanian in a real quandary after the first set. A sigh of relief as Halep gets the job done. A bruising defeat for Kanepi, who performed magnificently. Halep knows she was a little lucky to be able to come back, up the ante and take victory.
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Kanepi will serve to stay in the match. A no-nonsense, business-like game from Halep means she is now just a few points away from a place in the second round. Kalepi has amassed a worrying 56 unforced errors. Halep has shown great mental strength after dropping the first set. Can she complete the comeback?
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Want to feel warm and fuzzy about Andy Murray again?
A medical timeout for Kanepi, who needs treatment on a bloody and blistered left hand, moments after Simona Halep broke serve to motor into a 4-2 lead in he third. Halep did brilliantly to dig herself out of a hole, with Kanepi failing to punish the Romanian at 40-0, only for Halep to turn it around. Naomi Osaka, the No 4, is 3-2 up in the first set against Magda Linette. Meanwhile, Shuang Zhai topples 26th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 4-6 6-2. She’ll face Kristyna Pliskova in round two.
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Raonic talks, after easing past Kyrgios. He will play Stan Wawrinka in round two. “I’m very glad I served well, that was incredibly important,” he says. “I want to come forward, I have done it in spurts in my career but I need to give myself a chance to play at the top level. It’s tough against Nick because he takes the match through so many motions, so it’s important that you stay on top yourself. On to the next one.” On Margaret Court, Halep and Kanepi are level-pegging at 2-2 in the third set.
Raonic beats Kyrgios 6-4, 7-6, 6-4!
A trademark start by Milos Raonic, who wellies another ace down the middle of the court. Nick Kyrgios can only bow his head. But back comes Kyrgios with an arcing forehand – the crowd soak it up. Then comes another lethal ace before Raonic removed the angles for Kyrgios, who plays a forehand into the net to earn the Canadian two match points. He doesn’t need them both, sealing victory with an unerring ace, of course.
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Kyrgios earns himself a stay of execution. He turns it on, racing into a 40-0 lead, with an unnecessary no-look forehand rounding things off nicely. A swift service game by Kyrgios. So, Raonic will serve for the match. It still feels like only a matter of time.
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Kyrgios will serve to stay in the match! Raonic comes to the net after a dominant forehand and Kyrgios can only reply with a wild shot, almost verging into Row Z territory. Raonic has looked in the mood throuhgout, very clever at the net, with a couple of cute volleys. His game is not entirely reliant on aces. Raonic is just a game away from dumping Kyrgios out on home soil. Halep, meanwhile, has taken the first game of the third set, nudging herself in front for the first time on Margaret Court.
The home crowd are roaring on Nick Kyrgios – but can he deliver the goods? Raonic hammers another ace – a preposterous 26th in this match – down the middle of the court to power into a 4-2 lead in the third. Raonic’s performance has been calm and slick, typified by a sweeping forehand on the angle beyond the Australian as Kyrgios groaned his way through an earlier rally.
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Halep – at long last – wins the second set 6-4! Kalepi takes the No 1 the full distance. It was a marathon 10th game, but Halep eventually prospers, after slapping her thighs in frustration after failing to finish off Kalepi in three previous set points. Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, is throwing a wobbly, fuming at the line judge and, before long, he will doubtless be throwing in the towel. Raonic has broken serve and leads by two sets, 3-2 up in the third.
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Halep is having to dig deep against Kanepi. The No 1 was knocked out of the US Open by the Estonian and has no intentions of a repeat. Kanepi will serve to stay in the second set after Halep, last year’s runner-up in Melbourne, pulls out all of the stops to power into a 5-4 lead. As for Kyrgios, he is showcasing the good, bad and the ugly of his game, as he moves 2-1 up in the third. Raonic is very much in the driving seat, though, two sets to the good. It is never plain sailing when Kyrgios is involved. And further treatment on his right knee in the changeover.
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Djokovic beats Krueger 6-3, 6-2, 6-2!
Some breathtaking tennis, from both sides, but, in the end, it was a fairly routine win for the No 1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga awaits.
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Djokovic is serving for the match, 5-2 up in the third. Just Australian hopes looked to be dwindling, with Kyrgios rampages beyond Raonic to take the first game of the third set from 40-0. Of course. As for Halep, she is beginning to shade things against Kanepi, up 4-3 in the second.
Raonic takes the second set 7-6! Things go from bad to worse for Nick Kyrgios, who loses out in the tie-break 7-5. It is extremely difficult to see the Australian taking it to five sets on this evidence, clearly not too invested in the outcome, either way. Raonic, the No 16, has outclassed Kyrgios from start to finish so far. Kyrgios has only came back to record victory from two sets down twice in his career. Simona Halep, meanwhile, has rallied on Margaret Court, hitting back to 3-3 in the second.
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It is all a bit cat-and-mouse between Djokovic and Krueger, as the Serb edges into a 3-2 lead in the third. Djokovic delights as he breaks Krueger at long last, punching the air and, clearly, he is no longer just breezing these games. A wonderful dinked drop shot helps Djokovic on his way but, after breaking, he has the tools to power away now.
Things are hotting up around the courts: Djokovic and Krueger are tied at 2-2 in the third, while Kaia Kanepi continues to pile the pressure on the No 1 seed Simona Halep. The Romanian trails 2-1 in the second in what is turning out to be a pretty miserable match against Kanepi. As for Kyrgios, he is hardly going down with a fight. Kyrgios appears to be experimenting with half-baked drop shots, while Raonic is so well-drilled. His aces are killing the game; the Canadian has powered a monstrous 27 serves in a row past his opposite number without reply. Nevertheless, Kyrgios takes the second set to an unlikely tie-break.
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Krueger saves five break points to lead 2-1 in the third set. Djokovic looks pretty exasperated. At Melbourne Arena, not only is Raonic schooling Kyrgios but the former is rattling through points on service. He just won 23 points in a row on his serve. Pretty frightening statistics. The numbers that matter, though, are that Raonic leads 6-5 in the second after taking the first. Stan Wawrinka awaits the winner.
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Krueger is not going quietly. The American takes things to an eighth deuce against Djokovic in the third game of the third set. Both No 1s are certainly being made to work. Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios is serving to stay in the second set against the Canadian Milos Raonic. A showboating Kyrgios has just thrown a backhand into the net.
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Kanepi wins first set 7-6 against Halep! The No 1’s late mini-resurgence ultimately proves in vain as Kanepi storms the tie-break 7-2. Kanepi’s power is causing havoc for Halep, last year’s runner-up in Australia, who it goes without saying, is almightily frustrated. Kanepi knocked Halep out of the first round of the US Open last year. Bludgeoning strokes are again proving fatal for Halep. Deja vu! Krueger, meanwhile, is lighting up the game on Rod Laver, with an extraordinary volley at the net wooing the crowd as he makes life difficult for the Serb at 1-1 in the third. Even Djokovic is impressed.
Simona Halep wriggles out of trouble against Kaia Kanepi! The No 1 survives two set points on Margaret Court. She is a warrior and fights back against the No 70 to take it to a tie-break, digging deep with a fierce defence, holding with a backhand winner. At Melbourne Arena, Milos Raonic continues to get the better of Nick Kyrgios, who trails 3-2 in the second set after the Canadian wrapped up the first. Meanwhile, Krueger, who has given a decent account of himself, takes the first game in the third against Djokovic before the Serb pulls level.
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Djokovic wins the second set 6-2! This looks every inch like being the routine three-set victory that the No 1 will have been confident of from the outset. Krueger has played some nice stuff, but this is threatening to turn into a cakewalk. Djokovic has shown touches of class but has not really had to get out of first gear. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga awaits. If only Halep was finding things so easy. The Romanian is serving to stay in the first set.
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Raonic takes the first set 6-4 against Kyrgios! The Australian is seemingly struggling with his right knee. Over on Margaret Court, the No 1 seed Simona Halep is not having it all her own away against Kaia Kanepi. The Romanian has been made to work to hit back to 4-4 in the first. Dominika Cibulkova, meanwhile, will also have to come from behind if she is to reach the second round. Zhang Shuai won the first set 6-2 and is determined to go the distance in the second at 4-4.
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Djokovic leads Krueger 4-1. Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, has a green-and-gold army of fans behind him against Milos Raonic. It is a tightly-contested affair, which feels more like a quarter-final than a first-round match-up. But is there trouble in paradise for the Australian? Kyrgios has the trainer on, receiving treatment on his right knee. Raonic leads 5-4.
Djokovic is making light work of this contest – but it is not lacking in entertainment. A sweet Djokovic drop shot lands Krueger in trouble, and his ambitious backs-to-the-wall tweener cannot get him out of jail. But then Krueger plays a beautiful forehand whizzing past Djokovic. It’s enough for the Serb to applaud his opponent, who rightly basks in such marvel. At the Melbourne Arena, Kyrgios and Raonic are duelling in the first, though the Canadian is edging things at 4-4. Halep trails Kanepi 2-3.
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We have an upset: Filip Krajinovic defeats No 17 seed Marco Cecchinato 4-6, 0-6 6-1, 7-6(8), 6-4 to reach the second round at the Australian Open for the first time. Djokovic, meanwhile, is all smiles. The Serb is playing some lovely tennis, in the groove after a sluggish start. After kissing the top of the net on four successive occasions, even Carlos Ramos cannot help but chuckle. “Come on, man!” says Djokovic as he strikes the net cord – again. Djokovic leads 2-1 in the second. Halep and Kyrgios are both level-pegging for now in the first, 1-1 and 3-3 respectively.
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Ah, lovely! A devastating Djokovic backhand down the line tees him up to break in the first game of the second. Krueger has shown he has plenty of shots in his armoury, without making a dent in Djokovic, who is slowly wearing down the American qualifier. Djokovic leads 6-3, 1-0. Elsewhere, the women’s top seed, Simona Halep, is under way on Margaret Court.
Raonic takes the first game against Kyrgios, playing in front of a home crowd, at the Melbourne Arena. Meanwhile, the victorious 18-year-old Dayana Yastremska is feeling understandably buoyant. The Ukrainian defeated home home Sam Stosur in straight sets. “I hope in the next two weeks you are going to get to know me more and more,” she says. As for Djokovic’s match on Rod Laver, a gentle reminder that the winner will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a wildcard this time around. A couple of other results to sink your teeth into: Pliskova has beaten Blinkova, while Margarita Gasparyan fought back to prevail against Lin Zhu.
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Djokovic wraps up the first set 6-3! But Kreuger did brilliantly to survive the first match point, receiving a standing ovation from a 15,000 crowd after taking Djokovic the distance to deuce, with a couple of wonderful cute volleys at the net. That was arguably the best rally of the tournament. Yet a wayward backhand helps Djokovic back in and, this time, the Serb makes no mistake, with a sweeping forehand getting the job done.
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Djokovic grinds through the gears to break again. The Serb is serving for the set after a series of unforced errors by Krueger. Meanwhile, some more goodwill towards Andy Murray from the tennis world, this time courtesy of Thanasi Kokkinakis, who was forced to retire against Taro Daniel. “I love that dude,” the Australian says. “He’s super nice. When I was playing matches in Hopman Cup, he’d send me massive paragraphs about things he thinks I should do on court, what could help me, stuff like that.”
Venus is through, and wants to stick around. “I don’t want to go home,” Williams says. “I’m going to have to make it my permanent residence down here. It does feel like a second home. I love it here, I have lots of friends here and it’s great to get another match.” Meanwhile, Djokovic leads Krueger 4-3 on Rod Laver. The No 1 is in the driving seat, winning an obvious challenge after a long serve.
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A couple more results: the Ukrainian teenager Dayana Yastremska has sent Sam Stosur packing, with the 18-year-old prospering inside 78 minutes. The No 59 seed wins 7-5, 6-2. Another forgettable tournament for Stosur. In the men’s draw, Stan Wawrinka is through – with a little help from his opposite number. Ernests Gulbis retires mid-way through the second, after rampaging through to win the first 6-1.
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A wry smile by Djokovic, as Hawk-Eye judges his volley just – just – in on the outside. Now he is in the mood, though, bouncing back to lead 3-2 with a routine service game. Elsewhere, if Marco Cecchinato is to reach the second round then he will do so the hard way. The Italian is into a fifth set, in which he trails to Filip Krajinovic, Djokovic’s countryman. As for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, he’s got the job done against Martin Klizan, with the wildcard edging out the Slovakian in a tie-break in the third. The 2008 finalist is through after securing a 6-4 6-4 7-6(5) victory.
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On Rod Laver, Djokovic may only be in the embryonic stages of his duel with Mitchell Krueger, but the American qualifier is a break up in the first. The No 1 looks very calm, though, and it is difficult not to see the Serb breezing into the second round; Krueger has only won three tour-level matches in his career. Djokovic is primed for a good tournament – but behind early on to the world No 230.
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Venus Williams wins 6-7(7), 7-6(7), 6-2!
It was a fight – but Williams prevails. A strong, formidable finish by the American, who joins sister Serena in the second round after eventually getting the better of Mihaela Buzarnescu, who took the first set on a tie-break. But Buzarnescu let the match slip away from her, with the 38-year-old digging to deep to record a victory inside three testing sets. A timely reminder from Venus that she is going nowhere just yet. Simona Halep, the No 1 seed, is next up on Margaret Court against Kaia Kanepi.
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As Williams-Buzarnescu heats up – with Venus serving for the match – a quick time-out to hear from Sasha Zverev who overcame Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 earlier on on Rod Laver, where Djokovic is currently making a start against Krueger. His older brother, Mischa Zverev, has been rocked by Alexei Popyrin, though. The 19-year-old Aussie is through to the second round of a major for the first time in his career after defeating Zverev 7-5 7-6(7) 6-4. As for Sascha, he says: “Being No 4 in the world, normally people reach their limits, but I still feel like I have so much room and I still have so many kind of holes in my game where I can improve.”
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Disbelief on Margaret Court, as the umpire calls for hindrance as Buzarnescu buries a winner against Williams at 30-15. Buzarnescu is pulled up for a celebratory fist pump and the point is revoked by a stone-cold umpire. That revs up Buzarnescu, who is fuming at that decision, fuelling the Romanian to fight back to trail 4-2 in the third. Williams looked almost embarrassed, and equally perplexed. Elsewhere, Sam Stosur remains in trouble against Yastremska, with the latter 2-1 up in the second after an extraordinary comeback to win the first 7-5. As for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a wildcard in Australia, he’s close to seeing off Martin Klizan in three sets.
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Nick Kyrgios and Milos Raonic will have to wait. The 18-year-old Dayana Yastremska has clawed back from 2-5 down to steal the first set from Sam Stosur 7-5 at Melbourne Arena. Can the Ukrainian teenager get the job done in the second? Kyrgios is out warming up before meeting Raonic in what is guaranteed to be a feast full of power, if nothing else. The two big-serving players will duel on Melbourne Arena shortly, with Raonic racking up a 234kph serve two years ago in Australia, while Kyrgios rattled a 227kph down court last year. Williams, meanwhile, moves 4-1 up over Buzarnescu in the third set.
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Venus Williams is powering through the third and final set, racing into a 3-0 lead over Mihaela Buzărnescu. Williams, unseeded in Melbourne, punished the Romanian’s sloppy service to help herself into pole position. Not so long ago, she was a game away from a straight-sets defeat. Over on court three, the 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka has lost the first set against Ernests Gulbis, while Marco Cecchinato is trying to put another Serb, Filip Krajinovic, to the sword. The Italian took the first two sets and leads 3-1 in the fourth set after being pegged back 6-1 in the third. Philipp Kohlschreiber, the No 32, has beaten Zhe Li in straight sets.
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Novak Djokovic will trudge out on to Rod Laver shortly, to warmup for his duel with the American qualifier Mitchell Krueger. And the No 1 seed has been speaking about how it has been sad to witness Andy Murray’s from the front row. “It hurts me as his longtime friend, colleague, rival,” Djokovic said. “It’s sad for me, but for all sport, because Andy is a very respected and likable guy around the locker room,” Djokovic said. “He’s a great champion. He’s a legend of this sport, without a doubt – multiple Grand Slam winner, two golds from Olympic Games, Davis Cup. He’s had it all. He touched us all definitely. I wish him a painless future in whatever shape or form that is, on or off the court.”
Serena made it look easy, but Venus not so much. Williams has clung on take the second set against the No 25 Mihaela Buzarnescu, prospering in a tie-break on Margaret Court. The 38-year-old prevails at the breaker 7-3, and she may yet wriggle out and avoid a first-round exit yet. It looked like game over after she fell a set down and trailing 3-5 in the second but Venus, a two-time former finalist in Melbourne, has hit back in style to take the match to a third set. Meanwhile the sixth seed, Elina Svitolina, has breezed past the Swiss Viktorija Golubic 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.
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Preamble
As much as it will be difficult to compete with Andy Murray’s aching five-setter – almost certainly his final bow – there is plenty of tennis to get stuck into as Novak Djokovic, Simona Halep and pantomime villain Nick Kyrgios all take centre stage. Djokovic faces American qualifier Mitchell Krueger, Halep, the Estonian Kaia Kanepi, while the No 16 seed Milos Raonic awaits a tasty match-up with Mr Kyrgios at the Melbourne Arena.
Elsewhere in the night session, Naomi Osaka will do battle with Magda Linette, while Stan Wawrinka is under way against Ernests Gulbis. Dominic Thiem will also attempt to reach round two without breaking sweat, when he takes on Benoit Paire. Some other big-hitters, namely Serena Williams, have already made light work of reaching the second round, though Kei Nishikori did survive a scare, advancing after Polish qualifier Kamil Majchrzak was forced to retire.
As for Johanna Konta, she was involved in a marathon three-hour slog, and a tie-breaker victory over Ajla Tomljanovic. “Overall, every aspect of the match was tough,” Konta says. “I played a tough opponent who I lost to recently [in Brisbane] and the first round of Grand Slams are never easy. And the conditions were tough, humid and hot. I’m happy to have stayed with her when she was playing well but also play on my own terms.”
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