That’s all from me on day two of the Australian Open. Thanks for following and until tomorrow. Below is our coverage of today’s action.
John Isner says that he is donating $100 for each ace. This may add up quickly.
4️⃣6️⃣ aces
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2020
💰4️⃣6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ for #Aces4BushfireRelief 👏
In a match with no breaks, 19th seed @JohnIsner def. Thiago Monteiro 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 7-6(7) 7-6(5).#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/9EWJjZjSV8
Updated
US number one John Isner finally reaches the second round, beating Thiago Monteiro 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 7-6(7) 7-6(5). Between them, they only generated 5 break points in 3 hours and 27 minutes and there were zero breaks.
Despite the fact that the big names have gone home, this crazy day of 88 matches is still not over. Casper Ruud just took Egor Gerasimov into a fifth set from two sets down and Kevin Anderson leads 6-4 2-6 2-4 6-4 *3-2 against Ilya Ivashka after looking almost down at 4-1* down in the fourth set. Two more to go.
Updated
Here is Kevin Mitchell on the doubt surrounding Maria Sharapova’s future and shoulder after her straight sets loss to Donna Vekic today.
Just a regular day at the office for John Isner.
It’s midnight in Melbourne and there are still five men’s matches going, including John Isner, who leads Thiago Monteiro, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 2-2. There have been zero breaks of serve in 40 service games. A combined 49 aces, including 37 from Isner. #AusOpen.
— Ash Marshall (@AMarshallSport) January 21, 2020
🚨Breaking news 🚨@AlexZverev has pledged to donate $10,000 for every #AO2020 match-win and if victorious, every single cent of his prize money 🙌#AusOpen | #Aces4BushfireRelief pic.twitter.com/kHdFFs3nPJ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2020
Here is Russell Jackson on Nick Kyrgios’ win today.
More scores:
Angelique Kerber opens her tournament with a solid 6-2 6-2 win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
A brilliant win for 21 year-old Aussie wildcard Priscilla Hon, who dispatched Kateryna Kozlova 6-3 6-4 to reach the second round of her home slam for the first time. It is only her second slam win in total. A huge moment for her.
The eternal giant Ivo Karlovic is through 7-6(4) 6-4 7-5 over Vasek Pospisil. Karlovic is 40 years old and he turned professional in 2000. On he goes.
Updated
Alexander Zverev is into the second round with a 6-4 7-6 6-3 win over Marco Cecchinato.
Sascha Zverev wins his first match of 2020 and it wasn’t bad at all. There was none of the dire serving that blighted him at the ATP Cup, with only four double faults. A good performance that should give him some confidence.
Updated
John McEnroe says he'll donate $1,000 towards Bushfire Relief for every set @NickKyrgios wins during the rest of #AO2020
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2020
🙏❤️🇦🇺#AusOpen | #Aces4BushfireRelief pic.twitter.com/vtS73FGD5j
An update from around the grounds:
Angelique Kerber currently leads 18 year old Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2 4-0* and is well on her way.
Alexander Zverev is in a good position against Marco Cecchinato, closing down on victory at 6-4 7-6(4) 3-2*. He has served only four double faults today, which, frankly, is a miracle after his serving disasters at the ATP Cup.
Aussie wildcard Priscilla Hon leads Kateryna Kozlova 6-3 *3-0.
John Isner is in a tiebreak battle with Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro. The score is split at one set all, with everything still to play for: 6-7(5) 7-6(4) *4-4
After her routine loss to Donna Vekic today, Maria Sharapova’s future is far from clear.
Harriet Dart survives Misaki Doi 2-6 6-4 7-6(10-6) to reach round two
An astonishing sequence of events. Dart held double match point on her serve at *6-5 in the third set, then she badly missed two forehands in a row and lost 9 of the next 10 points to fall down 1-5 in the third set tiebreak. From 1-5 in the tiebreak, Dart then won 9 of the next 10 points herself to win the match.
Dart cut out her errors and forced Doi to hit through her. The Japanese player simply couldn’t do so. A year after suffering the humiliation of a double bagel against her hero Maria Sharapova on Rod Laver Arena, Dart is only the second Brit through to the second round so far. This also marks her first slam win outside of Wimbledon.
Updated
Cameron Norrie falls to Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-5 3-6 3-6 7-5 6-4
In the end, the Frenchman just had too much firepower for Cameron Norrie. He trusted himself, he kept on moving forward to the net and he smothered Norrie at times towards the end.
A tough defeat for Norrie to swallow after leading two sets to one and generating ample break points in the fourth set.
Third set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 6-6 Misaki Doi: Oh dear. Dart courageously moved up two match points, defending well and imposing herself whenever she could. However, she completely blinked on both match points, firing two successive forehand errors well wide. The second was particularly dire - a forehand error an easy short ball after a good serve. A ten point tiebreak will decide the battle and Dart will need to demonstrate a lot of resilience to see it through.
Elsewhere, Pierre-Hugues Herbert will serve for the match against Cameron Norrie at *5-4 in the fifth.
Third set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 *6-5 Misaki Doi: Harriet Dart will serve for the match after an error-strewn service game from Doi, sealed with a forehand into the bottom of the net.
Fifth set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 6-3 5-7 3-4* Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Herbert’s game is starting to flow and after finally breaking Norrie’s serve with some bruising forehands, he held for 4-2 to consolidate the break. A good hold by Norrie followed, sealed to 15 with an unreturned serve. But this is an uphill battle and he desperately needs a break.
Meanwhile, Harriet Dart has levelled at 5-5 with a brilliant backhand down the line winner.
Third set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 *4-5 Misaki Doi: Dart had break point to move up 5-4, but she failed to convert. The Brit finally gave the game away with a return error and now she must serve to stay in the match after dropping her last two service games. Tense moments.
Svetlana Kuznetsova takes out fifteenth seed Marketa Vondrousova 6-2 4-6 6-4. A great win for the veteran champion.
Third set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 4-4* Misaki Doi: This is so intense. With her back to the wall, Dart saved four break points, barking ‘c’mon’ with each reprieve. However, Doi’s groundstrokes just cut through the court a lot better than Dart’s. After too many unforced errors on big points, Doi snapped a backhand down the line winner followed by a forehand inside out winner to hold. There was just not much that Dart could do.
Updated
Third set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 *4-3 Misaki Doi: Impressive resilience from Dart, who lost her break lead at 3-3 and then fell down 30-0 in Doi’s service game. But the Brit battled hard and restored her break, with Doi sending a forehand well wide on break point.
Fifth set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 6-3 5-7 1-0* Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Norrie coolly saves a break point in a long opening deuce game in the final set, sealed by a missed return from Herbert after a solid swinging Norrie serve. Plenty of long, tentative rallies. Who will step up?
Updated
Fourth set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 6-3 5-7 Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Cameron Norrie is heading to a fifth set on Court 15. After an extremely tight fourth set, Herbert edged it out with his only break point of the entire set.
It was quite a scrappy set all round with 9 winners and 18 unforced errors by Herbert and 7 winners, 20 unforced errors from Norrie. Both players are feeling the weight of the occasion and the huge opportunity here. It should make for a gripping third set.
More from Nick Kyrgios. John McEnroe, the interviewer, congratulated him for helping with the bushfire relief:
I appreciate that. You’ll make me tear up again. I thought the ATP Cup was great preparation. Obviously I’m still heartbroken about Demon [Alex de Minaur withdrew from the Australian Open]. If you’re watching this, that was for you little fella. I hope you’re resting up.
I feel good, I’m not looking ahead at the draw. Everyone can play in the draw. They’re all capable, so I’m not looking ahead at all.
Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios on his solid first round win:
I was just really excited to get out here. Obviously it’s been a pretty emotional couple of months for all of us so I just wanted to come out here and put on a good performance. I was really excited. It was awesome. He’s a tough competitor, he’s a very good player. I played him once and I knew it was gonna be tough. I’m just super excited to get out here and play in front of you guys.
Kyrgios also noted that an overzealous fan had too many beers to drink. Drink responsibly.
Nick Kyrgios reaches round two with a 6-2 7-6(3) 7-6(1) win over Lorenzo Sonego.
A solid performance from Kyrgios who served well and produced his best tennis whenever he needed to on the important points. The Australian looks as relaxed as ever. We’ll see where it takes him.
Updated
Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev outclasses Frances Tiafoe 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2.
An up-and-down performance from the US Open finalist, but every time his level dropped, he responded with pure quality. He is going to be so tough to beat in these conditions.
For Tiafoe, a first round loss is a tough pill to swallow after his quarterfinal run last year. He is now down to around 78th in the rankings and he will need to find some form soon.
A quick general update:
Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev leads Frances Tiafoe 6-3 4-6 6-4 5-2* and is well on his way to victory.
Seventh seed Alexander Zverev just nabbed the first set 6-4 against Marco Cecchinato.
Nick Kyrgios just guaranteed himself nothing worse than a tiebreak in set three, the score now 6-2 7-6(3) 6-5*.
Marketa Vondrousova has just pushed Svetlana Kuznetsova to a third set, with the score 2-6 6-4.
Harriet Dart has taken a break in the third set and now leads Misaki Doi 2-6 6-4 *1-0.
Cameron Norrie and Pierre-Hugues Herbert remain on serve in the fourth set, with Norrie leading 5-7 6-3 6-3 4-3*.
Some tennis players live in bubbles. Giorgi’s next opponent is either two-time slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and last year’s French Open runner up Marketa Vondrousova. They are not exactly nobodies. Then again, this isn’t quite as bad as when Giorgi was due to face Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2018. Her response when asked about Williams: “I don’t follow tennis, women’s tennis, and I don’t follow tennis.”
asked on her thoughts about her next opponent, Camila Giorgi said: "I don't know, I'm not a tennis expert. I know that one is left-handed and the other is right-handed"
— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) January 21, 2020
Third set: Nick Kyrgios 6-2 7-6(3) 5-4* Lorenzo Sonego: Nick Kyrgios is within a game of the second round. He sealed the hold with what is fast becoming one of his many trademark shots: a beautiful forehand drop shot winner.
Second set: Harriet Dart 2-6 6-4 Misaki Doi: Quite an effort from Harriet Dart, who has levelled the match after losing 8 games in a row between the first and second sets. This is a huge opportunity for her first overseas slam win.
10th seed Gael Monfils moves on 6-1 6-4 6-2 over Lu Yen-Hsun.
An underrated storyline in tennis today is the resilience of Gael Monfils, who continues to command a spot in the top 10 at 33 and was a reserve at the ATP Finals in London last year. He will not win this title, but he is certainly capable of a nice run if the cards fall his way. He moves on.
Updated
Third set: Nick Kyrgios 6-2 7-6(3) 3-2* Lorenzo Sonego: Kyrgios was understandably seething and muttering as he failed to nab break points at 2-1, and his frustration seeped into his service game as he double faulted before watching Sonego crush a return winner to move up 0-30.
How did Kyrgios respond from 0-30? Unreturned serve, unreturned serve, a volley winner after a magnificent cat and mouse point, unreturned serve. Easy.
In one of the more mouthwatering first round matches, an “upset” is brewing on court one. French Open finalist and 15th seed Marketa Vondrousova is down 6-2 2-1 to two time slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is still playing quality tennis at 34 as she enters her third decade on tour.
Third set: Daniil Medvedev 6-3 4-6 6-4 Frances Tiafoe: Daniil Medvedev is one set away. He wrestled control of the set with style, breaking Tiafoe to love in the final game after an incredible final point: after an incredible run to meet a drop volley from Tiafoe, the Russian responded with his own angled dropshot to outwit the American and take the set.
For such a wiry, lanky six foot two man, Medvedev’s athleticism is quite astounding.
Updated
Third set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 6-3 Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Quite an effort from Norrie to take the third set. The errors are beginning to pile up for Herbert, who was the author of his own misfortune as he serve and volleyed on set point but failed to deal with a quite simple Norrie return. Norrie has cut down on his errors (20 from Herbert, 10 from Norrie) and he is reaping the rewards.
Third set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 5-3* Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Good work from Cameron Norrie, who is grinding hard and has turned this match around. After breaking serve, he immediately holds to move to within a game of taking a 2-1 sets lead.
Alexander Zverev is warming up against Marco Cecchinato on Margaret Court Arena. This is a nice opening match for the German against a clay court specialist, but the big question is whether he can keep his double faults down after an abysmal opening week of the season at the ATP Cup.
Second set: Nick Kyrgios 6-2 7-6(3) Lorenzo Sonego: Nick Kyrgios moves ahead by two sets after a really mature tiebreak. At 4-3, he was extremely patient until Sonego’s backhand broke down. Then he bunted a brilliant point-ending backhand down the line at 5-3. He took the set with another perfectly weighted forehand dropshot. He is playing very well and, more importantly, rising on the big points. One set away.
Updated
Second set: Nick Kyrgios 6-2 6-6 Lorenzo Sonego: Melbourne Arena is heading to a tiebreak after ample big serving and quick holds from both. Kyrgios served three aces in a row from 0-15 down at *5-6. He went for a fourth ace, but he had to settle for an unreturned serve. Heartbreaking.
Second set: Harriet Dart 2-6 *0-1 Misaki Doi: A tough run of games for qualifier Harriet Dart, who has lost 6 games in a row from 2-1 up in the first set. This is a winnable match but she urgently needs to halt the momentum.
Another Aussie is through. This time the fiery Arina Rodionova.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! 🇦🇺
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2020
Wildcard @arinarodionova storms home to def. Kateryna Bondarenko 3-6 7-6(5) 6-0#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/zChGFC0L3K
Definitely was a tough match. I knew because we played against each other a few months ago and it was 6-4 in the third so I was expecting to play as much as possible. I’m really happy to be through to the third round and it’s a very nice feeling to play here in Australia.
Updated
4th seed Simona Halep moves past Jennifer Brady 7-6(5) 6-1
What a brutally tough first set that was. Halep saved three points, battled back as Brady served for the set and then flourished in the second set. As tough as the opening set was in the moment, Halep will surely look back on it as very helpful as she attempts to move forward in the draw. A very good win for the Wimbledon champion.
We will probably see a lot more of Jennifer Brady this year.
Updated
Second set: Jennifer Brady 6-7(5) *1-5 Simona Halep: Simona Halep has hit three winners and three unforced errors so far in the second set. She is giving absolutely nothing away and, across the net, Brady is surely still thinking of those three missed set points. One game away.
Also, keep an eye out for Andrey Rublev in Melbourne. The 22 year old has won two titles in two weeks this year and today’s victory was his 13th consecutive win. He may eventually burn out at some point over the next two weeks but few players are quite as confident as him right now.
It is 8:40 in Melbourne right now. There are still 27 matches to be completed today.
61st win of the day
— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) January 21, 2020
[17] Andrey Rublev d. Christopher O'Connell 6-3 0-6 6-4 7-6(5)
61 down, 27 to go
It is fair to say that a lot is happening right now:
Daniil Medvedev opened the third set with a hold to move up 6-3 4-6 1-0* on Frances Tiafoe.
Simona Halep has broken early in the second set against Jennifer Brady. She leads 7-6 3-1* and is well on her way to victory.
Nick Kyrgios is still on serve in the second set against Lorenzo Sonego, the score standing at 6-2 *3-4.
Gael Monfils is cruising on the 1573 arena with a 6-1 6-4 lead over Lu Yen-hsun
Harriet Dart has started on court 11 against Misaki Doi and the pair are level at 2-2.
Cameron Norrie is level with Pierre-Hugues Herbert early in set three: 7-5 3-6 1-1*
Second set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 6-3 Pierre-Hugues Herbert: At last, a British player has finally won a set today. Cameron Norrie levels Herbert at one set all.
Second set: Daniil Medvedev 6-3 4-6 Frances Tiafoe: Tiafoe has levelled fourth seed Medvedev at one set all in style. Some brilliant serving from Tiafoe to dig out the final game from 15-30 down.
🇦🇺 Another Aussie through to the 2R 🇦🇺@abolt15 outlasts Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 1-6 6-7 6-1 6-4 at the #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/T5GAa8U2hS
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 21, 2020
9th seed Kiki Bertens eases past Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1 6-4
No problems for the Dutch number one, a dark horse in Melbourne, who moves on.
Updated
First set: Jennifer Brady 6-7(5) Simona Halep: Great effort from Simona Halep, who saved three set points before finally edging ahead after a 70 minute first set. Brady has proven the great challenge many people expected her to be, but when the rallies lengthen and the points become heavier, it is a heck of a lot more difficult to beat a top player.
First set: Nick Kyrgios 6-2 Lorenzo Sonego: Nick Kyrgios pulls out a great hold from 0-30 down to take the first set on his favourite court.
Kyrgios from 0-30 down: Ace, unreturned serve, point ending backhand, unreturned serve.
Kyrgios ended the set with 5 games in a row from *1-2. Momentum building.
First set: Nick Kyrgios *5-2 Lorenzo Sonego: Nick Kyrgios is cleaning up on Melbourne Arena. He now leads by a double break and will serve for the set.
First set: Jennifer Brady 6-6 (3-4*) Simona Halep: Tense, tense moments on Margaret Court Arena as Brady fails to serve out the set at *6-5. Halep saved three set points before breaking with a slick backhand passing shot. The rallies are long and tense and this tiebreak will be decided in the head. Halep holds a slender lead at the break.
First set: Nick Kyrgios *3-2 Lorenzo Sonego: After four quick opening service games, Kyrigos finally made his move in the fifth game, generating three break points and putting immense pressure on Sonego’s service game by moving him from side to side whenever possible in the baseline rallies. Kyrgios broke with typical variety: a lovely forehand drop shot on break point. Sonego reached the dropper with some good movement but his response flew wide.
Second set: Cameron Norrie 5-7 1-0* Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Bad news for Norrie, who loses a tight first set to Herbert. There was not too much at all to separate the pair - Herbert has 17 winners to 13 unforced errors while Norrie has 14 winners to 12. But Herbert took his one break point in the opening set and Norrie missed his one break point. Simple. A long way to go in this one.
First set: Nick Kyrgios *1-2 Lorenzo Sonego: All eyes will be on Kyrgios as usual, but Sonego has a big serve, a huge forehand and plenty of talent himself. The Italian holds to 30 with a booming ace out wide to keep himself ahead.
First set: Daniil Medvedev 6-3 Frances Tiafoe: After looking like he had lost concentration in the middle of the opening set, Daniil Medvedev recovered in spectacular fashion. He held serve with the most insane defence at the net, fielding five bullet groundstrokes from Tiafoe before finally dispatching his fifth volley via his frame to hold. A couple of incredible demonstrations of athelticism followed at 5-3 as he recovered the double break to take the set.
Updated
First set Jennifer Brady *4-5 Simona Halep: Simona Halep has weathered the storm and moved ahead for the first time on Margaret Court Arena. Halep is being a little more aggressive, cutting out her errors and putting more pressure on the American, who is finally starting to miss more.
As Nick Kyrgios and Lorenzo Sonego begin on Melbourne Arena, check out Russell Jackson on Kyrgios.
Updated
First set: Daniil Medvedev *4-3 Frances Tiafoe: On Rod Laver Arena, Daniil Medvedev burst out of the starting blocks, flitting to a double break lead at *4-1. But he seems to have lost his concentration and he has been extremely erratic over the past couple of games, allowing Tiafoe to retrieve one of the breaks.
This is a huge match for Tiafoe, who really failed to kick on after his great run to the quarters in Melbourne last year. Should he lose today, Tiafoe will fall to around 78th in the rankings. That is not ideal.
First set: Jennifer Brady *4-3 Simona Halep: Let’s talk about Jennifer Brady. The 24 year-old American is currently ranked at a career high of 49 and she started the year with an exclamation mark, qualifying in Brisbane before defeating Maria Sharapova and world number one Ashleigh Barty back-to-back to reach the quarters.
She is a very typical American player with a big serve and a huge, heavy topspin forehand and she is currently bullying Halep around the court with her big weapons. Brady’s average forehand speed so far today is 77mph, which would be a big number for male players. Halep’s average forehand speed? 67mph. The question is whether the challenger can keep up this high level.
There is plenty happening around Melbourne Park right now:
In-form American Jennifer Brady has started as fast as many predicted she would, breaking fourth seed Simona Halep in the opening game and moving to a 3-1* lead.
Men’s fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and Frances Tiafoe are out on court, with Medvedev snatching the opening break for a *2-1 lead.
Jo Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire against Alexei Popyrin with the score at (5)6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie has begun his first round against Pierre Hugues-Herbert. All even at 2-2 so far. It will not be easy.
Updated
Elina Svitolina overcomes Katie Boulter 6-4 7-5
The fifth seed comes through. After being pegged back to 5-5, Boulter regained her focus and was extremely solid, seeing out the win with a whistling forehand down the line passing shot. A good workout for Svitolina and a good showing for Boulter, who should be very happy with her level in only her second match back at WTA level.
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-5* Katie Boulter: Svitolina gets herself back on track with aplomb, sealing a hold to 15 by forcing a Boulter error with a slick forehand down the line. The pressure returns to the shoulders of the Brit as she serves to stay in the match.
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 *5-5 Katie Boulter: Katie Boulter does indeed hold to level the match. Just more vicious hitting from the Brit - a huge forehand crosscourt winner brought her to 40-15 and then she held with a 112mph ace down the T. It doesn’t get much better than that. Now it is for Svitolina to respond.
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 5-4* Katie Boulter: Impressive work from Katie Boulter to break back at the death thanks to a mixture of brutal hitting and touch. After a violent backhand down the line winner earlier on in the game, she broke to love with a beautiful backhand lob. Back on serve now, but she still has to hold.
Heather Watson will not take to the court today against Kristyna Pliskova. Her match has been cancelled along with 7 other matches. It’s past 7pm in Melbourne and there are still just the 38 matches to complete today...
8 matches are cancelled
— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) January 21, 2020
Sabalenka v Suarez Navarro
Mertens v Kovinic
Sorribes Tormo v Kudermetova
Sharma v Kontaveit
Pavlyuchenkova vs Stojanovic
Kr. Pliskova v Watson
Townsend v Pegula
Swiatek v Babos
50 down, 38 to go
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 5-2* Katie Boulter: Svitolina captures her fourth and fifth consecutive games to move to within a game of victory. The fifth seed is so solid and refusing to give up any free points now, while Boulter is just beginning to be a little too erratic. Boulter closed off her service game with two consecutive backhand unforced errors, then Svitolina strolled to another easy hold.
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 3-2* Katie Boulter: Boulter hit extremely well to eke out a tight deuce hold to consolidate her break for a 2-0 lead, but she is just a little too overzealous on the ball right now.
At *2-1 30-30, she sprayed a wild forehand wide and then moved forward to the net on a dire approach, allowing Svitolina to pick her off with an easy passing shot and break her back. Svitolina had no trouble holding with ease to edge ahead again.
Boulter clearly understands that she has to be aggressive but it has to be done with slightly more guile.
Garbine Muguruza defeats Shelby Rodgers 0-6 6-1 6-0.
What a score! Muguruza withdrew from her last match before the Australian Open with a viral illness and during the first set it was all too easy to assume that she was feeling the effects in the first set. Evidently not.
Regardless of how she got there, an essential win for Muguruza as she tries to rebuild her career. Muguruza is currently ranked 32nd and she is unseeded in Melbourne after another torrid season which finally forced her to split with her former coach Sam Sumyk. She has arrived in Australia with her new coach Conchita Martinez and we will see if the former number one and two-time slam champion can work her way back to the top.
Second set: Elina Svitolina 6-4 0-1* Katie Boulter: Some brutal hitting from Boulter to open the second set and she immediately breaks. She sealed her first break of Svitolina’s serve with a flat, searing forehand winner. Game on.
Elina Svitolina 6-4 Katie Boulter: As she often does, Elina Svitolina pounced in the final game of the first set, nabbing the break and set with a big forehand winner. A good showing from Boulter so far. We’ll see how long she can hang with the fifth seed in set two.
It is particularly great to see Katie Boulter back after the terrible 9 months she has had. Last April, Boulter performed admirably as she helped Great Britain defeat Kazakstan in a dramatic Fed Cup tie. But her commitment came at a cost as Boulter was competing with an injured back that she aggravated during the tie, forcing her out until she returned to some lowly ITF challenger events in November.
Her ranking fell as low as 351 after she sat around her career high of 82 in April. That was unfortunate enough, but a few months later she was also subjected to some intense criticism at the French Open. Despite the severity of her injury, she entered the French Open draw and didn’t withdraw until after the qualifying draw had begun. By withdrawing late, she was entitled to 50% of the first round prize money. In hindsight, thank heavens she did since she didn’t have any playing income for 7 months after that.
Svitolina leads 5-4 on serve.
A few things are happening right now:
Britain’s Katie Boulter is facing off against fifth seed Elina Svitolina and she is currently performing well, with the match on serve at 4-3 to Svitolina in the 1573 Arena.
Jo Wilfried Tsonga just took the first set 7-6(5) against young Australian Alexei Popyrin in the Melbourne Arena.
Garbine Muguruza is en route to a completely bizarre win over qualifier Shelby Rodgers. The score is now 0-6 6-1 4-0.
17th seed Andrey Rublev, one of the most talented and in-form young players around, is just starting against Australian wildcard Christopher O’Connell.
It has not been a great day for British interests. Here is Kevin Mitchell on the defeats of Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta, both of whom came up against tough first round opposition in Dusan Lajovic and Ons Jabeur.
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to our night session coverage of day 2 of the Australian Open. And what a day this is. Rain washing out most of the matches on outside courts yesterday meant that we started the day with 96 matches on the schedule. Some courts have seven matches scheduled for the day. At the time of writing, 6pm Melbourne time, 46 matches have been played and there are still 50 to be played. Last year the Australian Open had matches finishing at 3am so we are in for an extremely late finish.
Daniil Medvedev will open the night session on Rod Laver Arena against Frances Tiafoe, who went viral in Melbourne last year as he marched to the quarters and did his best Lebron James impression to celebrate each win. A year later, he returns with a horrible draw and the knowledge that his ranking will tank should he lose today. In the women’s night match, 18 year-old Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto will face off against 2016 champion Angelique Kerber, who returns to the scene of her first slam in a slump and after some injury problems. Could a new star be born on Rod Laver Arena today?
Over on Margaret Court Arena, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep will take to the court against Jennifer Brady, a young American with a big game who has started the season well and could provide a challenge for Halep. Alexander Zverev will follow the Romanian against clay court specialist Marco Cecchinato. Not too many people are picking Zverev after his horrendous start to the year at the ATP Cup, in which he served countless double faults and reduced his father to tears with his verbal abuse. However, this is a nice opening round to get his tournament started and perhaps find some rhythm.
Finally, Nick Kyrgios will headline his own one-match night session on the Melbourne Arena where he will face Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. These are just the top courts and there will be a million other things going on today and we will be following it all.
