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Australian Open day 5 live blog

CHANNEL Seven presenter Jim Courier left Rod Laver Arena in stitches with this cheeky stab at Tomas Berdych.

Dan Elsom and James Matthey
14 min read
January 23, 2016 - 7:58AM
Courier’s cheekiest call yet
Courier’s cheekiest call yet

TOP ranked men’s and women’s seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams both progressed through to the fourth round, while Aussie young gun Nick Kyrgios was eliminated out in a chaotic affair on day five.

DAY FIVE RESULTS

ROD LAVER ARENA

11am

12-Belinda Bencic (SUI) defeated Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 4-6 6-2 6-4.

5-Maria Sharapova (RUS) defeated Lauren Davis (USA) 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-0.

3-Roger Federer (SUI) defeated 27-Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4

7pm

1-Serena Williams (USA) defeated Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-1 6-1

6-Tomas Berdych (CZE) defeated 29-Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-3 6-4 1-6 6-4

MARGARET COURT ARENA

7-Kei Nishikori (JPN) defeated 26-Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 7-5 2-6 6-3 6-4

9-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 6-4 7-6(7) 7-6(4)

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) defeated Monica Puig (PUR) 6-4 6-0

7pm

1-Novak Djokovic (SRB) defeated 28-Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-1 7-5 7-6(6)

10-Carla Suarez (ESP) defeated Elizaveta Kulichkova (RUS) 6-4 2-0 Ret.

HISENSE ARENA

15-David Goffin (BEL) defeated 19-Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5.

Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) defeated 13-Roberta Vinci (ITA) 0-6 6-4 6-4

14-Gilles Simon (FRA) defeated Federico Delbonis 6-3 6-2 6-1

Daria Gavrilova (AUS) defeated 28-Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4 4-6 11-9

TOP STORY — COURIER’S CHEEKIEST CALL YET

Didn’t expect that one did you, Tomas.
Didn’t expect that one did you, Tomas.

FOLLOWING his third round defeat of Nick Kyrgios on Rod Laver Arena, Tomas Berdych was interviewed by former Australian Open champion, now Channel Seven presenter, Jim Courier. The interview started out as conventional as they come. Courier asked about the match, the crowd, and what Kyrgios was like as an opponent.

But it was the end of the interview where things started to get interesting.

“Well this time last year you got engaged. And you had a good year last year. What’s married life been like for you now? Ester is here and you are now a husband. So what’s that all about?” Courier asked.

“Yeah I really do enjoy the time. Many people say that not much changes, some of them say there’s a lot of change. I think everyone just needs to see their way and how they want to have it. I’m having a great time and that’s it. I’m having her full support, she’s great. And just enjoying my time on the court and off the court. That’s how it should be,” Berdych said.

Then Courier delivered the kicker, to roars of laughter from the crowd.

“Were you as surprised as I was that she said yes?”

“Well yeah, you know. I’ve played a couple of matches I can tell you, even the big ones, but I think we all get nervous before that right?”

Courier was impressed with the Czech’s response.

“Well done. Well you got it done, and you got it done tonight.”

Very cheeky Mr. Courier. Very cheeky indeed.

Berdych married model wife Ester Satorova in July last year.

11:30pm — KYRGIOS BOWS OUT AFTER ROUND THREE ‘CIRCUS’

Kyrgios was not happy.
Kyrgios was not happy.

NICK Kyrgios’ Australian Open singles campaign ended on Friday after he lost to No.6 seed Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-4 1-6 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.

The Aussie dropped the first game as he appeared to struggle with Berdych’s serve, which consistently exceeded 200km/h, and the Czech’s lead stretched out to 4-1. The 20-year-old pulled back to 4-2 before an extended tie break at the end of the seventh game saw Berdych press out to 5-2.

Despite a spirited fight to regain one game, the Aussie lost the set 6-3.

At the end of the seventh game, Kyrgios called to his box, asking them to “say something” and “tell him to be aggressive.” Without a full-time coach, Kyrgios was clearly battling to find direction throughout the set, letting out his frustrations on his racquet.

The young star was up to his old tricks midway through the second set, as he once again exchanged harsh words with the match umpire.

The 20-year-old was insistent that he could hear noise coming from the crowd while play was happening, questioning the umpire if he could hear the sound numerous times during the eighth game.

“Can’t you hear that?” Kyrgios said.

“What? What noise is it?” the umpire responded.

“Well it is not phone.”

The umpire attempted to calm the young Aussie, telling him he would “speak to someone about it” after the current game. However, Kyrgios was having none of it.

“So that’s normal? We are going to play with music in the background?” he said.

The umpire gave him the option of pausing the game so they could resolve the issue, but Kyrgios seemed happy to continue. As the game progressed, the No.29 seed became more animated, dropping his racquet three times in disbelief as the noise lingered.

“You want to stop? You want to stop, we stop,” the umpire said.

Tantrum.
Tantrum.

Commentators speculated that the sound was music leaking from one of the corporate boxes high up in the stands in Rod Laver Arena, or possibly coming from outside the stadium.

Despite winning the game to pull back to within one of Berdych, the Aussie exploded at the umpire in the break.

“Mate there is music playing in the crowd while we are playing. I told you seven times, mate,” he said.

“Did you ask me, ‘Nick do you want to stop play?’ No you didn’t.

“Is music allowed to be played during the game? So why are you not telling them to turn it off?

“Am I hearing things? Am I hearing things? Mate, it’s a circus!

“You really know how to control a match, buddy. There’s guys throwing balls back into the crowd.

“And you have music playing while we’re playing. Good control. It’s a f***ing joke.”

Kyrgios went on to lose the second set 6-4.

The incident appeared to re-ignite Kyrgios’ fire, as he went on to take out the third set, dominating with a 6-1 win.

Unfortunately the comeback was short-lived, as the No.29 ranked player failed to contain the Czech, losing out in the final set 6-4 to end his singles campaign.

10:15pm — ‘I JUST WANT TO HUG THE WHOLE STADIUM’

What an upset.
What an upset.

AUSTRALIAN young-gun Daria Gavrilova has won through to the fourth round after a thrilling end to her match against No.28 seed Kristina Mladenovic. The incredible upset came courtesy of an epic third set which blew out to 11-9 in favour of the 21-year-old.

After winning the first set, the Aussie lost out in the second going down by two games, before the final set produced one of the greatest battles of the tournament so far.

Gavrilova was ecstatic after the win.

“I’ve got nothing in my head,” she said afterwards. “I’m just really excited and I want to hug the whole stadium.

“I just want to play again, I want to play again on Sunday. I’m just really happy and I can’t explain it.”

The match finished at 6-4 4-6 11-9.

9:40pm — NO UPSETS HERE

Stroll on through Novak.
Stroll on through Novak.

DEFENDING champion Novak Djokovic has progressed through to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the 10th consecutive year, defeating Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-1 7-5 7-6(6).

The victory came as no surprise to the top seed, who said after the match that his history in Australia gives him the confidence to believe he can go on to win a sixth title.

“I can’t guarantee how far I will go but the fact I have done so well in Australia gives me the belief that I can go far,” the Serb said.

The multi-lingual Djokovic also joked that he likes to play Italian opponents like Seppi because he can start to play a mental game with them in their native tongue.

“I play mind games with them because I can speak Italian,” he said.

8:20PM — SERENA IS JUST TOO GOOD

Two generations of respect.
Two generations of respect.

SERENA Williams has easily won through to the fourth round, taking out Russian Daria Kasatkina in straight sets.

The American dropped just two games all match to take out the two sets 6-1 each.

Williams had some kind words for her 18-year-old rival on-court after the match.

“I think I played well today,” she said.

“It was one of those days where everything I did went pretty right. I ran a few balls down and was surprised they went for winners.

“I have so many memories (from when I was Kasatkina’s) age. She has such a bright future — she’s so young — and I’ll look forward to seeing her do well in the future.”

The world No.1 will now move on to contest the fourth round with another young Russian star, Margarita Gasparyan.

With the victory over Kasatkina, Williams extends her win/loss record at the Australian Open to a staggering 71-9, the highest of any player in the tournament’s history.

7:30pm — ‘MY PRIVATE LIFE IS PRIVATE’

Dimitrov doesn’t like talking about his relationship with Nicole Scherzinger.
Dimitrov doesn’t like talking about his relationship with Nicole Scherzinger.

THE biggest stud on the ATP Tour has been questioned about the intense interest in his off-court life.

Grigor Dimitrov, who dated Maria Sharapova for several years and was also linked to Serena Williams, is now reportedly hooking up with pop star Nicole Scherzinger.

The Bulgarian pro and the former Pussycat Dolls singer were seen locking lips at the Brisbane International earlier this year, creating headlines across the world.

Asked whether the media attention on his off-court activities was a distraction after losing to Roger Federer , Dimitrov said: “I really try not to think about that.”

“My private life is my private life, that’s how it is,” the 24-year-old said. “Whoever is next to me it’s my own business in a way. I’m always focused on what I do right now and ... that’s it.”

Scherzinger, 37, has previously dated Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton.

6:40pm — MAESTRO MAKES HISTORY

Feds is full of records.
Feds is full of records.

ROGER Federer has made history by beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4 in his third round clash on Rod Laver Arena.

The No.3 seed took out the first set before a surge from the Bulgarian saw Federer drop the second 6-3. The former Aus Open champion then cruised through to a third set 6-1 victory before taking out the match in the fourth.

The win saw him rack up 300 career wins in grand slams, which makes him the first male player in the Open era to achieve the feat.

Federer already boasts the record for most grand slam singles titles to his name (17), as win number 300 in majors marks just another neat milestone for the legend to tick off in what has been an incredible career.

Federer now has an 84% win record at Grand Slam matches, with just 49 losses since 1998.

The four-time Australian Open champion will now face Belgian David Goffin in the fourth round.

6:20pm — RADWANSKA CRUISES ON

Radwanska makes it seven trips to the fourth round.
Radwanska makes it seven trips to the fourth round.

WOMEN’S No.4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska has beaten Monica Puig 6-4 6-0 to progress to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the seventh time in her career.

The Pole finished the match in style, taking out the second set six games to none.

26-year-old Radwanska will be looking to progress to her fifth quarterfinals berth at the Grand Slam stop, having been knocked out in the fourth round last year.

“I was in big trouble in the first set, but I found my rhythm. It was another great match. I just hope I can keep it up,” she said after the victory.

4:50pm — TSONGA INTO TOP 16

Tsonga was pumped to win through.
Tsonga was pumped to win through.

FRENCHMAN Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has progressed through to the fourth round, defeating fellow countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4 7-6(7) 7-6(4).

Despite some fight from Herbert to finish to the second and third sets, Tsonga sailed through with 23 aces for a convincing straight set victory.

The current ninth seed will now face Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the fourth round. It is the seventh time Tsonga has reached this stage in the Australian Open.

4:20pm — FEDERER’S RARE OUTBURST

Federer channels the Zen.
Federer channels the Zen.

Federer is usually calmness personified, but that’s only when he himself is involved on the court, it seems.

Watching the third round clash between Maria Sharapova and Lauren Davis from the locker room, footage showed the Swiss’ animated reaction to an point late in the second set.

Davis was fighting to claim the second set and stay in the match after Sharapova won the first, when the two played out a 27-stroke rally.

Davis looked to have bettered the Russian when he had a forehand volley with an open court to aim at, but she blew it and hit the ball into the net.

3:40pm — WHAT ARE SHARAPOVA’S TOILET HABITS?

This was an amusing interview.
This was an amusing interview.

IT SEEMS a strange thing to be discussing when you’ve just won a grand slam match, but Maria Sharapova found herself questioned about what she does in the toilet after she beat Lauren Davis in three sets.

Sharapova was up a break in the second set before the determined American came back to clinch the set in a tiebreak and force the clash into a decider, as the Russian appeared to be losing her grip on the match.

“What do you do when you go into the bathroom after losing a set like that? Do you give yourself a chat in the mirror?” asked Rennae Stubbs in the post-match interview, much to the amusement of the crowd.

“I mean, we don’t need to know everything that happened in the toilet,” she said, realising her gaffe.

“Well, I don’t have a chat in the mirror, I think I’d get fined for that,” said Sharapova.

“I changed my dress, I felt a little bit lighter which helped me move a little bit faster but other than that, that was all I can share.”

The change of dress obviously did the trick as Sharapova blasted her 22-year-old opponent off the court to win the match 6-1 6-7 (5-7) 6-0.

2.20pm — ‘IT’S TOUGH TO PLAY AGAINST A FRIEND’

Thiem (left) and Goffin (right) are good friends.
Thiem (left) and Goffin (right) are good friends.

BELGIUM’S David Goffin made the fourth round of a grand slam for the third time in his career when he accounted for Dominic Thiem 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5.

The match went for almost three hours, but playing against the Austrian took a mental toll on Goffin as much as a physical one.

“It was almost three hours of high intensity tennis,” Goffin said.

“I’m really happy with the way I managed the match emotionally because it’s always tough to play against a friend and with a high level like this it’s always tough to stay focused.

“I’m feeling good here in Melbourne and I will try to keep going like this.”

A visibly exhausted Goffin drew laughter from the crowd when asked how his body was holding up.

“I’m so fresh. I could play the fourth round today.”

2.10pm — NISHIKORI DOES THE BUSINESS

Nishikori played through the pain.
Nishikori played through the pain.

KEI Nishikori kept his chances of claiming a maiden grand slam title alive by beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in four sets 7-5 2-6 6-3 6-4.

The Japanese looked to be struggling with a wrist injury at times during the match, but overcame any physical ailment to ensure his stay in Melbourne lasts a little longer.

“I feel very comfortable here. It was a tough match, tough mentally. I started playing much better in the last set,” said Nishikori.

“My wrist is okay. The first set it was sore, but it is okay.”

1.05pm — SWISS CHOCOLATE REALLY IS POWERFUL STUFF

Forget Swiss banks, it’s all about their chocolate.
Forget Swiss banks, it’s all about their chocolate.

BELINDA Bencic booked her spot in the fourth round with a come-from-behind win over Kateryna Bondarenko 4-6 6-2 6-4.

Bencic is just another Swiss enjoying success in her tennis pursuits, joining compatriots like Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka and following on from one of the greatest female players ever in Martina Hingis.

When asked how Switzerland manages to keep producing such top-quality talent, Bencic had a simple answer.

“For me it’s the chocolate,” she said in her post-match interview. “I don’t know how it is for the others.

“I’m just really glad that I’m mentioned with all these great players in one sentence, it makes me really proud.

“I’m very happy representing the Swiss flag.

Appearing in her third Open, Bencic struggled to find her rhythm early on Rod Laver Arena but regrouped to reach the fourth round at Melbourne Park for the first time.

Bencic will meet either fifth seed Maria Sharapova or American Lauren Davis in her next match.

12.30pm — THE RAIN KEEPS FALLING

The ball boys and girls have been kept busy.
The ball boys and girls have been kept busy.

THE rain continues to fall as inclement weather delayed the start of play on the outside courts at Melbourne Park.

Play began on time at the three covered stadiums, including a third-round match between 12th-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine on Rod Laver Arena, which Bencic won in three sets.

Over on Margaret Court Arena, seventh-seed and 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori is playing Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain. At Hisense Arena, David Goffin is playing Dominic Thiem.

Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are set to play night matches Friday. The top-seeded Djokovic is scheduled to play Andreas Seppi while six-time champion Williams will take on Daria Kasatkina of Russia.

No play is scheduled to take place on the outside courts before 3:30pm, with a review to be done at 2:30pm.

11am — WHY HEWITT WORE HIS CAP BACKWARDS

You’d barely recognise Lleyton without his backwards cap.
You’d barely recognise Lleyton without his backwards cap.

IT’S as distinctive as his boisterous “C’mons!” — Lleyton Hewitt’s backwards cap.

For his entire professional career, the 34-year-old has walked out onto the court with a hat worn in the too-cool-for-school manner.

It could be 11pm under a closed roof in a Nordic country that only sees three hours of sunlight a day, but still he wouldn’t be without one of his most defining accessories.

Now, Australian tennis great Pat Rafter has revealed just why the veteran never went without a backwards cap on game day.

“He did it in one of his early matches and won and thought, ‘Oh it’s going to be a good luck charm,’” Rafter said on Triple M Brisbane’s Marto and Ed Kavalee for Breakfast on Friday morning.

The two-time US Open champion reflected on a young Hewitt and what made him so special.

“We had him in Sydney during Davis Cup, he would have been 15 then ... I remember practising with him and playing points and being down like 10-5 and going, ‘What is going on here? This little kid is beating me up,’” said Rafter

“The guy was pretty amazing back then, I didn’t realise how amazing he was going to be.

“Gee I tell you he had pretty good leg speed, but he did everything else really well ... and his will to win and desire and that ability not to give in, which is inherent in a lot of people, but his was unbelievable.”

Rafter is one of Australian tennis’ favourite sons, but even he conceded Hewitt should go down as a greater player than he ever was.

“Lleyton had a much longer, more distinguished career than I had and was at the top of the game so much longer than I was.”

11am — THE WEIRDEST QUESTION ALL WEEK

Milos Raonic is the latest player to suffer annoying questions.
Milos Raonic is the latest player to suffer annoying questions.

WE’VE had Novak Djokovic blowing up over match-fixing claims and Serena Williams just about walking out over an Italian reporter’s grilling over a loss last season to Roberta Vinci.

Then there was also an unusual exchange with little known Naomo Osaka.

But the award for weirdest questioning of the week goes to the reporter who would not let up on Milos Raonic’s mouthguard.

Here is the exchange in all its glory.

REPORTER: Very profound question: who is your favourite athlete who uses a mouthpiece? I’ve got an answer for you. Basketball player.

MILOS RAONIC: No, I’d probably say I like Mike Tyson. I’m guessing boxers have mouthpieces, no?

REPORTER: How about a non-boxer?

MILOS RAONIC: Do you want me to answer what you want to hear or what the actual answer is?

REPORTER: Active player.

MILOS RAONIC: Active player? George St. Pierre. I don’t know if you consider him active.

REPORTER: No.

MILOS RAONIC: It’s a new year. I’m not ready for 52 more weeks of this.

REPORTER: Can I give you my answer?

MILOS RAONIC: Yes.

REPORTER: Steph Curry.

MILOS RAONIC: But every basketball player plays with a mouthpiece. It’s a contact sport.

REPORTER: Point taken.

— with AFP, AAP

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