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Australian Open 2020: day four, live coverage, updates from Melbourne Park

Nick Kyrgios has survived a slip-up to secure a spot in the third round of the Australian Open.

Courtney Walsh and Tom Crystal
Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts during his second round singles match against France's Gilles Simon. Picture: AP
Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts during his second round singles match against France's Gilles Simon. Picture: AP
7 min read
3:25PMJanuary 23, 2020.
Updated 11:50PMJanuary 23, 2020

Welcome to our rolling coverage of day four of the 2020 Australian Open from Melbourne Park. Follow the latest below.

11.46pm: Nadal in straight sets win

Rafael Nadal has continued to cut a path through the Australian Open men’s draw, scoring a straight-sets win over Argentine Federico Delbonis.

The world No.1 was taken to a second-set tiebreak but was otherwise untroubled in the 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 second-round victory on Rod Laver Arena.

“I lost a lot of opportunities on break points. Honestly, I found a way to finally win that second set and in the third, I think I played a little bit more relaxed,” he told Channel Nine.

AAP

9.49pm: Kyrgios defeats Simon in nailbiter

Nick Kyrgios has survived a slip-up to secure a spot in the third round of the Australian Open.

The Australian No.2 beat crafty French veteran Gilles Simon 6-2 6-4 4-6 7-5 in an eventful second-round clash on Melbourne Arena.

Kyrgios appeared to be cruising to a comfortable win on Thursday night but dropped serve twice to lose the third set before recomposing himself to wrap up the match.

AAP

8.40pm: Halep serves he way into round three

6.00pm: Thiem survives scare from Bolt

Australian wildcard Alex Bolt has given No.5 seed Dominic Thiem an almighty scare before bowing out in five sets in the second round of the Australian Open.

The left-handed Bolt led by two sets to one before Thiem steadied to win 6-2 5-7 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-2 in a match lasting three hours and 22 minutes. Thiem was beaten at the same stage of last year’s Open by another Australian wildcard in Alexei Popyrin.

The two-time French Open finalist from Austria will play either American Taylor Fritz or South African Kevin Anderson in the third round on Saturday.

Earlier on Thursday, Australian duo Ajla Tomaljanovic and Priscilla Hon both bowed out in the second round of the women’s singles.

Tomaljanovic went down 6-3 3-6 6-3 to two-time major winner Garbine Muguruza from Spain and Hon was outclassed 6-3 6-2 by another former world No.1, Angelique Kerber from Germany.

3pm: Mud sticks on outside courts

The rain has stopped but that doesn’t mean play is likely on all courts. The muddy rain that fell overnight is still causing headaches for tournament organisers.Second seed Karolina Pliskova managedto get through her match, posting a 6-3 6-3 win over German Laura Siegemund.

2pm: Rain strikes again

Play has been suspended on the two outside courts that were operational as showers sweep across Melbourne Park. Seventh seed Belinda Bencic has joined Garbine Muguruza and Donna Vekic in the third round after beating Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 7-5 in 1hr 41min.

Courtney Walsh 1.45pm: Clean-up continues

Play on a large number of outside courts remains delayed after the heavy rain that hit last night left sprinklings of mud across Melbourne Park.

Only courts three and and 19 are underway as ground staff perform a clean-up operation.

1.35pm: Mugaruza moves through

Garbine Muguruza has beaten Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3 3-6 6-3 in 2hr 21min on Rod Laver Arena to move into the third round.

12.55pm: Tomljanovic levels

The Australian breaks Garbine Muguruza for a 4-2 and serves out the second set 6-3. They’re into the decider on Rod Laver Arena.

12.45pm: Vekic advances

Croatia’s Donna Vekic is the first winner on day four, accounting for France’s Alizé Cornet 6-4 6-2 in 1hr 31min. The 19th seed is through to the third round at Melbourne Park for the first time.

12.35pm: Court short

Just three courts — those with rooves — are being used as the clean-up from Melbourne’s muddy rain continues. Court three is about to go live, as Zarina Diyas and Anna Blinkova prepare to play their second-round match.

12.05pm: Muguruza gets the opener

Spanish star Garbine Muguruza recovers from 2-0 down against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic, winning four games in a row on the way to claiming the first set 6-3.

Garbine Muguruza plays a return against Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: Getty Images
Garbine Muguruza plays a return against Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: Getty Images

Courtney Walsh 11.45am: Mud delays play

The brown rain that caked Melbourne in mud on Thursday night has had an impact on an Australian Open already plagued by the elements.

Play on outside courts has been delayed an hour due to the courts being covered in the red dirt, with pressure hoses being used to clean them. Alexei Popyrin and Arina Rodionova are due to play their second round singles matches on outside courts today.

Action is underway on the three courts which have a roof, with Ajla Tomljanovic on serve in her clash with former Wimbledon and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza on Rod Laver Arena.

Brown left courts and seats caked in dirt. Picture: AFP
Brown left courts and seats caked in dirt. Picture: AFP

11.30am: Tomljanovic hands back a break

Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic has surrendered an early advantage against two-time major winner Garbine Muguruza. The Wimbledeon and French Open winner dropped her first service game of the match but broke 26-year-old Tomljanovic to level at 2-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

11.10am:

A general view of the crowd during the second round match between Ashleigh Barty of Australia and Polona Hercog of Slovenia on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Wednesday, January 22, 2020. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY
VIEW GALLERY

11am: Sun breaks through

The rain that caused flash flooding and transport drama in Melbourne overnight and this morning has given way to sunshine, meaning match delays should be at a minimum. Melbourne Park is expecting a top of 22C, with high humidity but lighter winds than yesterday.

10.30am: Coach wants to ‘shut some people up’

Dayana Yastremska’s coach has hit back at claims the 23rd seed used an injury time-out to stall her opponent near the end of a gripping second-round match on Margaret Court Arena, AP reports.

Caroline Wozniacki criticised Yastremska for calling for a trainer at 4-5 down in the second set of Wozniacki’s 7-5 7-5 victory.

The Dane surmised that she knew exactly what the Ukrainian was up to: the interruption was more about gamesmanship than a need for treatment from a trainer.

“Obviously,” Wozniacki said afterwards, “she tried to break my rhythm. ... I don’t think there (was) anything wrong. She was running just fine. So that’s a trick that she’s done before, and I knew that it was coming.”

Yastremska denied that’s what was going on, saying she had hip problems – the tactic only delayed, but did not alter, the result.

Her coach, Sascha Bajin, took to twitter to defend his charge, saying Yastremska had been battling a legitimate injury.

Wozniacki needed six match points to finish it, but she did finish it, beating Yastremska to prolong a career she said will be done as soon as her run in the Australian Open is.

Wozniacki, the 2018 champion at Melbourne Park and a former No.1, started about as poorly as possible Wednesday, falling behind 5-1.

“She came out swinging ... and everything was going in, even balls that I don’t think she knew were possible to hit it that way,” Wozniacki said. “I was just thinking to myself, ‘It surely can’t continue. If it’s going to continue, then there is not much I can do out there.’ But, you know, then she started making errors.”

Something similar played out in the second set, which Yastremska led 3-0 before faltering.

— AP

Dayana Yastremska receives medical treatment during her match against Caroline Wozniacki. Picture: AFP
Dayana Yastremska receives medical treatment during her match against Caroline Wozniacki. Picture: AFP

Adrian McMurray 10am: Kyrgios’ surprise bonus

There’s more on the line than a third-round berth when Nick Kyrgios takes on Gilles Simon tonight.

The 24-year-old can reclaim the mantle as Australia’s No 1 ranked male with victory on Melbourne Arena, jumping as high as 23rd in the live ATP rankings.

Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AAP
Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AAP

Alex de Minaur, currently world No 24 and Australia’s highest-ranked male, withdrew from the grand slam due to an abdominal injury.

John Millman is also set for a healthy rankings boost if he can pull off a repeat of his 2018 US Open heroics and upset Roger Federer.

Currently 39th on the live rankings, Millman could push towards the top 30 — potentially as high as 35th — if he can send the 20-time grand slam champion packing.

Here’s Will Swanton on tonight’s match:

“Cue the Benny Hill music. Simon is a tough nut to crack. He will not raise an eyebrow at any mischief from the other end. He’s an old-school character who compensates for a lack of power with an abundance of cunning. He’s 35 years of age and his best is behind him, but he’s still the world No 61 and no easy assignment.”

Read more here

Courtney Walsh 9.30am: Aussies in action on day four

Nick Kyrgios (23) v Gilles Simon
Melbourne Arena, not before 6.45pm
The Australian has been in strong form all summer and loves playing on Melbourne Arena.
He does face a tricky test against Simon, a French veteran who has been an elite player for a significant amount of time.
The key will be to serve well and not engage with the Frenchman in long rallies. The Canberran claimed their only meeting to date 6-4 7-6 (5) on the way to a title in Washington DC last year.

Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AP
Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AP

Ajla Tomljanovic v Garbine Muguruza
Rod Laver Arena, 11am
Tomljanovic has been in good touch all summer and tested top 10 players Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep in Brisbane and Adelaide prior to a blistering beginning in Melbourne.
She faces a two-time grand slam champion in Muguruza, so it is clearly no easy task. But the Spaniard has not been able to reach those heights over the past two years and the right-hander will fancy her chances.

Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: AAP
Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: AAP

Priscilla Hon v Angelique Kerber (17)
Margaret Court Arena, third match on
It was great to see the Queenslander breakthrough on Tuesday at her third attempt in Melbourne. Hon possesses significant firepower, with her backhand in particular a weapon.
But she faces a real test against Kerber, a former champion in Melbourne and the winner of three grand slams.

Priscilla Hon. Picture: Getty Images
Priscilla Hon. Picture: Getty Images

Alex Bolt v Dominic Thiem (5)
Melbourne Arena, third match on
The South Australian had a terrific first round win when showing immense fight to overcome a deficit and prevail in five sets against Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Thiem, of course, is another step up in class. Twice a French Open finalist, the Austrian won a Masters series event at Indian Wells last season. But Bolt beat him when they were first on the tour and has vowed to go on the attack.

Alex Bolt. Picture: AFP
Alex Bolt. Picture: AFP

Alexei Popyrin v Jaume Munar
Court 3, third match on
The young Australian continues to impress at major level. He was performing well against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga when the former finalist withdrew with a back complaint. Munar is an improving Spaniard who looks like becoming a quality player but Popyrin will fancy his chances of making the third round for the second year in succession on home soil.

Alexei Popyrin. Picture: Mark Stewart
Alexei Popyrin. Picture: Mark Stewart

Arina Rodionova v Kiki Bertens (9)
Court 8, second match on
The Australian veteran has enjoyed a couple of good wins this summer but faces a significant test against the Dutch star. Bertens managed to defeat Ash Barty during the round robin stages of the WTA Tour Finals, an event the Australian eventually won, which illustrates the class of the 9th seed.

Arina Rodionova. Picture: Getty Images
Arina Rodionova. Picture: Getty Images
Read related topics:Australian Open Tennis

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2020-day-four-live-coverage-updates-from-melbourne-park/news-story/0d92f9b74f660ffe17b0f7ee073e61c8