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SportTennisAustralian Open

This was published 3 years ago

As it happened: Daniil Medvedev, Madison Keys, Victoria Azarenka in action on day five as third round begins

Roy Ward and Caroline Schelle
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

Korda clinches dramatic tiebreak victory against Medvedev
Khachanov holds his nerve to keep Open run alive
Azarenka stuns in comeback against Keys
Tiley open to ‘cut-off time’ for matches after overnight epic
Two-time Australian Open champion to face American Madison Keys
World No.1 Iga Swiatek beats opponent in under an hour
‘That’s f—ing ridiculous. Is he sleeping?’: Theatrical doubles blow-up
More Aussie doubles success
The 26 seconds in Murray’s six-hour match that stunned the tennis world
‘I would have set an alarm’: What our readers thought of last night’s marathon match

Game, set and goodnight

By

Thanks for joining us for another exciting evening at Melbourne Park for the Australian Open. Before the blog closes, here’s a round up of what you might have missed.

Last year’s finalist Daniil Medvedev was the latest of several top players to have his championship hopes dashed in the first week.

In a match that lasted into the early hours of Saturday morning, Medvedev lost to American Sebastian Korda in straight sets.

An elated Korda had a simple game plan to beat the world No.8: “Just go for it, you know”.

Unseeded Czech Jiri Lehecka knocked World No.12 Cameron Norrie out of the Open in a five-set match, while veteran Belarusian player Victoria Azarenka – a dual women’s singles champion – ended American 10th seed Madison Keys’ run in the tournament.

Sixth-seed Sakkari hits back against Zhu

By Jackson Graham

Sixth seed Maria Sakkari has hit back to level the scores against China’s Lin Zhu to one set each.

The second set was over in 38 minutes, with Sakkari taking a commanding lead 1-6.

The first set was decided in a tiebreak 7-6 (7-3) as Zhu, World No.87, took to the Margaret Court Arena firing.

But Zhu has come back in the third set, and is leading by two games.

Korda in major upset against Medvedev

By Marc McGowan

The American uprising is genuine – and so, too, is Sebastian Korda.

The son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda has been the source of endless hype, but there is an increasing amount of substance to go with it.

Korda unleashed a lethal mix of easy power, acute angles, changes of pace and slick court craft to defeat seventh seed Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (9-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) and dash the Russian’s hopes of a hat-trick of Melbourne Park final appearances.

Sebastian Korda, son of 1998 Australian Open Champion Petr Koda, celebrates his victory third round victory. AP

Medvedev has now lost before the quarter-finals at his past three grand slams after ascending to the top ranking twice last year and this is his worst Open result since losing in the second round in 2018.

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Korda clinches dramatic tiebreak victory against Medvedev

By Caroline Schelle

Twenty-two-year-old American Sebastian Korda has sensationally knocked out world No.8 Daniil Medvedev in a dramatic tiebreak.

In the third set, he was able to overcome Medvedev, winning it 7-6 (7-4).

Daniil Medvedev congratulates Sebastian Korda (R) after winning their third-round match.AP

The final set lasted for 55 minutes, with the match lasting just under three hours.

In an on-court interview, an elated Korda said his family loved playing in Australia, with his dad Petr Korda winning the 1998 Australian Open and his sister Nelly winning here in golf.

Korda and Medvedev in nail-biting second tiebreak

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The United States’ Sebastian Korda and Russia’s Daniil Medvedev have gone into their second tiebreak of the match.

The pair are battling it out on Rod Laver Arena, in a third set that has gone on for nearly an hour.

Korda is leading the tiebreak 5-1, against the world No.8.

If he wins this Korda will be through to the fourth round, and Mevedev will be the latest seed in the top 10 of the competition to crash out.

Lin Zhu wins tiebreak against Maria Saakari

By Jackson Graham

China’s Lin Zhu has beaten Maria Saakari in a tiebreak in the first set of their third round match.

On Margaret Court Arena the pair battled it out for an hour, but Zhu was able to nudge ahead and beat Saakari 7-6 (7-3).

The Chinese player is ranked No.86, while her Greek opponent is this tournament’s 6th seed.

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Korda secures second set

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And back to Rod Laver Arena, where the young American Sebastian Korda has won his second set against 7th seed Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian is now one set away from being knocked out of the Australian Open in the third round.

Sebastian Korda secured the second set in 39 minutes. Eddie Jim

Korda, was able clinch the set with a serve and volley, winning it 6-3.

In a fun titbit, the 22-year-old American’s coach is former Czech star Radek Stepanek, who was himself coached by Korda’s father Petr.

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz through to fourth round

By Jackson Graham

Tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz is through to the fourth round after defeating Canadian Shapovalov in a five-set match.

The Polish player won the first two sets before Shapovalov, seeded 20th, took the next two.

Hubert Hurkacz of Poland celebrates after defeating Denis Shapovalov of Canada in their third round match at the Australian Open.AP

“I was just trying to stay in there. It was really tough. His game was rising,” Hurkacz said afterwards.

He won the fifth set 6-3, ending the Margaret Court Arena match after three hours and 37 minutes.

Hurkacz fourth-round opponent will be the winner of the Daniil Medvedev-Sebastian Korda match under way now on Rod Laver Arena.

Hurkacz bt Shapovalov 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3.

Khachanov holds his nerve to keep Open run alive

By Courtney Walsh

Sporting a well-manicured beard and clothes tailored to his athletic frame, Karen Khachanov proved himself an ice-cold spoiler of hype once again on Friday night at Melbourne Park.

In a clash between the two beaten semi-finalists in last September’s US Open, the Russian posted a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9) win over American Frances Tiafoe on John Cain Arena.

Karen Khachanov celebrates after defeating American Frances Tiafoe on Friday night.AP

The fourth-set tie-breaker was a thriller, with Tiafoe holding a 6-1 advantage, only for the Russian to show remarkable resilience in reeling in the deficit in a high-class display.

Read more about the match here.

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Khachanov sends Tiafoe packing in four sets

By Jackson Graham

Russian Karen Khachanov has defeated American Frances Tiafoe in four sets on John Cain Arena.

Khachanov won the fourth set 11-9 (7-6), fighting back after his opponent had an early lead in the tiebreak.

The Russian, ranked world No. 20, had won the first two sets, while Tiafoe won the third.

Karen Kachanov during the match against Frances Tiafoe.AP

Earlier in the fourth set, Khachanov expressed some frustration at sounds from the crowd as he was serving, prompting the chair umpire to ask fans to “respect both players”.

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