Key events
Another slate of matches have commenced in Melbourne.
Lithuanian 16th seed Jelena Ostapenko is facing Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic on 1573 Arena, men’s 15 seed Jack Draper down an early break against Argentine Mariano Navone, Sebastian Baez and Arthur Cazaux are getting set to begin on Court Five, and women’s 27 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has commenced her match with China’s Yuan Yue.
And the day looks like it’s going to get even better for those in green and gold, as big serving local Thompson has taken out the second set against Koepfer, now leading 7-6 6-4.
The Sydneysider is looking to move into a second round meeting with Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who has defeated Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-7 6-3 6-2 7-5.
You’re never going to believe this… but Sinner just hed serve against Jarry. I know, I’m shocked as well.
It’s now 5-5 in the second set between the Italian top seed and his game Chilean challenger, with all indications we’re off to yet another tie break to split them.
And then Jarry hold serve to make it 5-6. Because of course he does.
Popular local figure Thanasi Kokkinakis has made his way onto Kia Arena to a warm reception as he prepares for his meeting with Roman Safiullin.
And there’s been more joy for the locals on Court Six as James McCabe has seen of Spaniard Martin Landaluce in straight sets, winning 6-4 6-3 6-4. Indeed, it’s been a very good day for the locals, with Ajla Tomljanovic, Talia Gibson, and James Duckworth also winning through.
In live action, Thompson can take a two set lead over Koepfer with a break, Tristan Schoolkate is down a set to Taro Daniel, and Aleksandar Vukic is fighting back against Damir Dzumhur.
Jarry drops the opening two points of his service game against Sinner only to promptly fight back and take the next four, holding serve and roaring in celebration as he makes it 3-4 in the second set.
After the first set went over an hour as it went to a tie break, both men have so far held serve in the second. Yep, we might be in for a long one… Novak Djokovic (7) against American Nishesh Basavareddy and Naomi Osaka taking on Caroline Garcia are also scheduled for Rod Laver Arena today.
Jack Snape
The Nick Kyrgios effect is in full swing, as hundreds of fans wait patiently outside John Cain Arena for the Australian’s long-awaited grand slam return.
A failure in the virtual queue QR-code based system has forced organisers to return to physical lines to regulate access to the arena known as Melbourne Park’s “people’s court”. By 2.30pm lines were already hundreds of fans long, snaking in the sun at the eastern side of John Cain Arena.
Fourteen-year-old Adelle was there with her friend and mother, anticipating a wait for two hours or more. “Kyrgios always puts on a show, he’s always good to watch, you know that at least you’re gonna get something interesting in there and he’s been out for a while,” the teenager said.
The group had arrived at Melbourne Park at 8am seeking to reserve their place for both the day and night sessions, but were unaware the arena gets emptied before it is filled again for the evening’s matches.
“I ran from the entrance into John Cain Arena and I got the seat I wanted, and then some people behind me said, ‘you know you’re not going to be here all day to watch Kyrgios, you’re going to get kicked out and have to fight for a spot’.”
It’s been a distracting buildup for the Polish second seed but Iga Swiatek is through to the second round of the Australian Open after defeating Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-4.
The former world number one didn’t have it all her own way, broken once in each set, but ultimately moved through rather comfortably, setting up a second round meeting with Slovak Rebecca Šramková.
Former two-time champion Victoria Azarenka is out in a boilover!
Italian Lucia Bronzetti had one just once in her two previous assaults on the Australian Open and didn’t enter this year’s tournament in the best of form but after winning a second-set tie break she’s taken out of the biggest wins of her career, eliminating the Belarusian 21 seed 6-2 7-6.
Swiatek breaks Siniakova out on John Cain Arena and promptly holds serve. One more break and she’ll advance past the Czech doubles specialist and set up a second round meeting with Slovakian Rebecca Šramková.
In other action, Portugal’s Borges has moved into the ascednecy over France’s Muller, taking out the third set 6-2.
Gifted the opportunity to enter the main draw after an injury to former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova — lucky loser has to be one of the better phrases in sport — Britain’s Harriet Dart has taken out the opening set against Croatian qualifier Jana Fett.
McCabe, meanwhile, has moved to a two set lead over Landaluce, up a break at 6-4 6-3 3-1 in the third.
And with a powerful ace, men’s top seed Sinner is finally able to steal a march on Jarry, taking out the first set on Rod Laver Arena in an hour and 13 minutes! If this keeps up, we could be in for a long one, here.
France’s Arthur Rinderknech pushed him all the way but 17th seeded American Frances Tiafoe has taken out their first round meeting out on the 1573 Arena, taking it 7-6 6-3 4-6 6-7 6-3.
There’s a bit happening everywhere right now, as Thompson takes out the tie break on Margaret Court Arena to take the first set of his meeting with Koepfer 7-6. Siniakova, meanwhile, is hanging with women’s second seed Swiatek out on John Cain, breaking back in the second set before holding serve to make it 2-3.
