Muzza's last stand?

[Janik]

No, it won't get postponed. They have started matches after midnight before. I believe the latest finish in Melbourne is something like 4:30am.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Well, if that's right, then I suppose that record for latest finish is very unlikely to be broken tonight. But they did just say on Eurosport that this will be the latest ever start time for an Aussie Open match.

[Janik]

Apparently matches had not started after midnight before. By one minute. Assuming this guy is being accurate (he is a Tennis journalist, so he ought to have better sources than the man in the street) - https://twitter.com/stu_fraser/statu...84191496007680

[Gangster Octopus]

And, inevitably, it's going to a third set...

[tee rex]

I don't think I've woken up to find previous day's Australian sport still going on since a ODI day/nighter in Perth some years back.

[ad hoc]

Finishes at 03.12 local time

[Janik]

They did play the longest Women's match in the US Open since tie-breaks were introduced or similar a few years back. So not an entirely left-field outcome. Gutting for Jo to lose after all that.

[Satchmo Distel]

How full or empty was the stadium at 3.00am?

I think there are contractual reasons why they have to finish the program on the same day if at all possible. That is certainly the case in the North American season because it arose last year when Murray finished a Citi Open match at 3am and broke down in tears

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ish-washington

[tee rex]

[Satchmo Distel]

Indeed. What is the commercial calculus there? OTOH if they'd come back at 11am I doubt there would have been more fans (assuming the same patterns as Wimbledon and the US Open).

[ad hoc]

How old are the ball kids in Melbourne? Must have been well past their bedtime

[Janik]

Indeed. What is the commercial calculus there? OTOH if they'd come back at 11am I doubt there would have been more fans (assuming the same patterns as Wimbledon and the US Open).

On in the daytime in Europe. Some of the biggest TV markets for Tennis are here.

[Janik]

I never gor around to posting the round 3 draws did I? So let's do that. How they were meant to be, and how they actually are.

Men's Singles

Nominal

Novak Djokovic Srb [1] vs Denis Shapovalov Can [25]
David Goffin Bel [21] vs Daniil Medvedev Rus [15]
Fabio Fognini Ita [12] vs Pablo Carreno Busta Esp [23]
Philipp Kohlschreiber Ger [32] vs Kei Nishikori Jpn [8]

Alexander Zverev Ger [4] vs Gilles Simon Fra [29]
Chung Hyeon Kor [24] vs Milos Raonic Can [16]
Borna Coric Cro [11] vs Marco Cecchinato Ita [17]
Lucas Pouille Fra [28] vs Dominic Thiem Aut [7]


Marin Cilic Cro [6] vs Fernando Verdasco Esp [26]
Roberto Bautista Agut Esp [22] vs Karen Khachanov Rus [10]
Stefanos Tsitsipas Gre [14] vs Nikoloz Basilashvili Geo [19]
Gael Monfils Fra [30] vs Roger Federer Sui [3]

Kevin Anderson RSA [5] vs Steve Johnson USA [31]
Grigor Dimitrov Bul [20] vs John Isner USA [9]
Kyle Edmund GBr [13] vs Diego Schwartzman Arg [18]
Alex de Minaur Aus [27] vs Rafael Nadal Esp [2]


Actual

Novak Djokovic Srb [1] vs Denis Shapovalov Can [25]
David Goffin Bel [21] vs Daniil Medvedev Rus [15]
Fabio Fognini Ita [12] vs Pablo Carreno Busta Esp [23]
Joao Sousa Por vs Kei Nishikori Jpn [8]

Alexander Zverev Ger [4] vs Alex Bolt Aus [WC]
Pierre-Hugues Herbert Fra vs Milos Raonic Can [16]
Borna Coric Cro [11] vs Filip Krajinovic Srb
Lucas Pouille Fra [28] vs Alexie Popyrin Aus [WC]


Marin Cilic Cro [6] vs Fernando Verdasco Esp [26]
Roberto Bautista Agut Esp [22] vs Karen Khachanov Rus [10]
Stefanos Tsitsipas Gre [14] vs Nikoloz Basilashvili Geo [19]
Taylor Fritz USA vs Roger Federer Sui [3]

Frances Tiafoe USA vs Andreas Seppi Ita
Grigor Dimitrov Bul [20] vs Thomas Fabbiano Ita
Tomas Berdych Cze vs Diego Schwartzman Arg [18]
Alex de Minaur Aus [27] vs Rafael Nadal Esp [2]



Women's Singles

Nominal

Simona Halep Rou [1] vs Mihaela Buzarnescu Rou [25]
Carla Suarez Navarro Esp [23] vs Serena Williams USA [16]
Daria Kazatkina Rus [10] vs Garbine Muguruza Esp [18]
Camila Giorgi Ita [27] vs Karolina Pliskova Cze [7]

Naomi Osaka Jpn [4] vs Hsieh Su-wei Tpe [28]
Wang Qiang Chn [21] vs Anastasija Sevastova Lat [13]
Elise Mertens Bel [12] vs Madison Keys USA [17]
Dominka Cibulkova Svk [26] vs Elena Svitolina Ukr [6]


Petra Kvitova Cze [8] vs Barbora Strycova Cze [32]
Lesia Tsurenko Ukr [24] vs Aryna Sabalenka Blr [11]
Ashleigh Barty Aus [15] vs Jelena Ostapenko Lat [22]
Maria Sharapova Rus [30] vs Caroline Wozniacki Den [3]

Sloane Stephens USA [5] vs Petra Martic Cro [31]
Anett Kontaveit Est [20] vs Kiki Bertens Ned [9]
Julia Goerges Ger [14] vs caroline Garcia Fra [19]
Donna vekic Cro [29] vs Angelique Kerber Ger [2]


Actual

Simona Halep Rou [1] vs Venus Williams USA
Dayana Yastremska Ukr vs Serena Williams USA [16]
Timea Bacsinszky Sui [PR] vs Garbine Muguruza Esp [18]
Camila Giorgi Ita [27] vs Karolina Pliskova Cze [7]

Naomi Osaka Jpn [4] vs Hsieh Su-wei Tpe [28]
Wang Qiang Chn [21] vs Anastasija Sevastova Lat [13]
Elise Mertens Bel [12] vs Madison Keys USA [17]
Zhang Shuai Chn vs Elena Svitolina Ukr [6]


Petra Kvitova Cze [8] vs Belinda Bencic Sui
Amanda Anisimova USA vs Aryna Sabalenka Blr [11]
Ashleigh Barty Aus [15] vs Maria Sakkari Gre
Maria Sharapova Rus [30] vs Caroline Wozniacki Den [3]

Sloane Stephens USA [5] vs Petra Martic Cro [31]
Aliaksandra Sasnovich Blr vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Rus
Danielle Collins USA vs caroline Garcia Fra [19]
Kimberly Birrell Aus [WC] vs Angelique Kerber Ger [2]

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

I'm coming round to finding Zverev more appealing. He still seems a bit too cocky, but he does generally come across like quite a decent guy. I might even forgive his dissing Yorkshire accents.

Now that the Brits are all out of the singles, the only thing I care strongly about on the men's or women's singles resutls is wanting Sharapova to lose as soon (and as heavily) as possible. I have mixed feelings about Serena's fortunes - on the one hand I don't particularly like her, given her behaviour in last year's US Open final, but on the other hand it would be nice if somebody could overtake the total slam titles record of homophobe Margaret Court, and nobody other than Serena has any chance of that in the remotely foreseeable future.

[multipleman78]

There goes my money in the ladies event. Sabalenka just got dismantled by Asinimova who looks like a contender for the title even although she is so young.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It's quite unusual for all the top 8 seeds to survive to the third round in recent women's slams, isn't it? NB Janik you've got two 6th seeds on your update (sorry, that's my OCD triggered when I spot that!).

[ad hoc]

Sadly, given the identity of the person who beat her, the number 3 seed (and holder) has now gone.

[ad hoc]

Sounds like Australian tennis is in a bit of uproar https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...P=share_btn_tw

Though I did cringe at this

“The biggest thing Rochey [Cup coach Tony Roche] and I have is to set cultural standards and I feel Nick isn’t meeting those.

Like when you racially abused James Blake, Lleyton? Those kind of cultural standards?

[Janik]

Janik you've got two 6th seeds on your update (sorry, that's my OCD triggered when I spot that!).

Oops, yeah, well spotted. Kvitova is actually #8. I'll update.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

As I predicted, Anisimova proved to be a very dangerous opponent. Multipleman, you've anagramised her name in your post above. Just think of aniseed balls.

Damn re that other result. Here's hoping Barty gives Drugscheat a drubbing in R4.

[Janik]

I'm not seeing Barty as being the person to beat Sharapova. Ash is very good, and plays a very intelligent game, but I would be worried about her being overpowered.

The Aussie Men's debacle is like one of those slow crashing ice floes videos. Implacable, unstoppable, taking bloody ages to complete.

Nadal is dismantling De Minaur currently.

Tsitsipas vs Federer is a R4 match to really look forward to.

[ad hoc]

Halep (the only person I'm now watching in the tournament) beats Venus comfortably to set up a match with her sister (who I imagine will be a significantly tougher proposition). Should be a good match. Venus's last game in Melbourne? A slightly low key exit if so

[Janik]

I'm not seeing Barty as being the person to beat Sharapova. Ash is very good, and plays a very intelligent game, but I would be worried about her being overpowered.

Not the greatest start on the predictions front, that...

Federer-Tsitsipas is everything that he could hoped for. Anyone's guess who is going to win it.

[Gerontophile]

What a brilliant match, that was.

[Janik]

Tsitsipas wins in four. Playing in the City with the third biggest Greek population anywhere.

The match felt like the Sampras-Federer at Wimbledon in ~2002. Federer lost the QF that followed that, but not repeating that this is a challenge for Tsitsipas for another day.