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Tauson’s first serve is penetrative but her second sometimes lacks a bit of juice. Sabalenka slams a forehand winner and then benefits from a high ball flying into the sun that Tauson loses sight of momentarily, her overhead backhand hitting the net to gift break points right back. There’s some meaty strokeplay from both players and Sabalenka locates her radar, hitting the baseline with a winner to take the game. A break back and one game apiece. Already looks like it should be a good tussle.
Sabalenka is serving first and is immediately put under pressure by her opponent after unforced errors on both backhand and forehand sides. Tauson doesn’t even have to do much to be honest, so shonky is Sabalenka’s radar early doors… 15-40 and then BREAK. Just like that, Tauson takes the first game and will now have her first service game to consolidate.
Sabalenka and Tauson begin their knock up in bright sunshine as the crowds spill into Rod Laver arena. Defending champion Sabalenka, dressed in Aussie yellow, strode onto the court with her headphones on and looked full of confidence, as well she might. Her opponent is the big serving Dane Clara Tauson, she has the most aces in the draw so far and stands an inch taller than Sabalenka. The stattos are only giving her a 9 per cent chance of victory but that seems a little low from what I’ve seen of her, If she gets into her groove then she can be very dangerous.
Righto, it looks like it is a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way in Melbourne. Let’s have some play, shall we?
Order of Play on Margaret Court
A humdinger in prospect first up over on Marge C as seed numero 18 and 12 scrap it out
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Diana Schnaider v Donna Vekic
That’s followed by a British underdog against a towering German
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Jacob Fearnley v Alexander Zverev
The penultimate game sees the third seed take on the 30th seed, the young American up against the young Canadian
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Coco Gauff v Leylah Fernandez
Finally, Britain’s number one men’s hope against a tricksy home favourite
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Jack Draper v Aleksandar Vukic
Order of Play on Rod Laver
As I wait for the coverage to beam into my telly (Beverley Hills Cop has just finished FYI) let’s turn our attention to today’s match ups. As mentioned, it is a belter. Tuck your tongue in will you!
Rod Laver Arena:
First up at 11:30 am local time, the number one women’s seed takes on a plucky Dane
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Aryna Sabalenka v Clara Tauson
After that it is local rivals Portugal v Spain, a battle between T-shirt vs Singlet
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Nuno Borges v Carlos Alcaraz
Followed by some 37 year old dude against a 24 year old Czech…
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Novak Djokovic v Tomas Machac
And finally:
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Jessica Pegula v Olga Danilovic
The American 7th seed takes on the 23 year old Serbian southpaw.
Tien Time:
Catch up on all the happenings from yesterday in Melbourne:
On the day of a new attendance record at Melbourne Park, the world No 11, Danielle Collins, was booed and jeered in her win over local hope Destanee Aiava, the latest intervention at the Australian Open from boisterous and often intoxicated crowds in a sport known for its civility.
The treatment appeared to affect the American, who shouted “shut up” to one fan during her tense 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 victory, even blowing kisses to the stands and turning and slapping her bottom in post-match victory taunts.
Afterwards she was one of a chorus of players who called for the volume to be turned not down but up. The endorsement comes as officials at the Australian Open try to attract non-traditional audiences to the sport, and players such as the “Special Ks” doubles pairing of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis encourage engagement from a new generation of tennis fans.
“I love playing in a crowd that has energy, regardless of what side they’re on,” Collins said after her victory. “It just motivates me even more, so it’s kind of a good thing, especially when I’m not playing that well.”
Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and welcome to Day Six of the Australian Open brought to you from the sun dappled Melbourne Park a bloke under a heated blanked sporting long johns in chilly south London, England.
I’m not complaining, the coffee is strong, the multiple devices are charged and the line-up is stellar – how does Sabalenka, Vekic, Alcaraz, Zverev, Gauff, Djokovic, Pegula… Sessions Draper… sound?
Not to mention Lynch, Howcroft and Harris on the livebloggin’ tools. Ambassador, we are spoiling you.
Before we get to today’s proceedings, a word on the late-night-five-set-ding-dong between American teenager Learner Tien and three time Aussie open finalist and US open champion Daniil Medvedev. Namely: WOW. What a match that was. The tournament needed a shot in the arm and holy moly it got one.
“I was definitely hoping it wouldn’t go to a fifth-set breaker ... It was definitely harder than maybe it could have been, but, whatever,” the teenage Tien said in the moments after toppling Medvedev - the gnarled old gunslinger - 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 7-6 in the small matter of 4 hours 49 minutes.
Tien then charmed the crowd even further : “I really appreciate all you guys staying out here. I know it’s late. I have no idea what time it is.” It was actually the wee small hours of Friday morning and definitely past Tien’s bedtime. Not that he would have been able to sleep after playing the match of his short career so far.
Let’s hope for more thrills, spills and belly earaches (Here’s looking at you Danielle Collins) as the tournament approaches the end of its first week.
I’ll post the schedule/order of play in a moment, the first balls will be tossed on the Rod Laver and Margaret Court Arena’s at 11.30 AEDT – about 40 minutes from now. Do get in touch if you are following along, weirdest and wackiest blog following location gets a special/undisclosed/as yet undecided prize. Maybe. *Please do check the small print.
*There will be no physical prizes. A mention on this blog should be enough, no? Greedyguts.
