Samantha Crawford refused to be fazed by the early loss of her serve on Rod Laver Arena. The American has broken back against Garbine Muguruza.
Nick Kyrgios has won a second set tie-break to lead by two sets to love against Andrea Seppi. Adam Collins is your man if you want to know more.
They’re still on serve in the second set on Court 7, but there are signs that Dan Evans is beginning to warm to the task of trying to deal with Marin Cilic’s power. Evans is down a set, but he’s starting to find his range with his groundstrokes and is giving Cilic a few things to think about at the start of set two.
The evening session is underway on Rod Laver Arena, where the USA’s Samantha Crawford is already a break down against Garbine Muguruza, the seventh seed and French Open champion. American fans won’t know where to look at the moment. On Margaret Court Arena, Shelby Rogers is duelling with Australia’s Alison Barty. Coco Vandeweghe has won the first set 6-4 against France’s Pauline Parmentier. And after four straight defeats for the American men earlier, what a turnaround we’re witnessing now! There was a win for Sam Querrey not so long and we could be looking at two on the bounce, with Jack Sock a set up against Karen Khachanov. USA! USA! USA!
Victor Troicki is a relieved and happy man after emerging unscathed from a testing five-setter with the Italian scrapper, Paolo Lorenzi. The Serbian was in trouble after dropping the fourth set, but he regained his level in the fifth to win 6-3, 1-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3. He’ll need to be much better in his next match, though, because he’s earned himself a meeting with Stan Wawrinka, a player he hasn’t beaten in seven attempts.
Unable to make a serious impression on the Cilic serve, Dan Evans can’t stop the Croatian from earning two set points. Cilic has stamped his authority on this match, which is what you’d expect from the seventh seed, and the first set is in the bag when Evans erratically sends a backhand long. Hopes of an upset are looking slim at this point. Evans is being outmuscled and outplayed by Cilic, who’s looked extremely composed.
Marin Cilic comfortably holds for a 5-2 lead and the players walk back to their chairs for the changeover, meaning that Dan Evans can see the doctor. Well, sort of. He scratching that left eye as he walks off – presumably some dust flew into it. But seems cheery enough during his chat with the doctor, who arrives armed with drops, and he should be fine to continue. Once they resume, Evans will be serving to stay in the first set.
Paolo Lorezni has done so well to force a fifth set, but it doesn’t look like the Italian veteran is going any further than that. Victor Troicki has reacted strongly, stomping into a 4-1 lead in the decider. He’s within touching distance of the third round, although let’s not rule Lorenzi out just yet. There’s still some fight left in him. Over on Court 2, meanwhile, Coco Vandeweghe of the USA is going great guns against France’s Pauline Parmentier. In a battle between two excellently named players, it’s Vandeweghe who’s in control early on, breaking for a 4-2 lead. Another American, Jack Sock, is also looking handy over on Court 8. The 23rd seed leads 4-2 against Russia’s Karen Khachanov. I wonder who Donald Trump’s supporting.
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Wiping and scratching out of his eyes, Dan Evans takes his time before serving at 15-30. He wins the point, but he wants the doctor on as soon as possible. It appears he’s suffering from some irritation. He digs deep to hold to trail 4-2 after 20 minutes. Now how about that doctor? Or has anyone in the stands got some drops?
Dan Evans is struggling to get a handle on Marin Cilic’s thumping serves. A third ace sees the Croatian hold to lead 4-1.
Frustrated wit the way things were going against Steve Darcis, Diego Schwartzman smashed a racquet earlier. It turns out it wasn’t the racquet’s fault. The Argentinian is out after losing to the Belgian in four sets. Darcis will face either Nick Kyrgios or Andrea Seppi next. Probably Kyrgios, who’s running away with that one on Hisense Arena, winning the first set 6-1.
A nervy opening service game from Dan Evans allows Marin Cilic to take command and earn a couple of great points. One aggressive forehand from the Croatian flashes wide; another one finds the line to earn him the early advantage.
Paolo Lorenzi and Victor Troicki have split the first four sets on Court 7. Lorenzi took the fourth 6-3 off the 29th seed and they’re into a decider.
Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, the 32nd seed, has beaten Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova 6-3, 6-4. She awaits either Garbine Muguruza or Samantha Crawford next.
Andy Murray is in action against Russia’s Andrey Rublev later, but the world No1 isn’t the only British player to focus on today. Dan Evans, the unpredictable enigma who almost knocked out Stan Wawrinka in New York last year, is about to face the seventh seed and former US Open champion, Marin Cilic, on Court 3. What Evans lacks in size he makes up for in natural talent, so while Cilic towers over a player who hasn’t always seemed smitten with putting in the hard yards away from the court, this is likely to be a highly engaging match, one full of touch and feel.
Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report on Roger Federer’s victory over Noah Rubin.
A seed falls on Court 3. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, seeded 10th, was out of sorts in a 7-6, 6-3 defeat to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, the world No78.
Over on Court 2, a huge roar goes up from the Australian fans as Alex de Minaur swipes a forehand away to hold. But don’t let the noise fool you. That was more a cry of sympathy than celebration, dignity preserved as that winner from De Minaur ensures that he won’t have to deal with the humiliation of a double bagel. It’s not enough to prevent the 17-year-old Australian from losing 7-6, 6-0, 6-1 to the USA’s Sam Querrey, conqueror of Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year and the 31st seed here. Experience prevails, but while this one ran away from De Minaur in the blink of an eye, the teenager is entitled to wonder what might have been if he’d taken the first set.
If you’re looking for live coverage of Andrea Seppi versus Nick Kyrgios, Adam Collins is your man. The players are out on Hisense Arena and play will begin shortly.
Hello and welcome to today’s rolling coverage of day three of the Australian Open. Those of you who have been paying attention will be aware it started several hours ago, though, so you’ll probably be eager to hear about what’s already happened. In which case, allow me to inform you that little known 17th seed, Roger Federer, is continuing to cause a stir, continuing his fairytale progress by seeing off a spirited challenge from young American Noah Rubin in three sets. Federer, who looks like he could be one to watch in the future despite his low ranking, faces 10th seed Tomas Berdych next after the Czech’s win over Ryan Harrison.
All in all, it’s not been a great day for the American men, with Steve Johnson falling in three sets to Stan Wawrinka, who was in no mood for any funny business after his epic against Martin Klizan on Monday, while 19th seed John Isner has just lost 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 9-7 to Mischa Zverev of Germany. Ouch. That’s quite the capitulation from Isner. Still, Venus Williams is safely through to the third round on the women’s side. So’s Angelique Kerber, although the world No1 failed to convince in her 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 win over fellow German Carina Witthöft.
Really, though, winning is all that matters at this stage of the tournament, and that’s what the likes of Andy Murray, Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and Garbine Muguruza will all be looking to do as the day progresses. They’re all in action, with Kyrgios about to face Andrea Seppi on Hisense Arena, and we’ve also got a potentially cracking match between Britain’s Dan Evans and Croatia’s Marin Cilic later on. Don’t be going anywhere.
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