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Thanasi Kokkinakis appeared gone, then got here again from the brink within the longest match of the Australian Open up to now – however he fell simply brief in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Nevertheless Ash Barty is thru to the third spherical regardless of some harm worries
Make amends for day 4 of the 2021 Australian Open under.
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Barty orchestrates surprising shock
0:44
‘GREEK GOD’ DOES ENOUGH AS KOKKINAKIS FADES LATE
Thanasi Kokkinakis took fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas all the way in which to a fifth set, however he couldn’t fairly pull off the upset on Rod Laver Area.
The South Australian appeared out of the match when, after claiming the primary set in a tiebreak, he limply dropped the second and third units.
Within the fourth set Kokkinakis took simply two factors off Tsitsipas’ serve and was compelled to avoid wasting a match level at 5-4, however he compelled a tiebreak, and jumped out to a 5-1 lead which he narrowly held onto.
Kokkinakis managed to avoid wasting 4 break factors in his first two service video games of the fifth set, which had been each marathons; however on the fifth alternative, Tsitsipas broke the Aussie for a 3-2 lead.
He then served out the match, prevailing 6-7(5) 6-4 6-1 6-7(5) 6-4 in 4 hours and 32 minutes – the longest match of the Australian Open up to now.
Kyrgios completes miraculous comeback
0:32
In a merciless twist for Kokkinakis, he received’t be capable to go dwelling and lick his wounds simply but — he’s returning to court docket afterward Thursday night time to group up with Nick Kyrgios in doubles.
POPYRIN FALLS AFTER VALIANT EFFORT
Aussie teen Alexei Popyrin has been eradicated from the Australian Open, however not earlier than one other gallant effort that compelled his opponent Lloyd Harris right into a fifth set.
Popyrin, who made it to the third spherical right here final 12 months, took out thirteenth seed David Goffin in 5 units within the first spherical to seal passage via to Thursday’s match.
After dropping the primary set 2-6, Popyrin proved his mettle by taking the second 6-1 as warmth surpassed 30 levels celsius.
Dropping the third set 3-6 didn’t faze the 21-year-old as he compelled a tiebreaker and prevailed 7-5 to take the match to a fifth set.
Sadly, Popyrin ran out of gasoline to shut the fifth set as South African Harris sealed the set 6-3 to make it into his first third spherical on the Aus Open.
DEFENDING CHAMP OUT
Defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin has been defeated within the second spherical by Kaia Kanepi.
Kanepi, who has been in promising type to begin the season, took the win 6-3, 6-2.
The loss looms as an enormous optimistic for Ash Barty, who misplaced to Kenin within the semi-finals final 12 months and is within the beneficial half of the draw.
Victoria Azarenka stays the final feminine participant to efficiently defend the title, which she did again in 2013.
Kanepi hit 10 aces and racked up 22 winners whereas Kenin managed simply 10 to go together with 22 unforced errors.
After a promising end to 2020, Kanepi has continued on together with her type to begin 2021 in addition to her uncanny capability to defeat the massive names.
Kanepi will face twenty eighth seed Donna Vekic within the third spherical.
AUSSIE ASH SEALS WIN DESPITE NERVY MATCH WITH DASH
After a match stuffed with nerves and a sense of bewilderment, Ash Barty has defeated buddy and fellow Aussie Daria Gavrilova.
‘Ash and Sprint’ have teamed as much as symbolize Australia earlier than and would have spent loads of time collectively on the WTA tour.
Gavrilova was the truth is the highest Aussie girls’s participant earlier than Barty surpassed her in October 2017, on her option to the French Open title and high of the WTA rankings.
After each gamers broke serve to begin the match, Barty shortly started to settle and pulled forward to a cushty lead earlier than taking the opening set 6-1.
What clean crusing modified for Barty within the second set nonetheless after some poor serving gifted Gavrilova an early service break.
Nevertheless, the nerves gave the impression to be contagious as Gavrilova put in a poor service sport handy the break again to the 2019 French Open champion.
All through the match, commentators famous the “unusual sensation” that gave the impression to be gripping the gang, with a “muted” environment with two hometown favourites doing battle.
As Ash served for the match at 5-4, nerves took maintain but once more and allowed Gavrilova again into the competition – Barty may very well be seen after one level slamming her fist into her heavily-strapped left thigh in frustration.
With the match getting into a second set tiebreak, Barty saved set factors and managed to seal the match, however concern was raised about her left thigh by commentators as she appeared hampered within the backend of the match.
Barty insisted publish match she was “match as a fiddle” regardless of the heavy strapping.
Tomic’s swipe at Aussie nice
0:36
BIKIE SPOTTED AMID KYRGIOS CROWD
Bike gang boss Toby Mitchell seems to be an avid Nick Kyrgios fan.
Throughout Kyrgios’ epic five-set win over twenty ninth seed Ugo Humbert on Wednesday night time, Mitchell, President of the Mongols outlaw motorbike gang, was noticed in his first main public look since courts deferred his sentencing resolution to September for 2 brawls in 2020.
Mitchell had beforehand been confined to his dwelling between the hours of 8pm and 6am over the Christmas interval.
Mitchell pleaded responsible to illegal assault over a November 15 incident in Southbank and had already been on bail for an incident exterior a restaurant in South Yarra in October.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2021 – DAY 4
ORDER OF PLAY – THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11
Play begins at 11am except listed in any other case
Rod Laver Area
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [6] def Danielle Collins (USA), 7-5 6-2
Ash Barty (AUS) [1] def Daria Gavrilova (AUS), 6-1 7-6(7)
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [5] def Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS), 6-7(5) 6-4 6-1 6-7(5) 6-4
From 7pm
Coco Gauff (USA) v Elina Svitolina (UKR) [5]
Michael Mmoh (USA) v Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]
Margaret Court docket Area
Belinda Bencic (SUI) [11] def Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), 7-5 2-6 6-4
Kaia Kanepi (EST) def Sofia Kenin (USA) [4], 6-3 6-2
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) [9] def Tomas Machac (CZE), 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-3
From 7pm
Pablo Cuevas (URU) v Alex de Minaur (AUS) [21]
Jessica Pegula (USA) v Sam Stosur (AUS)
John Cain Area
From 12pm
Andrey Rublev (RUS) [7] def Thiago Monteiro (BRA), 6-4 6-4 7-6(8)
Anett Kontaveit (EST) [21] def Heather Watson (GBR), 6-7(5) 6-4 6-2
Fabio Fognini (ITA) [16] v Salvatore Caruso (ITA)
Not earlier than 7pm
Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) v Daniil Medvedev (RUS) [4]
Court docket 3
Shelby Rogers (USA) def Olga Danilovic (SRB), 6-2 6-3
Lloyd Harris (RSA) def Alexei Popyrin (AUS), 6-2 1-6 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3
Radu Albot (MDA) def Christopher O’Connell (AUS), 6-2 7-5 7-6(8)
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