Key events
Now then! Ostapenkz has been much more consistent in recent times, but I guess it’s not easy to bang with Osaka who, if she’s on, is as good at it as anyone. And she now leads 6-3 2-0; the Latvian is in trouble.
Sky have, of course, replaced Draper with Evans v Khachanov; the latter leads 7-6 3-4, but the Brit is playing the best match I’ve seen from him in a long while.
Jack Draper (25) beats Zhang Zhizhen 6-3 6-0 4-0 w/o
Yup, Zhang calls it, and Draper – who looked good even in the context – faces Diaz Acosta or Gaston next. He’ll fancy either of those.
Osaka serves out to lead Ostapenkz 6-3; Tsitsipas and Kokkinakis are 3-3 in the third; and Sinner is still fighting for his first-game hold against McDonald.
Yup, Draper gets his third-set break, but Zhang stays out there. Evans, meanwhile, is level with Khachanov at 2-2 in the second, having lost the first after serving for it at leading 40-0. Andreeva leads Osorio 6-2 3-2 with a break, Osaka leads Ostapenkz 5-3 and Sinner has been forced to deuce by McDonald in the first game of their match.
…but Tsitsipas secures his hold. Otherwise, we’re on serve in all our current matches – though Draper looks set to break Zhang leading 6-3 6-0 1-0 and I wonder whether, if he does, that’ll be the end.
Draper seals a bagel and now leads Zhang 6-3 6-0. Zhang isn’t moving well at all and I’d not be surprised to see him call it at some point. Meantime, Tsitsipas finds himself facing break point when down 2-1 2-2 to Kokkinakis…
Goodness me!
On Ashe, Jannik Sinner (1) and Mackenzie McDonald emerge to knock up.
Zhang calls the trainer when down 3-6 0-5; Tsitsipas does likewise when down 6-7 6-4 3-6 2-2.
I’d love to be watching Ostapenko v Osaka but I’m sadly limited by what’s on telly; the latter leads 2-1, on serve, in the first. Meantime, Wozniacki has bagelled Hibino to lead 6-0, Mirra Andreeva (21), leads Camila Osorio 6-2 2-0 and Otto Virtanen leads Quentin Halys 6-3 6-3 5-4.
Ah yes, while all the screen aggro was going on, Khachanov took the first-set breaker off Evans and leads 7-6(6) 1-1.
Tomas Machac beats Fabio Fognini 7-5 6-1 6-3
Machac’s improved a lot the last year, and this is a fine win over a fine opponent in decent nick. He meets Moutet or Korda (16) next.
OK, we’re back to two screens – I’ve got Tsitsipas 6-7 6-4 3-6 1-1 Kokkinakis on again.
I’m afraid I’m down to one screen as Sky have, for some reason, got football on channels that are meant to have tennis – at least when accessed through a computer. So I’m watching Jack Draper, who’s playing well in leading Zhang 6-3 2-0.
Iga Swiatek (1) beats Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4 7-6(6)
The number one seed comes through a stern test and meets Saville or Shibahara next; the latter leads 6-3 0-1.
Swiatek has match point against Rakhimova at 7-6 in their second-set breaker…
Hubert Hurkacz (7) beats Timofey Skatos 6-3 7-6(4) 7-6(3)
Hubie meeets Jordan Thompson next.
Khachanov breaks Evans back, but my coverage runs out when they move to the football on Sky, so I’m now trying to resolve that. The Brit leads 3-1 in the breaker while Kokkinakis serves out and leads Tsiotsipas 7-6 4-6 6-3!
Kokkinakis changes the flow of a rally with a fine lob, Tsitsipas runs it down, gets behind it … and sends his forehand riposte long. Advantage to the Aussie, he presses it home, and he’ll now serve for the third srt and a 2-1 lead!
Kokkinakis saves a break point and holds to lead Tsitsipas 4-3 in the third, while Evans hoists a wondrous lob then breaks Khachanov for 6-5in the first; he’ll shortly serve for the first set.
Caroline Dolehide beats Danielle Collins (11) 1-6 7-5 6-4
Danielle Collins’ career at the majors comes to an end – and what a comeback it’s taken to make that happen. Dolehide moves on to face Bucsa or Errani next – they’re about to start a decider.
On Mensik, by the way, Coach Calv returns with some gen: “He’s just a very complete player. Very talented. Not a standard Eastern European by any stretch – they tend to hit huge but have no hands, but he has power and touch.”
Just when it looks like curtains for Collins’ grand slam career, she breaks Dolehide back for 4-5 in the third; Draper and Zhang are 2-2 in the first.
Great news! Martina had her annual check-up yesterday and she’s still good. I’m biased – she was one of my first sporting heroes – but I love her.
Khachanov and Evnas are on serve in set one, the former up 4-3 – I’ll try and give them some time now, to see how the match is going. Elsewhere, Rakhimova has broken Swiatek, who was serving for the match, to trail 4-6 5-5, Dolehide leads Collins 5-3 in the third, Tsitsipas and Kokkinakis are 1-1 2-2 and Fognini leads Mahac 7-5 6-1
Boulter says that Sasnovich has been top 30 and “knows how to play tennis”. She’s really proud of how she responded to going behind, says the court and balls felt very fast today, and she’s glad she adopted quickly. Now, though, she’s got to stretch and such, in order to watch Alex de Minaur, her boyfriend – he meets Marcus Giron on the same court – but after Wozniacki v Hibino.
Katie Boulter (31) beats Aliaksandra Sasnovich 5-7 6-2 6-1
She meets Bouzas Maneiro or Martic next.
Yup, Boulter breaks again in short order, and is now serving for the match at 5-7 6-2 5-1.
Draper and Zhang are on court about to start knocking up; hopefully Boulter finishes off in the time it takes for them to get ready.
Sasnovich burns a break-back point – her fifth chance of the set to take the Boulter serve – and a wild forehand, swept wide, ruins the return that gave her the chance to hit it. From there, Boulter closes out, and she leads 4-1 in the third.
A double from Sasnovich and Boulter leads 3-1 in the third, the sense throughout the match that she’d do enough to get it done. Oh, and following Mensik v Auger-Aliassime on Court 5 it’s Zhang Zhizhen v Jack Draper (25).
Tsitsipas holds to level at one set apiece with Kokkinakis, but this remains a proper contest; Mahac leads Fognini 7-5 1-0, Tabilo is serving for the third set against Goffin having lost the first two, and Boulter leads Sasnovich 2-1 on serve in the third.
Jakub Mensik beats Felix Auger-Aliassime (19) 6-2 6-4 6-2
A brilliant win for the 18-year-old and youngest player in the men’s top 100. He meets Schoolkate or Daniel next, Daniel up 6-4 6-4 4-6 0-1. As for Felix, it’ll take a massive change for him to become a Grand Slam contender; he’s so good at losing when put under any kind of pressure.
Tistsipas breaks Kokkinakis and at 6-7 5-4 will now serve for 1-1.
“Evans is 4-0 H2H,” returns Coach Calv. “But I just can’t see anyway he beats Khachanov based on form. But Khachanov isn’t skilful at all, that’s why Evans causes him issues.”
Yup, hands of stone, that lad. And Evans does have some finesse, so you never know. Oh and whaddaya kna, Boulter hangs in there to hold; she leads Sasnovich 1-0 in the third.
A long, long game to open set three on Stadium 17, Boulter fighting hard to hold. Elsewhere, Kokkinakis leads Tistsipas 7-6 4-3, Mesik leads Auger-Aliassime 6-2 6-4 5-2, Mahac leads Fognini 6-5, Goffin leads Tabillo 7-6 6-1 3-2 with a break and Kurkacz leads Skatov 6-3 7-6 1-0.
Sky have swapped Collins v Dolehide for Evans v Khachanov; I’ll accept that, I guess.
Collins, playing her final major, clearly wants to make the most of it. She saves one set point with a tremendous forehand, but when another drops long, Dolehide levels the match at 1-6 7-5; eyes down for a decider.
Sasnovich is taking her kit-change time, disappearing from court after losing set two – about 10 minutes ago. I’m thinking about one myself, it’s hot here.
Swiatek holds for a 6-4 set against Rakhimova, who’s improving, while Collins must now serve to stay in set two, leading Dolehide 6-1 5-6. Mensik has broken Auger-Aliassime to leads 6-2 6-4 3-1 and Kokkinakis leads Tsitsipas 7-6 3-2.
Next on Court 6: Dan Evans v Karen Khachanov (23).
Boulter is right on top against Sasnovich now, securing a 6-2 second set to force a decider; Collins leads Dolehide 6-1 4-5; Kokkinakis leads Tsitsipas 7-6 2-2; and Swiatek, who was up 4-0, now leads Rakhimova 5-4 and will shortly serve for the first set.
Karolina Muchová beats Katie Volynets 6-5 7-5
I love Muchova, who’s such a clever player – her deployment of spins and speeds is exceptional – and unseeded due to injury, she’s a properly dangerous floater. She meets Ostapenko or Osaka next and I’m already buzzing for that.
