Australian Open: Day Three - 2014

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule8.html

Some interesting matches (IMO)

Bencic v Li (Bencic played Girls Singles final @W) - now in the WTA circuit.

Dolonc played Venus (the other Williams) @USO after flying for 17+ hours on day of the match. She plays Serena.

Djokovic should roll Mayer (prediction is 1,2,3).

Surprised that Hewitt/Rafter are on HiSense for doubles.

MoTD - Gulbis v Querrey.

JJ may play a bit better against Andujar but not an easy one for JJ.

Benneteau v Robredo (prediction is a 5-setter).

Enjoy

Berdych forgot to tell Ester about the blue-and-white vertical stripes this morning.

Gasquet down a double break against Davy. Come on Davy, roll back the years!

Berdych in total control - a set and a double break up against De Scheppers. Looks like being a short days work for him in brutal conditions. Davydenko and Gasquet in a first set tie-break.

Gasquet takes the first set and No.14 seed Youznhy in trouble losing the first set to Florian Mayer.

laverfan wrote:Gasquet down a double break against Davy. Come on Davy, roll back the years!

Richard Gasquet is a mental giant these days   

Berdych steam-rollering De Scheppers leading 6-4 6-1 in just over an hour. Ivan Dodig also in control leading by two sets to love against a qualifier.

Margaret Court Arena has a 10-min break due to Heat Rule.

Gasquet now two sets up on Davydenko. Youznhy level at one set all with Mayer but on the brink of losing the third set.

Berry through in straight sets 6-4 6-1 6-3 in 1 hour 42 minutes.

Bosnian qualifier Dozhmur fighting back against No.32 seed Dodig.  From two sets down he now looks set to level the match up at two sets all. Gas quiet on the brink of victory and Janowicz off to another slow start - a break down against Andujar.

And Dodig retires when leading 6-4 6-4 3-6 1-4. Reason as yet unknown but conditions are brutal. Ferrer off to a sluggish start broken early by Mannarino.

Andujar seals the first set 6-4 against Janowicz.  Gasquet wins through in straight sets and No.14 seed Youznhy battles back to level at two sets all against Florian Mayer.

...and Ferrer down a break in the first.

Janowicz looking very flat - now a set and a break behind against Andujar. The winner of this match will play the burnt out winner of the Youznhy/Mayer five setter.

Ferrer breaks back and is at 4-4. Doctor out treating Janowicz perhaps suffering from the heat as his pulse is checked but foot also being looked at.

Serena Williams hands out another thrashing on Rod Laver Arena and next on cost will be Novak Djokovic against Leonard Mayer.

and Ferrer now 6:5 up

Florian Mayer beats No.14 seed Mikhail Youznhy in just over three hours and five sets.

Ferrers wins the first set on a tie-break. Janowicz improving a bit and has broken back and is back on serve in the second set.

Mannarino breaks Ferrer at love to take the second set 7:5.

Djokovic cruising along and after an hour will serve to lead by two sets to love. JJ back level at one set all and Ferrers breaks early in the third set.

Ferrer gets a bakery product and leads two sets to one. Janowicz being made to work really hard but takes the third set in a tie-break and now leads by two sets to one after over two and a half hours play in brutal conditions.

Djokovic breaks towards the end of the third set and will serve for the match. Djoko has laboured a bit in this third set.

Djoko wins 6-0 6-4 6-4 in 1 hour 47 minutes

Ferrer through in 4 sets in just over 3 hours. Dolgopolov has pulled a set back against the seeded Chardy but still trails by two sets to one.

Janowicz through in four tough sets in a match just short of three and a half hours. He had a long five set match in the First Round as well and in this heat they must be taking their toll.

Craig, thanks for these updates. It's great to be able to wake up and get a feel for how the day unfolded.

Are you awake right the way through the night?

CaledonianCraig wrote:Serena Williams hands out another thrashing on Rod Laver Arena

Serena has started well this Australian....

HM Murdoch wrote:Craig, thanks for these updates. It's great to be able to wake up and get a feel for how the day unfolded.

Are you awake right the way through the night?

Yes near enough up through the night. Thanks HM.

Gulbis suffers another loss in a match he would have expected to win. He loses in straight sets to Sam Quarry.

No.15 seed Fabio Foggini wins a long first set against Jarko Niemenen. I have a feeling this may turn into a marathon match if Niemenen can find some consistency to his play. Fognini trailed 3-0 in that set.

No.19 seed Kevin Anderson looks set for a comfortable win as he is a break up in the third set and leads two sets to love against Austria qualifier Thiem.

Fognini wins a similar second set and leads 7-5 6-4 after over an hour and a half's play whilst Wawrinka takes the first set 6-3 against Falla.

Niemenen breaks serve to lead 4-2 in the third set but trails Fognini by two sets to love.

Niemenen races to the third set winning 6-2 with just over two hours played. An intriguing match this.

Fognini undergoing a medical timeout.

Wawrinka looking sharp takes the second set to lead Alejandro Falla 6-3 6-3.

Fognini staves off multiple break points in a marathon game to hold serve. Fognini leads 7-5 6-4 3-6 2-1.

And Fognini rubs salt in Niemenen's wounds by breaking serve to lead 3-1 in the fourth set. Wawrinka leads 6-3 6-3 4-3.

Fognini holds his nerve after breaking Niemenen's spirit to win and four sets and reach the 3rd Round of the Australian Open for the first time.

Falla going down fighting as he takes the third set to a tie-break.

A very entertaining match between Wawrinka and Falla and the Colombia takes the third set on a tie-break after two hours of play. These sort of long matches will do Stan no good later in the tour nice especially as he is to face Novak in the quarters.

You taken the week off CC?

JuliusHMarx wrote:You taken the week off CC?

Off until Monday.   

Wawrinka breaks early in the fourth set to steady the rocking ship.

Falla takes a medical time out. On Rod Laver Arena the home favourite Matthew Eden leads seeded Canadian Pospisil 6-3 2-3.

Falla not done yet. He breaks back to level at 3-3.

Wawrinka breaks again to lead 5-4 in the fourth set and will serve for the match.

Wawrinka finally seals the win in just over 2 hours 45 minutes. He wins 6-3 6-3 6-7 6-4. Credit to Falla who played a great match.

Now it is time for some kip.