Australian Open: Day Four - 2014

First topic message reminder :

http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/schedule/schedule9.html

Kokkinakis v Nadal, with the assumption that the second AUS will put up a better match than Tomic.

JwT can get in trouble against Bellucci.

Kavcic has more experience than Duckworth and may take a set of the Old Man.

Kyrgios Sock v Monfils should be entertaining (IMO).

Paire v Krygios. Would love to see Krygios go further.

MoTD - Verdasco v Gabashvili (anyone recall his [Gabashvili, not Nando's 2009 AO] match against Nadal @ USO?)

From 6-2 up in the tie-break Tsonga is pegged back to 6-6 before winning it 8-6.

Seppi breaks late in the fourth set to seal it and we go to a fifth set with 2 hours 45 minutes played. Play suspended in that match and players will get a 10 minute break. Roof being closed on show courts.

Sharapova serving to stay in the match and Klizan now two sets up over Rola.

Sharapova holds serve and it is 6-6.

Thanks for the updates Craig. Tsonga's got an early break, leads 2-0 in second set.

Play on outside courts to be suspended at the end of the match sets and play will resume at 4pm (5am UK time). Play will only continue on the courts with roofs.

Sharapova and Knap locked at 7-7 in the final set.

Not sure how this suspension in play will affect court orders of play to be honest considering a couple of hours of play will have been lost.

Sharapova and Knap is a marathon. Three hours ten minutes play now with Knap leading the third set 8-7. This third set now been on going for one hour forty minutes.

Sharapova level at 8-8 now with Knap. Tsonga's match continues under the roof and he leads Bellucci 7-6 5-3.

Sharapova breaks and will serve for the match at 9-8.

Nightmare game from Sharapova throwing in multiple double faults but she steels herself to come through 10-8 in the final set in almost three and a half hours. Roof will now be closed. Commiserations to Knap what a fight she put up.

Tsonga now in firm control leading 7-6 6-4.

Wow Craig what a match, Maria got very lucky her serve was misfiring badly again. If she had a good and consistent serve she has the strokes to challenge Serena, but unfortunately she doesn't and that is the big difference between her and Serena.

Are you an insomniac craig, you are always up so early or late, it is nice I am not complaining I get lonely on here in the pacific time zone.

I keep waiting for Bellucci to do something anything. He has such a big game and so much athletic ability but he never seems to challenge in a match they way he should.

I am up as have a couple of weeks off work but that ends on Monday.

Sharapova's double faults really do hold her back at times. As for Tsonga/Bellucci match it was always (for me) about how Tsonga acquitted himself. He got off to a solid enough start and the heat got to Bellucci a bit and it was solid stuff from Jo.

I wonder if this three hour delay will affect the order of play??

Play will not now start until 5pm at the earliest. That is 6am (UK Time).

Play only on-going on Rod Laver and Hisense Arenas.

Wozniacki raced to win the first set 6-0 but McHale is turning the tables a bit and leads 2-0. Radwanska off to a bright start and leads 4-0 in the first set.

I am presuming that all singles matches will get preference when play resumes. The doubles matches scheduled surely will make way for singles matches?

Radwanska wins the first set 6-0 (on court after this match Federer/Kavcic). On Rod Laver, McHale levels at one set all against Wozniacki (on court after this match is Nadal/Kokkinakis match).

Murray is going to be on very late the way these ladies matches are going.

Yes Born Slippy but he can count himself lucky he is not on an outside court today.

Play not to resume on outside courts now until 5.30pm at the earliest (6.30am UK Time).

Weird match on Rod Laver at the moment. Wozniacki leads McHale 6-0 1-6 4-1.

Wozniacki wins 6-0 1-6 6-2 in three crazily one-sided sets. Next up Rafa. Radwanska simultaneously seals victory winning 6-0 7-5 with Federer/Kavcic next on court.

Play on the outside courts will not start until 6pm (7am UK Time) at the earliest.

The schedules are being rejigged on the outside courts with singles seemingly taking precedence with doubles matches being cancelled or put back.

Federer off to a sharp start breaking Karmic in the first game and leads 2-0. Kokkanakis holds serve and leads Nadal 1-0.

Nadal breaks the 17-year-old's serve and leads 2-1.

Federer in firm control now and leads Kavcic 4-1. Fed in good nick.

Nadal leads 3-2 with a break and Federer about to serve for the first set at 5-2.

Roger takes the first set 6-2 without breaking sweat and Nadal leads the young Aussie (well it beats trying to type his name out) 4-2

Nadal wraps up the first set 6-2 in just over half an hour. Fed now a set and a break up at 6-2 1-0.

Play about to resume on the outside courts.

Federer now a double break and a set up leading 6-2 3-0 and Nadal now a set and a break up at 6-2 1-0.

And quite surprisingly from nowhere Kavcic breaks but still trails. Nadal saves break points to build a 6-2 2-0 lead.

Federer breaks again and leads 6-2 5-1.

Puzzling that on resumption of play a number of doubles matches are first to get underway. Very odd.

Federer leading 6-2 6-1 and cannot see anyway back for his opponent. Nadal leads 6-2 3-2. Credit to the young Aussie for hanging in there but Nadal's form has got a bit patchy.

I like this kokkinakis kid Craig he has some nice strokes but the master is really taking him to school, still not a bad performance so far from this 17 year old. A break chance here for him in the second set

The Seppi/Young marathon back underway in the fifth set and going to serve at 1-1.

Considering he is 17 he can be very pleased with his performance and is certainly one to watch for in the future you feel. Obviously, raw but has acquitted himself pretty well socal.

I agree Craig he looks like he has all the shots, technically speaking the serve , forehand, and backhand look smooth and he has nice feel and touch as well. He is having a bit of problem with he weight of Nadal's shot but then again so does everyone.

Nadal keeping his nose ahead leading 6-2 5-4 and will serve for the set. Federer/Kavcic going with serve in the third set. Seppi and Young with serve in the fifth at 3-3.

Nadal takes the second set and leads 6-2 6-4 after 1 hour 20 minutes. A good short sharp workout this for Rafael likewise for Roger who leads 6-2 6-1 4-4.

Dimitrov off to a good start leading Lu 5-2. Rafa breaks at the start of the third set and in complete control.

That arrogant little Greek Feta Cheese, made Nadal wait quite a while at the net for coin toss.

Long time not seen Nadal wait anyone at the net.

Kavcic clinging on at 5-5 in the third set. Federer will look to get this over as quick as possible.

Fed serving crazy, also some mistakes this set.

First set to Dimitrov. Federer in a third set tie-break with Kavcic. Surely, his experience will tell here.