Jack Draper is up for grabs after the world No 25 defeated unseeded Czech Tomas Mahac 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 earlier today.
Thanks Daniel, some great tennis and coverage so far today but the main event is about to get underway for those of us in Australia – a fourth-round meeting between Australia duo Alex De Minaur and Jordan Thompson.
Righto, that’s it from me for the day. But rest assured, we’re not leaving you lonesome: here’s Martin Pegan to bring you Alex de Minaur (10) v Jordan Thompson. Peace!
That was a brilliant match. Haddad Maia has so much talent and if she can raise her bottom level and improve her composure under pressure, she can give anyone a hard night. I think Muchova will have too much, but it should be a great contest.
Haddad Maia can barely get a word out – she’s shattered. She praises Wozniacki, who she respects a lot. She’s happy because it was a tough battle and she’s trying to focus on her game.
She’s the first Brazilian to make it to the quarters since 1956 and the first South American lefty ever to; asked which means more, she of course doesn’t answer an awkward question, just saying she’s proud and she and her family work hard.
She’ll try and recover her body for Muchova – last time they played it was a brilliant match, and she’s happy to have the chance to play in a big stadium against good players.
Oh man, and she’s totally Hazelirvined! The interviewer gets the crowd singing her name, she cries, and says she was trying to hold it down at the end of the game. Brazil is a huge country so it means a lot of people cheering for her and she really appreciats it. She’s proud to represent and also proud to represent women’s sport.
Haddad Maia’s second serve just about clambers over the net and Wozniacki nets; a tame but memorable end to a blazing slog of a match. Next for Haddad Maia is Karolina Muchova – and she’ll have to play better than this to get through that.
Haddad Maia needs a rest. Her serve is slow and to the body and her groundstrokes lack their usual weight. She quickly goes long, then another error hands Wozniacki break-back point, saved with forehand and overhead; deuce. Haddad Maia makes relieved faces, trying to enjoy herself, and it is mainly her deciding the points with either winners or errors. She whips a good forehand to the corner, comes in, volleys, and here comes a third match point…
Oh my goodness gracious me. The best point i’ve seen for a long time and on match point! It’s 20-0dd strokes, Wozniacki along the baseline line you wouldn’t believe if you didn’t know before, out of nowhere, uncorking a ninja of an inside-out backhand winner to save herself! And Haddad Maia is feeling the pace – they both are – the shot-clock preventing her from taking the breather she needs and helping her deliver a double. But a service-winner follows, Wozniacki then errs, and here comes a second match point…
Given a look at a second serve, Wozniacki doesn’t do enough with a poor effort but gets away with it; Haddad Maia, nervous, nets. A long rally ensues, which Wozniacki tries to end with a big forehand … only to hit the top of the tape; 15-all. Eeesh, but Haddad Maia then goes long on the forehand and longtime readers of this blog will know her feeling it isn’t new. But have a look! Another long rally and the Brazilian is back playing her game, hitting harder and nailing a backhand pass down the line; 30-all. A first serve follows, then some big forehands, and when Wozniacki thrashes wide, Haddad Maia has match point … and asks her coach where she should serve!
This is good from Wozniacki, hitting deep to open up the court. She makes 30-0 in short order. But Haddad Maia battles back and at 40-30 in a frankly ludicrous rally, Wozniacki doing brilliantly to stick in it, just when it looks like she’s turning the tide, a reflex volley at the net from Haddad Maia – who’s an excellent doubles player – earns deuce. From there, though, Wozniacki powers through to hold; at 2-6 6-3 5-3 Haddad Maia will have to serve for it!
At 15-all Wozniacki gets a long rally going but winds up netting a forehand, then a big serve and two volleys give Haddad Maia 40-15. She winds up holding to 30 having missed the line by a fraction and clobbered another winner, and this is a very fine set she’s playing here. So far! She leads 5-2 in the third.
Massive forehand return from Haddad Maia makes 0-15, but a forehand into the net restores parity. But she’s by far the better player now – I guess ultimately that’s what she is and her top level is a very good level – putting Wozniacki under pressure at 30-all. From there, though, Wozniacki sees it out and trails 2-4 in the third.
Novak Djokovic sometimes tanks opponents’ service games when up a break so they don’t have rhythm or momentum when they come to face his – the crafty so-and-so. Anyroad up, Haddad Maia holds to 15 and the way it’s going, Wozniacki struggling to make much impression on her serve, this match is now about whether she gets tight trying to finish things off. Haddad Maia leads 4-1 in the third.
Now she’s got her break, Haddad Maia can look to hit winners on the Wozniacki serve, saving her energy to hold. So Wozniacki holds to 15, opening the game with an ace, and she’s on the board at 1-3 in the third.
Goodness me these two are giving it everything. At 30-0, another sapping rally unfolds, and Haddad Maia has the poise to compose before clock a backhand winner down the line. A thumping ace follows, and she leads 2-0 in the decider.
Ooooh yeah! At 15-0, Haddad Maia uncorks a brutal forehand winner but then strays fractionally long during another gruelling baseline barney. Wozniacki, though, misses an attempted forehand pass so at 30-all is under pressure, her opponent thwacking with abandon from the back. And have a look! A further Wozniacki error offers break point, and Haddad Maia doesn’t need asking twice, a fantastic backhand down the line putting her in charge of the decider at 1-0 with a break.
Haddad Maia makes 30-0 but I wonder if she’s tiring – a shot she played at the end of the second rally, a longun, gave that impression. But she holds to love, Wozniacki – who I bet backs herself to win the physical battle – making her work. Haddad Maia leads 1-0 in the final set.
Haddad Maia nips off, returns, and off we go again. This should be a lot of fun.
Wozniacki gets to 30-0 but when Haddad Maia thumps a forehand for 15-30, who knows? Er, Wozniacki does, smoking a forehand winner down the line to raise set-point before an error seals a very fine set (of tennis). Wozniacki 2-6 6-3 Haddad Maia
Wozniacki will have to serve for the set because Haddad Maia holds and is still hitting it cleanly and hard – with new balls now due. She leads 6-2 3-5.
