MGN-AFRICA»» pin:7ffa8acc Australian Open day three: Nadal v Smyczek, Tomic v Kohlschreiber and more – live!: * Australian Open 2015 second-round updates from Melbourne Park * Near-perfect Andy Murray breezes past Marinko Matosevic * Federer overcomes suspected bee sting to reach third round * Sharapova survives second-round scare * And email jacob.steinberg@theguardian or tweet @JacobSteinberg 10.59am GMT But have you ever known Rafael Nadal to turn his back on a fight? If Tin Smyczek is to do this, Nadal will have to be dragged kicking and screaming off the court. He is mixing up his game, dialling down the power and upping the invention, and leads 2-1 in the fourth set. 10.56am GMT Nadal is grimacing and talking to Uncle Toni. I’m speculating, but I’m guessing he is in a world of pain right now. 10.50am GMT Bernard Tomic has recovered well. He was down a set and a break but he’s battled back to win the second set 6-4 against Phillip Kohlschreiber. 10.45am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal 2-6 Smyczek* (*denotes server): Tim Smyczek only needs one of those set points! An ace seals the third set and it’s a long weary, walk for Rafael Nadal back to his chair. Has he got anything left in the tank. You can never rule him out, but it doesn’t look like it at the moment. 10.44am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal 2-6 Smyczek* (*denotes server): Nadal has no answer for a huge forehand from Smyczek. It’s set point! 10.44am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal* 2-5 Smyczek (*denotes server): An outstanding forehand down the line from Smyczek. He’s on it. 10.42am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal* 2-4 Smyczek (*denotes server): A booming, angry forehand from Nadal does the job. 10.41am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal 1-4 Smyczek* (*denotes server): Nadal batters a forehand miles wide. Oh my. He looks knackered. 10.41am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal 1-3 Smyczek* (*denotes server): Smyczek creams a two-handed backhand down the line. 10.40am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal* 1-2 Smyczek (*denotes server): Smyczek sends a forehand into the net. 10.38am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal* 0-2 Smyczek (*denotes server): Smyczek gets the mini-break. 10.37am GMT Third-set tie-break: Nadal 0-1 Smyczek* (*denotes server): SMASH. 10.37am GMT Smyczek has the proverbial bit between his teeth and he doesn’t want to open wide. He wins the first point in this game, forcing Nadal to stoop low and dab a backhand into the net. 0-15. Nadal, however, isn’t about to show any more generosity on his serve. He rattles through four consecutive points and well have a tie-break. 10.33am GMT Over on Margaret Court Arena, Bernard Tomic digs deep to win a marathon game and break back in the second set against Phillip Kohlschreiber. That’s more like it from Tomic. 10.32am GMT Tim Smyczek - the world No112 - holds for a 6-5 lead in the third set. Nadal will serve to stay in the set. His American opponent is playing some unbelievably good tennis. 10.29am GMT For the third time on a break point, Nadal double-faults! Smyczek breaks! It’s 5-5! Consider me flabberghasted. 10.28am GMT Smyczek eanrs two break points with an outrageous drop shot. What is going on with Nadal? 10.27am GMT Rafael Nadal is serving for the third set and a 2-1 lead. But he’s gone down 0-30... 10.24am GMT Bernard Tomic is living dangerously. Phillip Kohlschreiber breaks early in the second set and is up a set and a break now - 7-6, 3-1. 10.21am GMT Tim Smyczek dusts himself down after the disappointment of being broken and forges into a 15-40 lead on Nadal’s serve with a laser-guided forehand down the line. Nadal isn’t out of the woods yet. But he picks a good time to remember that he’s Rafael Nadal and saves both break points; Smyczek actually did well to get out of the way of one Nadal serve there. That would have blasted all the way to Sydney if it had hit him. He dodged it and we go to deuce. Nadal gets a little warning about taking too much time to serve, but he doesn’t let that steer him of course and he holds to lead 5-3. What a turnaround in this third set. 10.16am GMT Farewell, Thanasi Kokkinakis. The teenager’s Australian Open is over, as he loses 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 to his fellow Australian, Sam Groth. He ran out of juice in the end, although his collapse in that fifth set was understandable given that it was his 10th set in 48 hours. He can hold his head up high. He’s given us some terrific entertainment and you can be sure that he’ll be back. But it’s not his day. It’s Sam Groth’s day. The unheralded 27-year-old is into the third round after another fine victory and he’s playing some good stuff. 10.13am GMT Smyczek saves the third, charging to the net to slam a forehand past Nadal. But he can’t save a fourth! And it’s a gift for Nadal. Smyczek dumps a gimme of a volley into the net at the worst possible moment and Nadal breaks for a 4-3 lead in the third set. Cue a pump on the first and a glare at his box. 10.11am GMT Nadal doesn’t look so dizzy now. He’s on the prowl, forcing a couple of break points at 3-3 with loopy forehand returns, and you sense that the tide is turning. Smyczek saves the first two with ballsy shots. But how about a third? Can he save a third? 10.08am GMT I’m afraid the end is nigh for young Thanasi Kokkinakis. He’s 5-0 down in the fifth set to Sam Groth, the older man showing no mercy at all. 10.07am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 5-7 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): And Kohlschreiber only needs one! Tomic wilts in the face of strong hitting from the German and wafts a forehand into the net to drop the first set. He’s got a mountain to climb now. 10.05am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 5-6 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Kohlschreiber earns set point with an ace. It’s Tomic to serve. 10.05am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 5-5 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Tomic is back in the tie-break! Kohlschreiber goes too long with a forehand! 10.05am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic* 4-5 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): And then fails to deal with another serve. 10.04am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic* 3-5 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): Kohlschreiber fails to deal with a Tomic serve. 10.04am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 2-5 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): A lovely little drop shot from the German makes it 5-2. 10.03am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 2-4 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Tomic lazily knocks a backhand long. 10.02am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic* 2-3 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): Kohlschreiber sends a forehand return past the baseline. 10.02am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic* 1-3 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): Tomic is on the board. 10.01am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 0-3 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Tomic had the advantage so many times in this point but couldn’t finish it off, and eventually flaps a forehand into the net. 10.01am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic 0-2 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Tomic sends a forehand too long. 10.00am GMT First-set tie-break: Tomic* 0-1 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): A ripping forehand down the line from Kohlschreiber gives him the first point. 9.59am GMT There’s still no separating Kohlschreiber and Tomic. They thought about using a crowbar to prise them apart in this first set, but instead they’re settling for a tie-break. Let’s point-by-point it. 9.56am GMT Thanasi Kokkinakis has it all to do. He’s a break down in the fifth set to Sam Groth, who is calling upon all his guile to down the young pretender. 9.55am GMT Smyczek must be resisting the temptation to give himself a furious kicking. It’s 2-2. He may well be wondering how he let that lead slip. 9.52am GMT The trainer has been on and Nadal has had a medical time-out. I haven’t been able to watch much of this match, but apparently he’s been quite sloppy. Still think he’ll win, though. 9.49am GMT Rafael Nadal has a huge ice towel around his neck and appears to be calling for the trainer. The word is he’s feeling dizzy. He was looking in some discomfort towards Uncle Toni. 9.49am GMT Thanasi Kokkinakis loves a five-set thriller. He’s won the fourth set 6-3 against his fellow Aussie, Sam Groth, and they’ll go into a decider. 9.47am GMT Wouldn’t you just know it. As soon as I switch over, Nadal breaks back immediately. He was 30-0 down but Smyczek took his foot off the accelerator and paid for it. That could be a pivotal moment. Nadal is back in the set, trailing 2-1 on serve. 9.45am GMT To let you know that Tim Smyczek is a break up in the third set against Rafael Nadal. He leads 2-0. Sorry, Tomic fans, I’m going to have to turn this into a broader live blog and pay more attention to the Nadal match. 9.42am GMT First set: Tomic 3-3 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Tomic challenges a Kohlschreiber ace on the first point, but to no avail. It was on the line. 15-0. But Tomic then comes out on top in a battle of wits at the net; he’s drawn forward by a drop shot, but Kohlschreiber is eventually overpowered. The German remains unflustered, however, moves 30-15 up and then has a good old chuckle when Tomic mounts another silly challenge after being aced. It was on the line again and Tomic has now wasted two challenges in a single game. That’s poor game management. He only has one left and Kohlschreiber holds easily. 9.37am GMT First set: Tomic* 3-2 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): Tomic needs to use the crowd. They can help him here. They’re cheering madly whenever he wins a point. Presumably they’re high from the paint fumes floating off his t-shirt. If so, I applaud his original thinking. And his tennis, too. Tomic is dominating the longer rallies and an error from Kohlschreiber makes it 40-15, before a return into the net gives Tomic the game. 9.35am GMT First set: Tomic 2-2 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): A comfortable hold for Kohlschreiber. This is a very tight start. 9.31am GMT First set: Tomic* 2-1 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): Tomic looks like he’s in trouble at 15-30, Kohlschreiber rolling through the gears, but an ace brings it back to 30-all and a strong serve on the next point makes it 40-30. An accurate forehand seals an impressive hold from the home favourite. The crowd is in a positive mood. 9.29am GMT First set: Tomic 1-1 Kohlschreiber* (*denotes server): Phillip Kohlschreiber is a good player. He gave Andy Murray a huge scare at the French Open last year and Tomic will have to be at his best to beat him. Kohlschreiber is quickly into his stride, also holding to 15, the highlight a punchy serve-volley combo. 9.27am GMT First set: Tomic* 1-0 Kohlschreiber (*denotes server): “PLAY BALL!” the umpire doesn’t shout. But he does give the signal for the players to get going, so they do, and it’s Bernard Tomic to serve first. It’s a confident start from the Australian. He serves well to cruise into a 40-15 lead and seals a very impressive opening game with a sliced ace that left Kohlschreiber grasping at thin air. There’s a major development elsewhere, though. Tim Smyczek has won the second set 6-3 against Rafael Nadal to level up their match. Interesting. Very interesting. 9.22am GMT Is it obligatory for Australian players to dress as if they’ve jumped into a tub of glow-paint before going out in public? Tomic is positively luminous. Even his socks are bright yellow. 9.19am GMT The players are out on court and they are knocking up. Meanwhile, over on Rod Laver Arena, Rafael Nadal is in a spot of bother in the second set. Tim Smyczek has broken him. 9.15am GMT Encouragingly for Bernard Tomic, who has been in good form at the start of 2015, he beat Phillip Kohlschreiber in straight sets in Sydney a couple of weeks ago. Can he replicate that performance where it really matters, though? 9.07am GMT It’s all over for Kiki Bertens. She loses 6-0, 6-3 to Eugenie Bouchard, a development which is greeted by a rendition of the Canadian national anthem on Margaret Court Arena, and Bernard Tomic and Phillip Kohlscheiber will be with us soon. 8.56am GMT Nick Kyrgios has just beaten Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and is into the third round. He’ll have to treat himself to some new jewellery as a reward. 8.51am GMT And it’s a set apiece in the all-Aussie affair between Thanasi Kokkinakis and Sam Groth. How exciting. 8.50am GMT Meanwhile Rafael Nadal has won the first set of his match against Tim Smyczek 6-2. He’s looking in fine nick. More so than Roger Federer, who had to - get this! - deal with being stung by a bee during his four-set win over Simone Bolelli earlier. Bees! Maybe Roger Federer will start a honey business when he retires. 8.46am GMT While we wait for Eugenie Bouchard to dispense with Kiki Bertens, I can exclusively let you know what’s happening with Nick Kyrgios. He won the first two sets against Ivo Karlovic, but dropped the third. But he’s a break up in the fourth! The third round is in sight. 8.40am GMT Morning. We all know that one maddeningly frustrating person who drives you up the wall with their lack of drive and willingness to apply their talent properly and make something of themselves (if you don’t know that one person, I’m sorry to say it’s probably you). There they go, coasting through life without a care in the world, waking up late, not going to work, growing their hair long like a BLOODY HIPPY, and spending their days watching Frasier repeats; it’s all you can do not to write a stern blog about them. Which brings us to Bernard Tomic. He was the great hope of Australian tennis a few years ago, but he has been affected by off-court problems and has not always appeared entirely focused. When he is good, he is very good, his bendy forehand and imaginative style making him a force to be reckoned with, but when he is bad, he looks like his racquet is made out of bread. And you can’t play tennis while you’re holding a baguette. I’ve tried. It’s impossible. Continue reading... bit.ly/1kcSHfb pin:7ffa8acc
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:07:12 +0000
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