AO2018: Quick hits day 3

With Grand Slam honours – and a $4 million cheque for the eventual winner – at stake, the Australian Open is worth a fight. And there were many of them as round two matches began at Melbourne Park today.

Caroline Wozniacki’s wasn’t the longest fight but it was arguably the biggest as she saved two match points in a first-ever match with Jana Fett, to keep hopes of a first Grand Slam title in Melbourne alive.

There was also a fierce battle from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who tamed 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov, and yet another epic five-set win by Ivo Karlovic.

For Nick Kyrgios, the fight was less about the tennis than the circumstance – a heckler, a helicopter and the hype all potential distractions as he faced the dangerous Viktor Troicki. The Aussie dispelled all of them with a 7-5 6-4 7-6(2) win.

Other wins were straightforward ones, top seed Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic (No.6) and Diego Schwartzman (No.24) all advancing in three sets in the men’s draw.

Among the women’s winners were No.4 seed Elina Svitolina and Jelena Ostapenko (No.7), both in three sets.

Win of the day: 

While most 15-year-olds are enjoying the school holidays and putting off any thoughts on school or work for as long as possible, Marta Kostyuk is already making giant strides in her chosen profession. Today’s win over Olivia Rogowska was her 11th consecutive at Melbourne Park, after she won the AO2017 girls’ title, won through qualifying and upset No.23 seed Shuai Peng on Monday. She’s the youngest match winner at Melbourne Park since Martina Hingis in 1997 but managed by Ivan Ljubicic, she’s keeping a level head. “I beat some records or repeat them every year, so I feel okay,” she said ahead of a round three match with Petra Martic. “Ivan is always helping me when he sees me. After every match he’s telling me what was wrong – not everything is right even when I win.”

It will be a long way home for…

Belinda Bencic. The Swiss was simply sublime as she helped Switzerland to Hopman Cup victory and built a 16-match winning streak – incorporating three titles in her return from wrist surgery late last year – then scored a first-round upset of world No.5 Venus Williams. But it all came undone against Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum, who hit 30 winners past the Swiss to become the first Thai woman to reach an Australian Open third round since Tamarine Tanasugarn in 2003.

What we’ve learned:

Experience counts. Caroline Wozniacki, the No.2 seed and increasingly an AO favourite, relied on it as she saved two match points against first-time opponent Jana Fett. So too did Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who faced Denis Shapovalov in the second round in as many Slams. At the US Open, the 18-year-old upset the Frenchman  en route to the fourth round. The determined Tsonga was determined not to be so vulnerable this time around; he recovered from a 2-5 fifth set deficit to record a  3-6 6-3 1-6 7-6(4) 7-5 win. It marked the 10th time that Tsonga progressed to the third round of the Australian Open, where he was runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2008.

Thanks for your support ???????????????? #TsongaTeam #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/AwFi7yltsd

— Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (@tsonga7) January 17, 2018

Stat of the day:

36. Height difference, in centimetres, between Ivo Karlovic and Yuichi Sugita, who pushed the big-serving Croat to 12-10 in the fifth set. Equally interesting is the 53 aces that Karlovic hit to Sugita’s 16, and his 110 winners to 79.

Quote of the day:

“That was crazy. I don’t know how I got back into the match.” – Caroline Wozniacki, with two match points saved, must be sensing a turning point as she targets a first Grand Slam title and return to world No.1.

We’re looking forward to:

Novak Djokovic v Gael Monfils. How much will the six-time AO champion’s 14 straight wins over the Frenchman factor? Maybe not as much as you’d think. While Djokovic is on the return from a six-month injury break, Monfils is fresh from a title in Doha. It will be fascinating to see two of the flashiest and most entertaining men in tennis meet in more-even circumstances.