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The weather has cleared up and the action is set to commence at Melbourne Park after an all-night epic on Thursday.
Fans have barely had enough time to sleep following on from day four action which saw a host of seeded players sent packing.
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Second seed Caspar Ruud, 8th seed Taylor Fritz, 12th seed Alexander Zverev, 14th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, 23rd seed Diego Schwartzman and 30th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina dropped from the men’s while women’s 2nd seed Ons Jabeur, 9th seed Veronika Kudermetova, 16th seed Anett Kontaveit, 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova, 27th seed Irina-Camelia Begu all lost on a wild day.
Novak Djokovic survived a scare to advance, but it was Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis who stole the show with a showdown that finished at 4.05am (AEDT).
Third round action will be underway as the action heats up around Melbourne Park, don’t miss any of it below.
6.45pm – World No.1’s huge statement
Iga Swiatek has booked her place in the round of 16 with a brutal 6-0 6-1 demolition job against Cristina Busca.
The World No. 1 won the first set in just 23 minutes and closed out the match in 55 minutes.
Swiatek will take on reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the fourth round.
Rybakina defeated last year’s runner-up Danielle Collins in straight sets, while Coco Gauff, Jelena Ostapenko and Jessica Pegula all won their third round matches comfortably.
3.15pm – Sinner, Tsitsipas win
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner have set up a mouth-watering fourth round clash after they both won their third round matches on Friday.
Tsitsipas cruised through in straight sets (6-2 7-6 6-3) against Tallon Griekspoor, but it wasn’t so straightforward for Sinner.
The Italian young gun lost the first two sets to Márton Fucsovics but flicked a switch to win the next three sets in less than two hours.
Tennis writer Jose Morgado said Sinner “entered PlayStation mode” in the third set.
12.20pm – Early upset looming
World number 78 Marton Fucsovics set tongues wagging after his opening round clash when he ripped his shirt off and showed off his hulk like figure.
Now the man who wouldn’t like out of place in a body building competition has 15th seed Jannik Sinner in trouble in their third round encounter.
Fucsovics took the opening set 6-4 and currently leads 3-1 in the second after capturing an early break of serve.
12pm – Murray hates sleep
Andy Murray has been spotted in the hallways under Rod Laver Arena merely four hours after he would have got to bed following his epic 4am win over Thanasi Kokkinakis on Thursday night.
Just after 11:30am the Brit was seen strolling around Melbourne Park showing no signs of having played the most arduous match of his career.
11.30am – Fans lewd sex gesture stops broadcast
An Australian Open fan has disrupted Eurosport’s coverage inside Melbourne Park after he walked up behind a presenter on Thursday.
Barbara Schett was attempting to preview the upcoming day’s play when the man appeared over her left shoulder.
The former world number seven was completely unaware as to what was unfolding behind her as the man began making the lewd gesture with both his hands and mouth.
Camera crews worked quickly to move the individual on but not before the feed had cut away before returning to Schett who carried on with coverage as normal.
10.30am – ‘Most insane point ever’ clip goes viral
Tennis fans were treated to a vintage performance from Andy Murray on Thursday night as the three-time Grand Slam winner wound back the clock.
Down two-sets to love, the British star pulled off a comeback for the ages. But it was one rally that had fans in utter disbelief.
With Thanasi Kokkinakis leading 2-0 in the third set, Murray held a break point and in what can only be described as a miracle, won the point he simply had no right to win.
Kokkinakis was in complete control of the point shortly after his serve, sending Murray scrambling back and forth across the court lobbing the ball up over and over again.
It was Murray’s fourth scrambled lob that found the baseline and sent Kokkinakis back before his forehand slammed into the net.
The Aussie smashed his racquet into the court as the Brit fired the crowd up by putting his hand to his ear and saying he couldn’t hear them.
The insane moment whipped around social media racking up the views as fans were left stunned by what the 35-year-old had just pulled off.
Podcast host Jason Romano wrote: “This is one of the most insane points I’ve ever seen in tennis.”
NBC journalist Joe Prince-Wright wrote: “Absolutely bonkers!”
The Times’ Stuart Fraser wrote: “Madness here. It’s almost 1am and metal-hipped Andy Murray is producing this.”
10am – Carnage leaves big names eager to cash in
World number one Iga Swiatek and title rival Jessica Pegula are both in action at the Australian Open on Friday, while Coco Gauff is another attempting to reach round four.
They will be hoping to avoid the upsets that have shaken up the first Grand Slam of the year.
Most of the carnage has come in the men’s draw, where defending champion Rafael Nadal and second seed Casper Ruud are both out.
Women’s second seed Ons Jabeur followed them out of Melbourne Park late on Thursday in round two.
Poland’s Swiatek will hope to take full advantage as she pursues a fourth Grand Slam crown — but first in Melbourne.
She will be expected to make light work of 100th-ranked Spaniard Cristina Bucsa. Also on day five, in-form American Pegula faces Ukraine’s 61st-ranked Marta Kostyuk, also on Margaret Court Arena.
On Rod Laver Arena, the 18-year-old Gauff, the seventh seed, goes up against fellow American Bernarda Pera.
Also on centre court will be an intriguing encounter between 24th seed Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, and 10th-seeded American Madison Keys.
Danielle Collins, who lost last year’s final to now-retired Ashleigh Barty, is another American player in action.
She faces a test in 22nd seed Elena Rybakina, last year’s Wimbledon champion. In an unpredictable men’s draw, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will look to take full advantage of the depleted field.
Novak Djokovic is the hot favourite to win the title for a record-extending 10th time, but both men can stake their claim on Friday.
Third seed Tsitsipas of Greece, who is yet to win a Grand Slam, plays 63rd-ranked Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor on Rod Laver Arena in the third round.
He has enjoyed strong support from Melbourne’s Greek community and says it is like playing at home.
The final match of the day could be the best of all, teeing up Russia’s Medvedev against dangerous 29th seed Sebastian Korda of the United States.
Seventh seed Medvedev, a former world number one, is determined to go one better this time.
He has lost the last two finals at Melbourne Park and went down in a five-set thriller to Nadal last year.
– AFP
Originally published as Australian Open 2023 live: World No 1’s brutal 55-minute demolition
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