Australian Open 2019 Day 3 live: Updates, news, video

‘Biggest upset of the event’

Frances Tiafoe gets the biggest win of his career over #6 Kevin Anderson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, to reach the 3rd round at the #AusOpen. Held from 15-40 in the last game…

Biggest upset of the event so far. pic.twitter.com/2ab657nbvK

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 16, 2019

Frances Tiafoe caused a massive upset when he knocked No. 5 seed Kevin Anderson out of the tournament in the second round.

The South African took the first set but his 20-year-old opponent stormed back to win the next three and claim the match 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5.

Anderson called for the trainer to treat a right elbow problem during the match and World No. 39 Tiafoe pounced, claiming the biggest scalp of his career.

Anderson played in the US Open final in 2017 and the Wimbledon final in 2018.

Heading into the Australian Open, Tiafoe was 0-7 from singles and doubles matches this year. He celebrated wildly, roaring to the crowd and slapping his bicep.

“It means the world to me. I lost to Kevin three times last year and I was down a set and a break, it looked like he was going to get it for the fourth time,” Tiafoe said.

“But I dug insanely deep.

“It’s just how bad you want it and I want it really bad.”

Tennis commentators were stunned by the result, calling it the biggest upset of the tournament so far and the biggest win of Tiafoe’s young career.

💪BIG FOE 💪@FTiafoe shocks 6 seed Kevin Anderson 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/2AthQLrBY1

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2019

Francis Tiafoe with a huge upset at the #AustralianOpen 🇺🇸!!

— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) January 16, 2019

Frances Tiafoe causes the biggest upset of the #AusOpen so far! The American knocks out 5th seed Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Tiafoe is into the third round round, plays Seppi next.

— Nikhila (@kokudum) January 16, 2019

Atta Baby Tiafoe!!! Big win down unda @AustralianOpen

— Omar Benson Miller (@OmarMiller) January 16, 2019

BIG moment for Frances Tiafoe, stunning Kevin Anderson in the 2R and giving a flex on court to celebrate. He’s been close to a breakthrough win before… is this it? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/TuhkbEUgXP

— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 16, 2019

‘Roger, you’re a joke’

Roger Federer was made to work for every point in the first set before winning a tiebreak but he went up a couple of gears in the second to show Dan Evans who was boss.

After a scratchy opening to the match, Federer was at his sublime best in the second set — as evidenced by a silky drop shot volley in his first service game. The Swiss meastro came forward after his first serve and met Evans’ return on the full at the service line.

Despite being on the move and well short of the net, his soft hands and control allowed him to slice the perfect backhand volley. His opponent didn’t even bother trying to chase down the ball because it was always going to be out of reach.

“Oh come on,” one Channel 9 commentator said.

Another added: “I say this with absolute respect but Roger, you’re a joke.”

Roger just having fun.

WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/9yBwzkk1Xq
FOLLOW LIVE: https://t.co/d5QpFbqFD5 #9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/eZ1AptdUDU

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 16, 2019

It looked like Federer was cruising to a two-sets-to-love lead after breaking Evans but the Brit refused to go away, breaking back and sending it to another tiebreak.

He had his chances but Federer was clutch and delivered when it mattered to go up 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3).

Greek sensation topples Aussie

Local qualifier Astra Sharma has bowed out in the second round to rising Greek star Maria Sakkari.

Sakkari won 6-1 6-4 in a match lasting just over an hour. She was joined at Melbourne Park by a hundred-strong Greek cheer squad.

Evans keeps pace

Daniel Evans pulled out some superb strokeplay to keep even with defending champion Roger Federer, remaining unbroken at 4-4 before play was stalled due to rain.

The first set tiptoed to 6-5 in Federer’s favour with Evans on serve. The Englishman looked to have it sealed for a tiebreak but fell victim to a classic jumping volley from Federer.

But Evans fought back, taking it to 6-6 in the first and putting a cup of pressure on the Swiss master.

But it wasn’t enough to throw Federer off his game as the 37-year-old took the tiebreak 7-5.

Roger lucks out in Melbourne

Life is always good when your name’s Roger Federer.Source:AP

Roger Federer, who has been pinned by other players in the past for snagging too many night sessions away from the sun, looked to be set to cop the full brunt of Victoria’s summer in his day clash with Daniel Evans.

Wrong again.

In a typical Melbourne twist, the weather has dipped to a comparatively chilly 25C on Wednesday, eight degrees cooler than yesterday’s 33C. Tomorrow is looking uncomfortable as well with forecasts predicting highs of 32C.

Well played, Rog.

Barty seals the deal

Ash Barty, serving up a blistering seven aces, has blasted through Yafan Wang in little over an hour, skittling her Chinese opponent 6-2 6-3 in a dominant display at Rod Laver Arena.

A particularly fiery cross-court return from Barty late in the second left Wang baffled and all but sealed the deal for the Aussie as she proceeded to serve out the match.

The Aussie has now made it to the round of 32 for the third year in a row and will face the winner of Astra Sharma and Maria Sakkari for a shot at the fourth round.

Roger Federer is now warming up to take on Daniel Evans on center court.

Barty starts strong, Thompson in trouble

Ash Barty kicked off from the word go in the first game against Yafan Wang, forcing her Chinese opponent around the court to take her first service game. Her serve was particularly dangerous, with a speedy 179km/h ace whizzing past her opponent to kick off proceedings.

Barty eventually snagged the break at 3-1 after her Wang hit an unforced error into the net.

The 22-year-old continued her onslaught to take the first set 6-2 within 30 minutes.

Jordan Thompson, on the other hand, suffered another set loss as Andreas Seppi took the second 6-4 at 1573 Arena.

Thompson cops it early

Aussie Jordan Thompson arrived at 1573 Arena ready to take on former top 20 star Andreas Seppi in the round of 64.

He is one of six Aussie men facing a tough slog to advance into the third round.

Seppi got the early jump on the 24-year-old, capitalising on a handful of unforced errors into the net to snag a break in the first game.

It didn’t get better for the Aussie as he went down 0-3 in a blink with Seppi dominating him at the net and forcing a number of errors.

Seppi eventually took the set 6-3.

Aussie women down to three

Australian wildcard Zoe Hives has been eliminated in the second round by France’s 19th seed Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-3.

It leaves top local hope Ash Barty, qualifier Astra Sharma and wildcard Kimberly Birrell as the remaining Australians in the women’s singles.

Despite the defeat, the Ballarat-born 22-year-old will leave Melbourne Park $105,000 richer after earning the biggest cheque of her career.

US commentator slams Tomic, praises de Minaur

US tennis commentator Brett Haber has heaped praise on Alex de Minaur amid the ongoing feud in Australian tennis involving Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios.

Haber said De Minaur’s quiet manner had somewhat pushed him to the footnotes despite being Australia’s top ranked star, but also suggested the Sydney product’s incognito approach to tennis is something Australia could use more of.

“There’s nothing outside his tennis that calls for attention,” he said on Tennis Channel ahead of day three. “He doesn’t have an outrageous look, he doesn’t say outrageous things at the press conference, he’s not confrontational and his social media isn’t particularly noteworthy.”

Once again, the on-court feats of spectacular tennis from Australian stars have been kept in the shadows as mouthy press conferences and dummy-spits take centre stage.

“But if you look at the big story in Australia this week, it’s this feud where Bernie Tomic is going to punch out Lleyton Hewitt and all that. What name have we not heard entered into the fray? It’s Alex de Minaur,” Haber continued.

“He’s doing his thing, he’s top 30. Nadal looms, but (de Minaur) is just doing his job, something we’re not seeing in Aussie tennis much.”

Wally’s plan to get Hewitt-Tomic in a room

The prospect seems remote, but Tennis Australia performance boss Wally Masur believes a closed-doors sit-down could solve the spat between Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic.

Tomic sent shockwaves around Melbourne Park on Monday night by suggesting Hewitt was selfish and divisive and needed to “go away”.

He followed that by telling the Herald Sun the Davis Cup captain should “come one metre from me if he is a man”.

“Two years ago, I said ‘If he ever tries to talk to me, I’ll knock him out’,” Tomic told the Herald Sun.

Hewitt laughed off the attack, saying it was “Bernie being Bernie and losing and going on and complaining”.

But given Tomic’s climb through the ranks in 2018 after a self-imposed exile, and Hewitt’s position at the head of Australian male tennis, a reconciliation is plainly in the sport’s best interests.

“What I want to get away from is the public tennis game, it being played out in the press,” Masur told AAP.

“I’d rather those guys got in a room and they sort it out privately … and I think there’s a chance.

“The tournament is in full swing. I wouldn’t say it’s on both of their agendas at the moment but it would be something I am keen to explore.”

Bernard Tomic and Lleyton Hewitt. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Masur, who was Davis Cup captain in 2015 when Australia reached the semi-finals with both Hewitt and Tomic as players, said tennis lent itself to strong personalities.

“To be a good tennis player you’ve got to be stubborn,” he said. “And these guys have quite a past.

“Maybe there’s a sense of frustration from Lleyton that Bernie hasn’t maximised his potential.”

And maybe there’s a frustration from Tomic that Hewitt hasn’t helped him match his potential, having wanted the dual grand slam champion to coach him full-time.

Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios were named by Tomic as players unwilling to play under Hewitt in his explosive rant.

On Tuesday, Kokkinakis admitted disappointment not to receive a wildcard into the 2019 tournament but chose not to comment on Tomic’s diatribe.

Kyrgios said he was available for Davis Cup but didn’t think he’d be picked because “there’s a lot of good players right now”.

Australian No. 3 Matt Ebden suggested the division that Tomic hinted at was real. “There’s clearly some issues that need to be addressed with the players and Tennis Australia, with Davis Cup and the players,” he said.

“I’m not going to lie, there’s definitely some issues that need to be resolved on both sides.”

Samantha Stosur, the only other Australian aside from Hewitt to have won a grand slam title this century, cheekily suggested the answer to the rift could be closer than Tennis Australia realised.

“They’ve got their issues. We don’t have anything to do with what the men do,” she said.

— AAP

Demon and Barty host an Aussie party

Australia’s top male and female hopes return to action on day three of the Australian Open, with both Ashleigh Barty and Alex de Minaur aiming for their best Melbourne Park performances.

The pair are the best domestic hopes of making a long run in the tournament, although with 10 locals into the second round, the chances of a bolter coming through are genuine.

Barty faces Chinese doubles specialist Yafan Wang, admitting a scouting report with coach Craig Tyzzer could be crucial.

“I’ve played her in doubles once before … it’s a little bit of a different game,” she said.

“I’ll sit down with Tyz (and) it will be a chat about what we want to go and execute out on the court (and) more so from my end and trying to exploit a few thing from hers.”

Barty is one of four Australian women in action. Wildcard Zoe Hives faces the toughest test of her career when she plays world No.19 Caroline Garcia of France.

Astra Sharma plays in-form Greek Maria Sakkari before Kimberly Birrell faces Croatia’s Donna Vekic.

Alex de Minaur. Pic: Michael KleinSource:News Corp Australia

After a confident performance in the opening round, De Minaur has the chance to equal his best run at a major – set at Wimbledon last year – by beating Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen.

The 19-year-old said he was hoping to hear a roar from the Margaret Court Arena crowd to push him into the last 32.

“I’m really looking forward to going out there, coming back, just having fun. I think that’s the main thing. To feed off the energy of the crowd,” he said. “I mean, the support I’ve been getting has been amazing. Just makes you want to go out there.”

Matt Ebden has the toughest ask of the day, facing world No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the late match on Rod Laver Arena.

John Millman faces Spanish 22nd-seed Roberto Bautista Agut, fresh from his hard-fought defeat of Andy Murray.

Jordan Thompson rounds out the Australians in action, taking on Italian veteran Andreas Seppi on 1573 Arena.

— AAP

Tennis is a psychologically challenging sport. No wonder so many players end up losing their temper in spectacular fashion.