Key events
Saturday’s reports and reaction
Ruud beats Cilic! 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7
Cilic wins third set v Ruud 4-6 4-6 6-3
Mensik beats Quinn 6-2 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
Ruud wins the second set v Cilic 4-6, 4-6
Rybakina beats Valentova: 6-2, 6-3
Djokovic beats Van de Zandschulp: 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4)
Swiatek beats Kalinskaya: 6-1, 1-6, 6-1
Djokovic wins the second set v Van de Zandschulp: 3-6, 4-6
Fritz beats Wawrinka: 7-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Wang beats Noskova: 7-5, 6-4
Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal statement
Kalinskaya wins the second set v Swiatek: 1-6, 6-1
Naomi Osaka withdraws
Djokovic wins the first set v Van de Zandschulp: 6-3
Preamble
Saturday’s reports and reaction
Laura Robson, the presenter on TNT Sports, describes it as “pure kismet” that Jannik Sinner’s match against Eliot Spizzirri was halted when it was due to extreme heat. The Italian was cramping badly at the time and said afterwards that he “got lucky”.
Below you will find links to all our Australian Open news pieces from today, including a report on Naomi Osaka’s injury-enforced withdrawal. Stan Wawrinka also bowed out today, at 40, after a four-set defeat by Taylor Fritz.
“I had so many emotions here the last 20 years because of you guys,” Wawrinka told the crowd after his loss. “It’s been an amazing journey. I won my first grand slam here. I’ve always enjoyed being back, so much support, and the reason I was still playing is because of you, because of the love of the game, the emotion you can give me. I’m sad to leave but it’s been an amazing journey.
“All those years, guys, I saw you enjoying the tennis, I saw you supporting us, I saw you drinking [he laughs and so do the fans] – the other day I told you about it – and now I can enjoy. If you don’t mind I would like to share a beer with Craig [Tiley, tournament director].”
Wawrinka then went to the drinks box and grabbed a couple of cans, one for him and one for Tiley, and they have a drink. A nice way to bow out. (Apparently, it was ginger beer).
That is the lot from us for today. Thanks for reading and we’ll be back tomorrow for more.
Jack Snape
The Australian Open’s clique of champions didn’t have it easy on Saturday. Jannik Sinner survived despite severe cramps. Novak Djokovic was almost disqualified for a near miss with a ballgirl. Stan Wawrinka played at Melbourne Park for the last time. And Naomi Osaka was an 11th-hour withdrawal from her third round clash with an abdomen complaint.
By comparison, Australian Maddison Inglis – the unheralded qualifier who at 28 is still hoping to crack the top 100 – had it easy. After the walkover from the Osaka match, Inglis waltzes into the fourth round and a clash with the No 2 seed Iga Swiatek, a week after she was almost eliminated in the first round of qualifying. “I was down two match points in that match,” she told Channel Nine. “Tennis is pretty crazy like that.”
“I’m definitely relieved,” Ruud tells the on-court interviewer Barbara Schett. “Marin is a tremendous player, still at 37 or 38, he still rips the ball, plays so well, and it’s amazing to see. He’s had an incredible career, a finalist here, won the US Open final, a final at Wimbledon, the semis at Roland Garros, so he’s almost “run” all the grand slams. So it’s really really tough matches against him always, but yeah like you said, super-happy not to be out there in the fifth with him at this point. Happy to be talking to you instead.
What was his mindset when down a break in the fourth?
“I didn’t have many break chances since the second set, so I was kind of frustrated with not even getting any chances … not being able to play in his service games. I was thinking: ‘Fifth, here we go’ and was getting ready for a tough deciding set. But suddenly a few mistakes came out of his racket, and I was there to put one extra ball in, and luckily I had a few points that went my way, and that’s how tennis is.”
Ruud hit 25 aces today – his record.
“Yeah, wow. Becoming a serve-bot. It’s not typical that I get 25 free points in a match with my serve. So my shoulder is working, yeah, let’s hopefully keep it going. Next match I am playing someone who, if he has a bad serving day, has 25 aces [No 8 seed Ben Shelton] so it’s going to be really tough.”
Maria, Ruud’s fiancee, is about to have a baby. Schett asks about her potential stress levels back at home.
“Yeah, I hope I didn’t stress her too much tonight,” Ruud says. “Even though I was pretty stressed myself. I can’t really control how the matches go. Hopefully she stays in there, and in a few days I’ll get to see her, whenever I’m done here, or if I get a call I’m going to be on the way back home. So I have to say a huge thank you to Maria, she’s back home, patient, and letting me be here, so if she’s watching, I just want to let her know that I’ll be home soon.”
Barbara Schett starts talking names for their imminent daughter and suggests some Australian Open-themed options such as Margaret, Evonne – or Barbara.
“You know, we’ve been through 200 different names and we haven’t really settled one yet, so anything is up for grabs,” says Ruud. “But not sure if Margaret is the one we will go for. Daphne is a nice name. Not sure how that would work in Norway. We’ll find something out. Could be Daphne, could be Barbara, who knows? We’re up for suggestions. We’re going to wait to see her, and see if a name is more suiting.”
Then he’s off.
Here you will find the updated men’s and women’s draws, and tomorrow’s order of play in the singles.
Quick GuideAustralian Open: fourth-round draws
Show
Men’s singles
(1) Carlos Alcaraz v Tommy Paul (19)
(10) Alexander Bublik v Alex de Minaur (6)
(3) Alexander Zverev v Francisco Cerundolo (18)
(11) Daniil Medvedev v Learner Tien (25)
(5) Lorenzo Musetti v Taylor Fritz (9)
(16) Jakub Mensik v Novak Djokovic (4)
(8) Ben Shelton v Casper Ruud (12)
(22) Luciano Darderi v Jannik Sinner (2)
Women’s singles
(1) Aryna Sabalenka v Victoria Mboko (17)
Yulia Putintseva v Iva Jovic (29)
(3) Coco Gauff v Karolina Muchova (19)
(12) Elina Svitolina v Mirra Andreeva (8)
(6) Jessica Pegula v Madison Keys (9)
Wang Xinyu v Amanda Anisimova (4)
(5) Elena Rybakina v Elise Mertens (21)
Madison Inglis v Iga Swiatek (2)
Sunday’s order of play (singles only)
Rod Laver Arena
Day: Sabalenka v Mboko, Alcaraz v Paul
Night: Bublik v De Minaur, Svitolina v Andreeva
Margaret Court Arena
Day: Gauff v Muchova, Medvedev v Tien
John Cain Arena
Day: Putintsteva v Jovic, Zverev v Cerundolo
Ruud beats Cilic! 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7
Cilic serves wide, and jogs in to tuck away a simple winner back across the court. A huge ace out wide is next. That’s 30-0. Another sizeable serve is hammered down by the Croatian, and that’s 40-0. Then a second serve is returned strongly by Ruud, and Cilic flops a backhand into the net as the match clock ticks past three hours.
Two gynormous forehands by Ruud leave Cilic standing next up, and that’s 40-30, and then a double fault, and it’s deuce – the Norwegian suddenly two points away from victory.
Cilic nails a massive serve down the middle – but Ruud, showing the defensive instincts of Novak, gets the ball back and then takes control of the rally and wins the point! That’s match point!
Then a second serve for Cilic and a hush settles on the arena … he soon sends a forehand wind and it’s game over! The players meet at the net and shake hands. Ruud back from the dead in that fourth set, and in that game from 40-0 down.
Ruud playing some nice stuff and I’m sure he’ll have a chat now, including on the impending arrival back at home …
*Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 6-5 Ruud (*next server)
Thanks Billy. Ruud races to 40-0 and Cilic obligingly spoons a forehand return wide to end the game with little fuss. It seemed like a five-setter was in the offing, but now Cilic has to serve to save his skin.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 5-5 *Ruud (*next server)
Cilic gobbles up a short return from Ruud at 30-15 up to set up game point. Ruud’s return is long and this fourth set goes on. Luke McLaughlin is back to see you through.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 4-5 Ruud (*next server)
Ruud breezes through his service game and, after holding the upper hand in this fourth set, Cilic finds himself serving to stay in the Australian Open.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 4-4 *Ruud (*next server)
Ruud breaks back! Cilic shows some signs of nerves as he misjudges a volley at 30-0 up and then sweeps a backhand well wide for 30-30. A double fault follows and then another backhand goes awry. A gift for Ruud, really.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 4-3 Ruud (*next server)
Cilic breaks! Ruud wobbles on serve and finds himself at 0-30. A commanding crosscourt forehand sets up three break points for Cilic – he snaps up the first as Ruud goes long with a backhand. The 37-year-old is in the groove now.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 3-3 *Ruud (*next server)
Some textbook serve-and-volley sets up three game points for Cilic and he powers a serve down the T that Ruud barely connects with to hold to love.
The roof is coming on the Margaret Court Arena as the clock strikes midnight. There’s still a decent crowd in. It is Saturday night after all. Cilic to serve.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 2-3 Ruud (*next server)
Ruud wastes little time to hold to 15. The winner of this one will play No 8 seed Ben Shelton after his straight-sets victory over Valentin Vacherot earlier.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 2-2 *Ruud (*next server)
A chance arises for Ruud as Cilic double faults at 15-15. An ace follows for 30-30. Then another thunderous serve sets up a net approach and a second point in a row. Ruud then clears the baseline and shows his frustration at an opportunity lost to break.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 1-2 Ruud (*next server)
After a let and a first serve into the net, Ruud aces a second serve down the T to hold to 15. It’s approaching midnight in Melbourne.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 1-1 *Ruud (*next server)
Both players hold their first service games of the fourth set. Cilic has swapped his stripy shirt for a purply one. More sartorial updates to follow.
And today’s women’s singles results:
A Anisimova (US, 4) bt P Stearns (US) 6-1 6-4
Wang X (Chn) bt L Noskova (Cz, 13) 7-5 6-4
E Mertens (Bel, 21) bt N Bartunkova (Cz) 6-0 6-4
I Swiatek (Pol, 2) bt A Kalinskaya (31) 6-1 1-6 6-1
E Rybakina (Kaz, 5) bt T Valentova (Cz) 6-3 6-3
M Inglis (Aus) bt N Osaka (Jpn, 16) w/o
A quick reminder of today’s men’s singles results:
J Sinner (It, 2) bt E Spizzirri (US) 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4
B Shelton (US, 8) bt V Vacherot (Mnc, 30) 6-4 6-4 7-6(5)
T Fritz (US, 9) bt S Wawrinka (Swi) 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4 6-4
N Djokovic (Ser, 4) bt B van de Zanschulp (Neth) 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)
J Mensik (Cz, 16) bt E Quinn (US) 6-2 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
Cilic wins third set v Ruud 4-6 4-6 6-3
A fourth set beckons after some imperious hitting from Cilic, who nails a couple of forehands down the line on the way to holding his serve.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 5-3 Ruud (*next server)
A huge slice of luck gives Cilic a crucial break! The veteran’s return hits the top of the net and bounces the other side – Ruud had no chance. There’s an apology and Cilic now serves for the third set.
Mensik beats Quinn 6-2 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
The young Czech and 16th seed is through to the fourth round for the first time after holding his nerve in another tight tiebreak in the third set. The 20-year-old will face Novak Djokovic next!
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 4-3 *Ruud (*next server)
Cilic smacks a forehand crosscourt at a devilish angle to go 30-15 up but Ruud hangs on in there. The No 12 seed wastes a chance at 30-30 with an overhit backhand and Cilic seals the game with an ace.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 3-3 Ruud (*next server)
All square as Ruud holds again. I have to say I’m a fan of Cilic’s subtle stripy white shirt.
Mensik v Quinn has gone to a tiebreak in the third set, the Czech player two sets up.
Casper Ruud is looking to get beyond the third round in Melbourne for only the second time in his career and the first since 2021. He was knocked out in the second round by Alexander Zverev last year. The No 12 seed is back on serve.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 3-2 *Ruud (*next server)
Cilic thunders down an ace at 30-15 before wrapping up another hold with a first serve that Ruud wafts into the net.
Cilic* 4-6, 4-6, 2-2 Ruud (*next server)
Hello everyone. This third set is motoring on nicely. Ruud closes out a hold to 15 with an ace down the T.
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 2-1 *Ruud (*denotes next server)
And another hold for Cilic. Your move, Caspar.
Billy Munday is here while I take a break.
*Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 1-1 Ruud (*denotes next server)
With serve early doors in the third set.
Just one of the day’s big stories: Naomi Osaka withdrawing due to injury.
“I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it, but I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”
Cilic 4-6, 4-6, 1-0 *Ruud (*denotes next server)
The Croatian holds to open the third set. He spurned a golden chance to break his opponent at the end of the second. Can he make any progress on the Ruud serve in the third?
Mensik 6-2, 7-6, 3-3 Quinn is a latest score in the men’s singles third round.
Ruud wins the second set v Cilic 4-6, 4-6
Well, here is a bit of meaningful pressure. At 0-30 Cilic gets a stroke of luck, the ball flicking off the net and down on Ruud’s side. Three break points. Ruud saves one point with an ace. Then a big second serve that Cilic sends long. That’s 30-40.
Ruud pumps his fist when he saves the third break point, and again when he serves solidly again to fashion an advantage. It goes back to deuce, Ruud then saves yet another break point, and edges through with an ace to seal the second set.
Ruud has reached three grand slam finals: the French Open twice (2022 and 2023) plus the US Open in 2022. His best result here in Melbourne is the fourth round in 2021.
Cilic 4-6, 4-5 *Ruud (*denotes next server)
Now the 27-year-old Ruud can serve for the set. It doesn’t feel like Cilic is going to be able to apply any meaningful pressure.
*Cilic 4-6, 3-5 Ruud (*denotes next server)
Some more elite serving from the Norwegian. He is playing very fluently and with beautiful rhythm. Cilic must serve to stay in the second set.
Any thoughts on the action, including Djokovic’s earlier win, or anything else? Do send me an email.
Cilic 4-6, 3-4 *Ruud (*denotes next server)
Cilic starts off with a confident serve and volley, the volley being an overhead smash that wins the point quicksmart. A wild backhand return from Ruud, on Cilic’s second serve, makes it 40-15, and an ace seals it.
*Cilic 4-6, 2-4 Ruud (*denotes next server)
The Croatian will serve, seeking to stay in touch in this second set.
It’s approaching 11pm in Melbourne, and the temperature has dropped to about 29C. If the forecast is correct, Tuesday will see daytime temperatures into the early 40s.
Cilic 4-6, 2-3 *Ruud (*denotes next server)
A comfy hold for Cilic. This match looks potentially similar to Djokovic’s win earlier: regular moments of brilliance, but a bit short on genuine drama. We shall see.
*Cilic 4-6, 1-3 Ruud (*denotes next server)
So Ruud holds, and Cilic needs to find something from somewhere in this second set.
