Eagle-eyed social networks users have actually called out Nick Kyrgios after the tennis bad kid loaded appreciation on Croatian feeling Dino Prizmic on Sunday night.
Prizmic won numerous admirers for his first-round heroics as he pressed Novak Djokovic to the limitation in a four-hour clash — and Kyrgios was amongst them, loading appreciation on the young star after seeing the match in his function as an analyst for Eurosport.
“That was 4 hours of pure home entertainment,” Kyrgios stated after the match.
“As quickly as I saw him strutting his thing, he advised me of that Holger Rune design energy.
“That’s the longest match in the preliminary of a slam in Novak’s profession, that’s quite insane for an 18-year-old.
“I like him, he’s one of my preferred gamers after that efficiency. I ‘d offer him some severe energy!”
Kyrgios was left red-faced when a tweet he made about Prizmic from last year re-surfaced.
In reply to a post from popular tennis reporter Craig Gabriel, who kept in mind Prizmic had actually lost in the Croatia Open Umag quarter-finals to Australian Alexei Popyrin, Kyrgios was less gushing in his appreciation for the increasing star.
“Who are a few of these gamers haha,” Kyrgios stated.
Swedish tennis fan Erik Jonsson was among those to mention Kyrgios’ current change of mind.
“It’s nearly as if seeing tennis makes you learn more about those playing the sport,” Jonsson stated.
3.45 PM: POPYRIN BOOKS DATE WITH DJOKER
– Ed Bourke
Australian world No. 43 Alexei Popyrin will deal with Novak Djokovic in the 2nd round of the Australian Open after winning his all-Aussie face-off with regional kid Marc Polmans in straight sets on Monday.
The 24-year-old, who reached the 3rd round of the Australian Open in 2015 with 2 marathon wins consisting of the second-round upset of 8th seed Taylor Fritz, smashed 56 winners to Polmans’ 22 in a program of strong type ahead of his fight with Djokovic.
Popyrin was checked early by the wildcard in a big-serving screen however ultimately broke his resistance to reserve a date with the world No. 1 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 success.
It comes as the Serbian super star exposed he was fighting disease leading into his clash versus Croatian teenager Dino Prizmic on Sunday night and stated he felt “under the weather condition” following the four-set win.
He stated the additional day’s rest before the second-round match on Wednesday would leave him in a great position to face his Australian challenger.
“Look, it is what it is. You simply need to attempt to handle it and overcome it and accept the situations and attempt to maximize it,” Djokovic stated after the win.
“I will talk about with my group tomorrow, see if I possibly avoid practice tomorrow, tennis practice. Perhaps do some easy work, fitness center, jog, some particular workouts simply to keep my body fit.
“I indicate, in 2015 I have not practiced in between any match actually. It was various situations due to the fact that I was hurt. I believe now with 2 days, it’s rather helpful after playing four-hour opening round.”
3.05 PM: FRENCHMAN RETIRES IN TEARS AFTER CRAMP SAGA
– Chris Cavanagh
Flashy Frenchman Terence Atmane has actually been left in tears after being required to retire in his very first look at a Grand Slam.
Atmane constrained severely in his ideal quad throughout the 2nd set of his match versus 3rd seed Daniil Medvedev, after he had actually taken the very first set 7-5.
Ranked No. 144 worldwide, Atmane was having a hard time to move and was required to serve underarm to get to a break.
He smashed a racquet en route to the break however fearlessly used after getting treatment and taking a dosage of electrolytes.
Medvedev was 1-0 up in the 4th set when Atmane retired, before the 22-year-old broke down on his bench and after that left the court with a towel curtained over his bowed head.
Medvedev himself had some aching hamstrings throughout the match and was having a hard time to move easily sometimes in what was his very first match of the year after delighting in a prolonged off-season break.
The Russian relocations through to the 2nd round of the competition after the accomplishment, 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0.
2.55 PM: BELGIAN BOILOVER? 2023 RUNNER-UP IN TROUBLE
– Chris Cavanagh
An obscure Belgium who was contributed to the Australian Open primary make use of Sunday has actually taken the very first set versus in 2015’s competition runner-up.
Zizou Berge– who was required to take out of his last certifying match last Friday due to a complete body constrain in the 2nd set– got a late reprieve as a fortunate loser at Melbourne Park after Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the competition with a best foot injury.
Burge took 61 minutes to win the very first set over Tsitsipas 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena, holding serve after the last video game of the set went to deuce 5 times.
Berge had actually played in the Australian Open in 2015 however lost his first-round match.
Ranked No. 129 on the planet, the 24-year-old is including at just his 3rd Grand Slam in general.
Tsitsipas withdrew from a United Cup match previously this month with a remaining back injury, which agains triggered him problem throughout his ‘A Night with Novak and Friends’ charity match last Friday night.
The popular Tsitsipas is the seventh seed at the Australian Open this year.
2.45 PM: POPYRIN CREEPS CLOSER TO DJOKOVIC DATE
Australian world No. 43 Alexei Popyrin is one set far from a second-round date with Novak Djokovic however is fulfilling strong resistance from compatriot Marc Polmans in a big-serving clash on John Cain Arena.
Popyrin, who reached the 3rd round of in 2015’s Open after he stunned 8th seed Taylor Fritz in 5 sets, took the very first set 6-3 however was pushed into a tiebreak by the South-African born Polmans.
He won 4 successive indicate race far from 3-3 and declare the 2nd set, however wildcard Polmans discovered more consistency with his very first serve and might show hard to break once again after some early yips handed Popyrin the benefit in the opening set.
The winner of the clash will deal with Djokovic on Wednesday after the world No. 1 was pressed to 4 sets by Croatian teenager Dino Prizmic on the opening night.
Polmans is putting on a legionnaires hat and has a group of a lots diehard advocates in the crowd doing the very same – anticipate the variety of that sunsmart contingent to grow drastically in size if he can return to disturb Popyrin.
2.30 PM: WIMBLEDON CHAMP’S STUNNING FIRST-ROUND HUMILIATION
Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova crashed out of the Australian Open at the very first obstacle Monday, catching Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-2.
The Czech seventh seed took out of the warm-up Adelaide International recently with a hip injury and her court motion seemed impaired in Melbourne.
She lost her opening service video game and never ever returned in the contest as 93rd-ranked Yastremska took control on John Cain Arena, rising through the very first set in simply 31 minutes.
Vondrousova, who beat Australian Open 6th seed Ons Jabeur for her development at the All England Club in July, was broken once again at the start of the 2nd set and there was no other way back.
“Today was a truly great video game,” stated Yastremska, who struck 26 winners to Vondrousova’s 5.
“I was a bit worried, however I simply attempted to enjoy myself. Today, I felt substantial assistance from the crowd.”
It was her 4th profession win over a top-10 gamer, most just recently beating then world number 3 Barbora Krejcikova in Dubai in 2022.
Yastremska, whose finest revealing at Melbourne Park is a third-round look in 2019, will next play France’s Varvara Gracheva, who is unseeded.
2.20 PM: FRENCH MELTDOWN: CRAMPS, UNDERARM SERVE, RACQUET SMASH
– Chris Cavanagh
Flashy Frenchman Terence Atmane has actually smashed a racquet in aggravation after being conquered by a significant cramp in his best quad throughout his first-round match with Daniil Medvedev.
Atmane was having a hard time to move and was required to serve underarm to get to a break and get treatment after the cramp began when he was on serve at 1-1 in the 3rd set.
A qualifier who is ranked 144 worldwide, Atmane had actually begun the match on fire as he took the very first set 7-5.
Medvedev combated back to take the 2nd set 6-2.
The match is Atmane’s very first versus a top-10 gamer in what is the 22-year-old’s very first Grand Slam look.
Medvedev won 66 matches in 2015 and a record 5 titles on the ATP Tour.
2.00 PM: POPYRIN MAKING MOVES TOWARDS NOVAK CLASH
Australian livewire Alexei Popyrin is considering off a face-off with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic– and is assassinating a fellow Aussie to arrive.
The big-hitting Sydney star took the very first set versus fellow citizen Marc Polmans, with the set presently duelling it out in the 2nd set.
The benefit will be a date with Djokovic, who needed to drag himself through a gruelling four-hour slog on Sunday night.
Somewhere else on court males’s 3rd seed Daniil Medvedev remains in a difficult face-off of his own, losing the very first set to France’s Terence Atmane before resisting to win the 2nd and be up a break in the 3rd.
1.30 PM: TEEN STAR SMASHES THROUGH TO SECOND ROUND
– Rebecca Williams
Teenage star Coco Gauff’s very first competition as a grand slam champ has actually begun in winning type after she advanced to the 2nd round of the Australian Open in straight sets.
Casting aside her earlier annoyance over a USTA social networks post, Gauff declared a 6-3 6-0 win over Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in an hour on Rod Laver Arena.
The Australian Open is Gauff’s very first significant considering that she won her very first grand slam at the United States Open in 2015 and is the No. 4 seed at Melbourne Park.
Asked if she felt any distinction going back to the Australian Open as a grand slam champ, Gauff stated she had the ability to make use of her United States Open experience to press through her opening round match.
“I believe I am constantly anxious in the preliminaries of slams and after that, truthfully, that offered me more self-confidence today,” Gauff stated on court after her win.
“My preliminary at the United States Open was a hard preliminary so I understood I might survive those hard minutes in the match and I believe that’s when I had the ability to swing into action at 3-3 and basically remove from there.
“Honestly, when I fidgeted at 3-3, I simply informed myself, I actually stated ‘I feel great, I look excellent’ so simply have a good time which had the ability to unwind me a bit.
“That’s why I play tennis to have a good time so I advise myself.”
Gauff has actually two times reached the 4th round at Melbourne Park, however is yet to play finals here.
12.55 PM: ‘BLANKET FIX’ TO ERADICATE AUS OPEN FARCE
Australian Open authorities were left ashamed on the opening day of the occasion when a prolonged competition– with an extra day included- and prepares to remove profane late-night surfaces exploded in their faces.
And one specific pity, that protecting champ Aryna Sabalenka was invited back to Melbourne Park by a sparsely inhabited Rod Laver Arena prior to midnightmight so quickly have actually been prevented.
There have actually been ideas that a blanket guideline must be in location to stop such a situation occurring at all.
In a dynamic conversation on The Tennis Podcast, it was recommended that Sabalenka’s match must’ve been played prior to the Novak Djokovic-Dino Prizmic impressive. Which must be the brand-new typical.
“I simply believe there ought to be a blanket policy that you can’t set up any match after a best-of-five set match. You can’t have a 2nd night session match after best-of-five,” stated co-host Catherine Whitaker.
Co-host Matt Roberts kept in mind the just recently presented ATP-WTA guidelines which avoid matches from beginning after 11pm, which have actually been generated to restrict the variety of farcical late surfaces.
“The huge one is they definitely need to begin with the ladies’s matches during the night– it’s just inappropriate for matches to be beginning at 11.41,” Roberts stated.
“That’s 41 minutes after the trips have actually simply chosen that is far too late for matches to be beginning.
“That is 71 minutes after that match would’ve been moved if it was on the trip– the brand-new Tour policy is ‘10.30, we’re going to relocate to a brand-new court’.
“The entire point is that leaving minute onto court is the one opportunity you get as a protecting champ to go back to the court for the very first time because you won it, and get the applause and the ovation you are worthy of.
“That was just eliminated from Aryna Sabalenka tonight. She is never ever going to be a newbie protecting Australian Open champ once again.
“That was her minute, and it was hardly a minute due to the fact that there was hardly anybody there to identify it.
“No one is blaming any (members of the crowd who left)– it’s the scheduling.”
12.45 PM: DOUBLES STAR LANDS $180K PAYDAY
– Rebecca Williams
Australian qualifier Storm Hunter has actually been ensured a $180,000 pay day after advancing to the 2nd round of the Australian Open for the very first time in her profession.
The world No. 1 doubles gamer, Hunter declared a development songs triumph at Melbourne Park after dispatching the higher-ranked Italian Sara Errani in straight sets.
In an indication of her songs aspirations for 2024, Hunter declared a 6-4 6-3 win over the previous world No. 5 on Kia Arena.
The 29-year-old tossed her arms in the air to commemorate the win before indicating the crowd, explaining the win as “ideal” and a “dream come to life”.
Hunter arrived of the world’s doubles rankings with Belgian Elise Mertens in 2015, however has actually made enhancing her songs ranking a concern this year.
The 29-year-old is ranked 179th on the planet in songs, while Errani is ranked 101.
Gamers who reach the 2nd round of the are ensured $180,000, while Hunter would need to reach the last of doubles at Melbourne Park to win more than $200,000.
Hunter has a jam-packed schedule at the Open, playing songs, doubles and combined doubles.
12.20 PM: AUSSIE WILDCARD KNOCKED OUT
Australian wildcard Taylah Preston has actually suffered a first-round loss to Ukrainian seed Elina Svitolina.
The 18-year-old grand slam songs launching was over in under an hour as the No. 19 seed powered to a 6-2 6-2 win.
Preston was previously blessed as the next generation of Australian ladies’s gamers to look out for by previous Billie Jean Cup captain Alicia Molik.
Svitolina, a two-time quarter-finalist at the Australian Open, will deal with either American Kayla Day or Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova in the 2nd round.
11.55 AM: AUSSIE GUN TAKES FIRST SET AGAINST ITALIAN
The sun is shining at Melbourne Park, however there is a storm developing on Kia Arena.
Australia’s world No. 1 doubles gamer Storm Hunter holds the advantage as she targets her very first main-draw songs win at the Australian Open.
The Australian qualifier won her very first set 6-4 versus unseeded Italian previous world No. 5 Sara Errani.
Hunter arrived of the world’s doubles rankings with Belgian Elise Mertens in 2015, however has actually made enhancing her songs ranking a top priority this year.
The 29-year-old is ranked 179th worldwide in songs, while Errani is ranked 101.
Hunter has actually included in the primary songs draw at the Australian Open 5 times formerly, however has actually bailed out each time in the preliminary.
11.40 AM: TEEN STAR HITS OUT AT ‘HIDEOUS’ DELETED POST
Teenager tennis star Coco Gauff has actually struck out at a ‘ugly’ animation and since-deleted social networks post from the USTA created to promote American gamers at this year’s Australian Open.
The animation, performed in the design of the 1990s Nickelodeon reveal the Wild Thornberrys, showed seeded American stars such as Gauff and world No. 5 Jessica Pegula, and males’s stars Sebastian Korba, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the Australian wilderness.
The ending of the program’s last season aired in June, 2004– simple months after Gauff was born.
And the world No. 4 Gauff was no fan of the caricature design, requiring to social networks to voice her annoyance.
“Worst thing I’ve ever seen,” Gauff stated in an Instagram story.
“Like a caricature artist chose to make (us) all appear like horrible looking individuals. The art design is cool for an animation program however not for a buzz post. Foul.”
Gauff included on Twitter that it “makes all of us look so awful”.
11.15 AM: ‘WHO KNOWS DOWN THE TRACK’: AUSSIE GREAT FUELS BARTY RUMOURS
Australian tennis terrific Ash Barty is back at Melbourne Park – and appears like she’s all set to go deep into the 2nd week.
The only issue is the three-time grand slam champ, and brand-new mum, is still gladly retired.
Will that stay the case?
Barty retired soon after winning the 2022 Australian Open and in July in 2015 she brought to life a kid. Australian tennis fans are permanently confident that the 27-year-old’s competitive fires reignite.
And one remark from one-time Fed Cup colleague Alicia Molik raised eyebrows on Monday.
“She appears like she might be contending in this Australian Open,” Molik stated as video footage played of Barty spinning a racquet on her finger.
“Who understands down the track … It is terrific we have the chance to see her.”
10.45 AM: DJOKOVIC HITS OUT OPEN ORGANISERS OVER NEW RULE
– NCA Newswire
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has actually provided a serve to Australian Open organisers about a brand-new guideline enabling fans to move the arena in between video games, rather the standard modification of ends.
Djokovic stated he wasn’t knowledgeable about the brand-new guideline which enabled more fan motion and stated it had an unfavorable influence on his match and not the favorable one competition organisers were wishing for
“I did not understand about that brand-new policy or brand-new guideline,” he stated
“Look, I imply, I comprehend the intention behind it is to boost and enhance the experience for fans? We do bet fans. We desire fans to have an excellent, exhilarating experience of being out on the court.
“It’s difficult, I need to state. I comprehend that and I support it to some level, however at the very same time all my profession, all my life I’ve been utilized to some sort of environment. When that modifications, it sort of screws up, sidetracks you a bit.
“Today we lost a fair bit of time when they were letting individuals in to come to their seats, although it was not a changeover. My challenger would await them to take a seat. It dragged a lot.
“I do not understand if it’s truly the very best guideline, however I do comprehend from a competition and fan viewpoint it’s most likely much better due to the fact that they do not wish to wait. They wish to come out and take pleasure in every point.
“I’m type of divided in between the 2 in such a way”
10.30 AM: HALF AN HOUR UNTIL DAY TWO GETS UNDERWAY
Live tennis is nearly upon us– with seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova and intense Ukranian Dayana Yastremska first off on John Cain Arena, which precedes an all-Australian clash in between Alexei Popyrin and wildcard Marc Polmans.
In the day’s other early matches, Australian qualifier Storm Hunter has Italian veteran Sara Errani in her sights, and wildcard Taylah Preston might have her hands complete versus 19th seed Elina Svitolina.
9.50 AM: FANS FUME AS AUSTRALIA ROBBED OF FIRST-ROUND EPIC
It was the five-set legendary which needs to have offered tennis fans the ideal start to their Australian Open experience — other than that it was provided a free-to-air blackout.
Australian Chris O’Connell’s gruelling four-hour triumph over World No. 88 Cristian Garin was a gripping encounter for those fortunate adequate to get to Court 3 to enjoy the pulsating encounter.
The gritty Aussie two times resisted, after dropping the very first and 3rd sets, to send out the match to a choosing 5th set. Just fans were left scratching their heads about how to see it.
The early part of the match had actually been transmitted on Channel 9, before being changed to a secondary channel to accommodate for the news at 6pm.
When the tennis protection returned after the news, the focus was on previewing Novak Djokovic’s clash with increasing star Dino Prizmic– while Australia’s Jason Kubler, who went down in 5 sets in his own first-round impressive, was offered top priority over O’Connell on the back-up channel.
Implying numerous fans lost out as O’Connell introduced his Open project with a stirring fightback in the 5th set to win 3-6 7-5 4-6 6-1 7-5.
Audiences trying to see the conclusion of the match required to stream it either on 9Now or the membership service Stan Sport– nevertheless on social networks fans vented their fury.
“Channel 9 waits till Chris O’Connell enjoys the 5th set, then makes him vanish. Simply picture how these idiots will butcher the Olympics,” composed Albie Patts on Twitter.
O’Connell will next deal with the winner of 16th seed Ben Shelton and Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, who play in the future Monday.
9.15 AM: THE AUSSIE WHO CAN CASH IN ON NOVAK EPIC
Novak Djokovic’s gruelling four-hour first-round success was an energy-sapping affair– however 2 Australians would’ve enjoyed it more than the majority of.
Djokovic reserved his location in the 2nd round with his four-set success over Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, and he’ll deal with an Australian, with Alexie Popyrin and Marc Polmans fighting on Monday for the right to deal with the world No. 1.
And when you’re up versus the GOAT, you require to take every benefit available.
The Australian set would’ve been cheering every energy-sapping point Djokovic was dragged into.
“He’s the master of in-match management, of competition management. He is approaching 37 years old and that was not just an extremely long match, however a physical, long match,” kept in mind tennis reporter Catherine Whitaker.
“He was suffering out there, Novak Djokovic. Is that the sort of suffering he could feel in his legs later on in the competition?”
The basic agreement amongst her coworkers on The Tennis Podcast was no, not actually … Unless, naturally, he gets dragged into another dogfight.
“I believe Popyrin threatens if he plays (Novak). That’s not perfect, in my view,” stated David Law.
(But) normally (Novak) going to win the majority of his matches rather effectively from here.
“It is specifying the apparent, however Father Time will get him ultimately. And we’re all simply amazed to understand when that will be. And in such a way Djokovic is too– he’s captivated about for how long he can keep this opting for.”
8.30 AM: THE REST OF DAY TWO ACTION ANALYSED
In-form United States Open champ and 4th seed Coco Gauff starts the day’s action on centre court, fresh from safeguarding her Auckland Classic title in the lead-up.
The 19-year-old American faces Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and will be followed on court by seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, whose task ended up being a lot much easier when challenger Matteo Berrettini withdrew with a foot injury on Sunday.
Tsitsipas, who powered into the final in 2015 however was no match for a dominant Novak Djokovic, was because of fulfill the previous world No. 6 Italian however will now deal with Belgian fortunate loser Zizou Bergs.
In another standout match, unsafe Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime will spar with Austrian 2020 United States Open champ Dominic Thiem on Margaret Court Arena.
The winner of that clash might deal with Daniil Medvedev in the 3rd round, needs to the Russian surpass French qualifier Terence Atmane.
Medvedev, a Melbourne finalist in 2021 and 2022, has actually vowed to be “more fully grown’ this year and eliminate the temper tantrums that are a trademark of his video game.
“Hopefully I can accomplish it this season, and we’re visiting a brand-new Daniil Medvedev,” he stated.
Other gamers in action on day 2 consist of five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray, Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova, and females’s 6th seed Ons Jabeur.
8.00 AM– OSAKA RETURN HEADLINES DAY TWO
Naomi Osaka makes her return to grand slam tennis on day 2 of the Australian Open Monday.
New mum Osaka, 26, stepped far from the sport in September 2022, mentioning psychological health issues.
After bring to life a child lady, Shai, in July, the Japanese star chose to return for the 2024 season, however she has a substantial very first difficulty to clear in 16th-seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.
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They will grace Rod Laver Arena at night session, following on from Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur’s clash with big-serving Canadian veteran Milos Raonic.
“I have a lot more favorable state of mind and a lot more grateful frame of mind,” four-time grand slam champ Osaka stated of going back to Melbourne, the scene of her title-winning exploits in 2019 and 2021.
“Super-excited to be back. It’s been actually enjoyable up until now.”
Initially released as Australian Open 2024 day 2: Latest news, results and highlights from Melbourne Park