Welcome to our stay protection of day three of the Australian Open.
Climate wreaked havoc on Tuesday as excessive warmth noticed play suspended earlier than the rains got here rolling in, leading to 14 singles matches being stopped and pushed again into an already packed schedule.
Finally it was Novak Djokovic’s day because the Serbian famous person returned to Rod Laver and dazzled followers with an almighty opening spherical show.
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The circumstances at Melbourne Park on Wednesday will likely be in stark distinction to what unfolded Tuesday with cooler temperatures to greet followers and gamers after in a single day showers.
6.15am – Star’s x-rated comment stuns AO crowd
World quantity two Ons Jabeur confronted a more durable than anticipated opening spherical conflict, advancing into the second spherical after a hard-fought 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Tamara Zidansek.
But it surely was in her oncourt interview after the victory when Jabeur set tongues wagging with an x-rated comment about her husband.
The Tunisian star was requested about her restoration and if ice baths could be coming into play, her response had eyebrows elevating throughout the nation.
“Yeah ice baths and I’m going to make my husband work tonight … lot of therapeutic massage and good restoration,” Jabeur stated.
After a short pause and a few cheers from the group, Jabeur clarified her unexpectedly x-rated remark.
“Therapeutic massage guys, therapeutic massage,” she stated.
“For individuals who don’t know my husband can be my health coach and does the whole lot for me.”
6am – Chair umpire hunts down towel thief
Wild scenes unfolded on the Australian Open after Lin Zhu and Rebecca Marino had simply completed their opening spherical encounter with Zhu claiming the 6-2, 6-4 victory.
As the 2 gamers had been standing on the internet shaking palms, Marino rapidly let her opponent know {that a} fan had performed the unthinkable and stolen her towel.
“Any person simply took your towel,” Marino stated.
Enter chair umpire James Keothavong. The British umpire sprung into motion as he leapt off his chair and went after the thief.
“Oi,” Keothavong shouted as he raced throughout the court docket and out into the ocean of followers round Melbourne Park. Sadly the cameras didn’t decide up what occurred subsequent.
6am – Djoker, Murray reign on wild day
Novak Djokovic loved a rousing reception on a successful return to the Australian Open on Tuesday and Andy Murray rolled again the years to stun Matteo Berrettini in a traditional.
On a day of bans on Russian flags and weather-induced disruption, two of the game’s largest names belatedly introduced the main focus again on tennis in Melbourne.
A heavy title favorite, the 35-year-old Djokovic was again after his deportation final 12 months due to his stance on Covid vaccines.
If the Serb was frightened about how he could be obtained by the Melbourne Park crowd, he needn’t have been – the nine-time Australian Open champion walked out to loud cheers.
Towards the backdrop of chants of “Nole”, Djokovic despatched Spain’s Seventy fifth-ranked Roberto Carballes Baena packing at Rod Laver Area, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, to surge into spherical two.
“Thanks for giving me such a welcoming reception that I might solely dream of,” stated Djokovic, who’s chasing a record-equalling twenty second main title.
“I really feel actually pleased that I’m again right here in Australia and on the court docket the place I’ve had the most important success in my profession.”
Previous to that, the day had belonged to a different 35-year-old in Murray – and Melbourne’s famously fickle climate.
The Briton saved match level to defeat Italy’s thirteenth seed Berrettini 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (10/6) in 4hrs 49mins at Rod Laver Area, the place the roof was closed due to the acute warmth.
“I will likely be feeling this this night and tomorrow,” stated the previous world primary, who performs with a steel hip after career-saving surgical procedure.
“However proper now unbelievably pleased and pleased with myself.”
Because the mercury rose, the warmth pressured play to be halted on outdoors courts. The roofs had been closed on the three primary stadiums: Rod Laver Area, Margaret Court docket Area and John Cain Area.
Play resumed on the surface courts about three hours later, solely to be disrupted once more within the night when a storm hit, dumping torrential rain that finally noticed some matches suspended for the day.
