Australian Open 2025: Kyrgios stunned by Fearnley; Osaka v Garcia, Djokovic through – live
Key events
And then, at 15-30, Paul swipes a forehand wide; two break-back points for O’Connell … who only needs one! Paul then indicates a need for the trainer, his shoulder giving him gyp, while Osaka, also down break point, goes long on the backhand! Garcia trails 3-6 1-0.
Back on Kia, Tommy Paul is serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth, but finds himself down 0-30…
Danielle Collins (10) beats Daria Snigur 7-6(4) 6-3
She meets Destanee Aiava next and it’s lovely to see her still in the sport – she’d planned to retire at the end of 2024 to start a family, but that’s not on the cards currently and her struggle with endometriosis has relented a little, allowing her to compete.
Osaka creams a backhand return that gives her 0-40 and three set points, then rehearses the shot a few times before punishing a deep backhand that Garcia can’t return. That completes a very fine set for the 2019 and 2021 champ, and I don’t really see what can be done to stop her here.
A lovely return, down the line from out of court, gives Garcia the sniff of a sniff at 30-15, and a double makes 40-30, but a brutal service-winner secures a crucial hold. Osaka leads 5-3 and looks pretty good out there.
Osaka consolidates and both players will, I’d wager, know that if she’s at her best, her opponent has little for her. But a hold to 15 keeps Garcia in the set at 3-4…
By the way, these two have become mates in recent times. They weren’t especially cordial a few years ago, but a succession of matches together has brought them closer; Osaka’s appearance on Garcia’s pod is worth a look-in.
Osaka raises break point at 30-40 and Garcia wilts first, netting a forehand. The former champ leads 3-2 and if she can get in front, you’d back her to see this out.
We’re now at 2-2, both players serving well and settling in. Meantime, Collins is serving at 7-6 5-1, Snigur not long for this match, and Paul leads O’Connell 2-1 3-1.
Osaka said pre-match that mentally, she feels better than for ages, and a two-tie champ here, knows she’s capable of beating everyone. “But what are her trainers doing?” I hear you cry. Well, I need to close-up for detail, but in the meantime, this:
She holds for 1-1.
We’re away on Laver, Garcia holding for 1-0, while Paul, up 2-1, breaks O’Connell for 1-0 in the fourth. He’s in total control now.
Collins has broken to lead 7-6 2-0, Snigur looking forlorn … even more so when a second serve is pasted back past her to secure the double-break. Collins leads 7-6 3-0.
Lovely stuff dept: Osaka and Garcia, who met at this stage last term, Garcia the victor, are out.
Paul is all over O’Connell now, a thunderous service-winner out wide sealing a 6-1 set. He leads by two sets to one, and the Aussie nips off for a breather.
A primal holler from Collins as she claims the first-set tiebreak to four. I’ve not seen much of this match with all that’s been going on, but apparently Snigur is a strange kind of player and the set was not an easy one.
On Kia, Paul now leads O’Connell 6-2 3-6 4-1, while on Court, Collins leads Snigur 4-3 in their first-set breaker.
Next on Laver: Naomi Osaka v Caroline Garcia. Not bad!
“In the end it was great,” says Djokovic, noting that his opponent was the better player for a set and a half and deserved all the applause he got. He’d not seen his opponent play until a few days ago and these kinds of matches are always dangerous, praising a “complete player” who “pleasantly surprised” him with his quality.
We learn that Basavareddy’s What’sApp pic is of Djokovic, who laughs, unsure how to react. He then further rhapsodises a “nice boy” who handles himself well, and is sure we’ll all be seeing more of him.
Finally, of course, we go to Andy Murray, discussing his skiing, but it’s all business now. It was a little strange to have his old foe in his box, but Coach Muzz offered some great advice mid-match and, now the players’ box is courtside, it offers them a fresh perspective to help.
Novak Djokovic (7) beat Nishesh Basavareddy 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2
Djokovic will have to play much better than that if he’s to win a record 25th major. Of course he will, but whether he can play well enough is less clear. Still, he’s into round two and will meet Jaime Faria next, but let’s give credit to Basavareddy who played superbly until fatigue set in. He’s got a big future and I’m excited to see how he goes from here.
…and Djokovic doubles! Rubbish under pressure, that lad, a total joker.
Hold tight Nishesh Basavareddy, who quickly makes 0-30 … so Djokovic retorts with an ace down the middle and a body-serve that incites a long return. A wide return then means match point number two….
…for as long as it takes Basavareddy to leave a Djokovic forehand return which catches the line. Match point no 2 coming up … and disappearing via long return. From there, Basavareddy closes out, so at 4-6 63 6-4 5-2, Djokovic will shortly serve for the match.
Djokovic soon makes 30-40, but a long forehand burns his first match point. And from there, Basavareddy finds reserves of strength to unleash a flat forehand that’s too good … only to go long with another having opening the space for it with a booming serve. We’re back at deuce…
Meantime on Kia, Paul – confusingly clad in green and gold – hangs in there to break Collins, then consolidates to lead 1-1 3-0. And in the time it takes me type that, Djokovic unfurls more aces to consolidate for 5-1. He’s a game away.
Ach, up 3-1 in the fourth, Djokovic raises a point for the double-break and outlasts Basavareddy in another sapping rally, the young American volleying wide after being handed a variety of moon-balls, top-spinners and flat animals. At 2-1 4-1, this match is almost over.
Snigur, a former Wimbledon junior champ, has broken Collins, but as I type she’s broken back and we’re at 4-4 in the first.
Down 2-1 in the fourth, Basavareddy makes deuce on the Djokovic serve, then regains it with a blazing forehand return, hooked down the line. But an ace restores advantage and a service-winner seals a crucial hold, Djokovic leading 2-1 3-1.
On Kia, Christopher O’Connell has just levelled his match against Tommy Paul seeded 12, at a set apiece. I daresay a few of those who were on Cain are now supporting the local lad here, so I’d expect a lot of noise and shenaniga.
Email! “Hard to watch the Kyrgios v Fearnley match with hardly any applause for Fearnley,” writes Niamh Brennan. “Worse is the cheering of faults and unforced errors from the rowdy crowd. Favouritism is one thing, rudeness is another.”
I know what you mean, but going by his interview, Fearnley enjoyed the challenge and the occasion. Coming through that match must feel pretty special.
Oh, I’ve just put on Mertens v Golubic to watch the final set and what I fact watch is Mertens celebrating. She wins 4-6 7-6 6-4 and meets Jessica Pegula (7) next.
Yeah, Djokovic breaks Basavareddy at the start of set three to lead 2-1 1-0, and this experience will be very helpful for both men. The former is now used to the court and balls, while the latter now knows what it takes to compete at the top level.
We’re under way again on Court, Collins leading Snigur 2-1 on serve.
Fearnley knew it’d be a rowdy match and he really enjoyed it, saying he felt bad for Kyrgios, struggling with injury. He was trying to focus on himself, knowing he’d not be able to get the crowd on his side, and thinks this is probably the best match he’s ever played. He’s never experienced anything like tonight but had some heckles thrown his way playing college and is sure the experience will be good for him.
When he heard he was facing Kyrgios he felt nerves and excitement but the tennis both produced near the end of the match made it really enjoyable to play. He focused and lent on his team to keep the noise out and, finally, asked by Mac as to the whereabouts of his Scottish accent, he says it’s coming back the more he stays out of the US. That’ll be barry.
Jacob Fearnley beats Nick Kyrgios 7-6(3) 6-3 7-6(2)
That is a sensational win for Fearnley, on debut in the competition. It’s true that Kyrgios, two years away, struggled physically, but the way he handled the atmosphere and occasion, sticking to his plan and staying cool throughout, was extremely impressive. Necxt for him it’s Arthur Cazaux, and that should be a really fun contest.
Back on Cain, Kyrgios is struggling, shorn of the serve that makes him special. Fearnley leads their third-set breaker 5-1, is serving, and this is almost over; as I type, a netted return hands him five match points.
Djokovic reasons with himself in celebration when Basavareddy nets, handing him 40-30 and set point; a backhand sent wide and he’s roaring his delight, his new coach also on his feet. Djokovic leads 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Basavareddy isn’t going away, a decent return of a second serve giving him 15-30. But terrifying hitting form Djokovic level the game, which we’ll come back to in a moment because, on Cain, Fearnley has held to earn a third-set breaker, in which he breaks immediately; Kyrgios quickly fights back to trail 1-2.
Ach, bad news on 1573 Arena, where Griggzy Dimitrov has been forced to retire when trailing Francesco Passaro 7-6 2-1; he meets Goffin or Bonzi next, the latter up two sets and a break.
Fearnley earns break point, well saved by Kyrgios with big first serve and backhand down the line, and seconds later the Aussie holds for 0-2 6-5; back on Laver, Basavareddy holds nicely, forcing Djokovic to serve for set two at 4-6 6-3 5-4.
Other hand, I guess Fearnley is from Scotland, so.
Hands! Kyrgios sends Fearnley to the backhand corner and though the response is a good, he’s there at the net to caresses a winning volley and make deuce. He’s two points away from the set and the crowd go wild when the young Scot nets. Again, though, he’s nails on the big point, a big serve and forehand winner restoring parity in the game, and from there, he closes out for 2-0 5-5. This is so impressive: he’s never played in this tournament, and the local hero in a night sesh and on a party court is quite the introduction.
