Stefanos Tsitsipas' meltdown, and other highlights from day five of the Australian Open. Photo / Photosport
Highlights of day five of the Australian Open.
Marin Cilic was knocked to the canvas and was being counted out after falling behind two sets to love.
But he rose from the death and stormed back into the contest with a demolition job in the third set to take it 6-1.
Fernando Verdasco had the chance to wrap up the match in the fourth set but wasn't able to convert and Cilic took full advantage to send the contest into a deciding fifth set.
Then in the blink of an eye the number six-seed had stormed out to the 4-1 advantage and the result looked to be wrapped up.
Verdasco offered up one last glimpse of a fightback, but Cilic had the momentum and eventually sealed the deal to move into the fourth round.
Angelique Kerber was in a hurry and she made light work of Australian Kim Birrell in a rought night on Rod Laver Arena for the Aussies.
Kerber was at her best as she claimed the dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory to advance through to the fourth round.
The win for the No. 2 seed sets up a clash against unseeded American Danielle Collins.
Rafael Nadal brutalised Alex de Minaur, handing the youngster a tennis lesson on Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal won their clash in straight sets as he put an end to the 19-year-old's dream run at his home grand slam, claiming a 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory. It was the same score as the pair's last encounter when Nadal won at Wimbledon in 2018.
De Minaur was all heart right to the very end, pumping his fist and urging the crowd to get behind him even when everyone knew the cause was lost. He saved a handful of match points when he went down 0-40 at 4-5 in the third — one of which included him running all over the court in a marathon rally, proving he really doesn't know what it means to give up.
The Demon might not have been able to take a set off the No. 2 seed but that the teenager was able to make Nadal work for two hours and 22 minutes was a testament to his fighting spirit.
He received a warm ovation as he left the court and was all class in defeat, thanking the crowd and putting his hand on his heart to show his appreciation for the support of the home fans.
Nadal too paid a classy tribute to the opponent who made him work so hard to win that last game.
"He is a big fighter and he is super quick," Nadal said. "He saved the match point, it was just unbeilevable. Probably he's the fastest on the tour.
"I want to congratulate Alex for a great start to the season, I think he has an amazing future."
But the gulf in class was obvious and something de Minaur never looked like he was going to be able to overcome.
Nadal has now disposed of three Australians en route to the fourth round and is yet to lose a set. He beat James Duckworth in the opening round, then backed that up with a win over Matt Ebden before taking care of de Minaur.
In the first set of the centre court clash, tennis legend John McEnroe hit out after Nadal was the beneficiary of some outside help.
The Spaniard was facing a break point and the Aussie young gun thought he'd won the game when a linesperson called a Nadal forehand long. However, Nadal looked up to his team in the stands and they encouraged him to challenge the call, which he did.
Replays showed the ball was in and Nadal was given another opportunity to hold serve, but McEnroe said it was unfair to look to your box for help.
"This is something that shouldn't be allowed, which is to ask your coach and your box whether it was in," McEnroe said in commentary for Channel 9. "They told him to challenge, he did and the ball was in.
"I feel the player needs to do that on his own. That's not the case so far. That was a repeat, that's why they have the challenge system."
It took Nadal 23 minutes to go up 2-1 in the first set but from there his night became easier.
Frances Tiafoe sent shockwaves through the tennis world when he eliminated South African star Kevin Anderson in the second round, and he won another scintillating battle today — this time against Andreas Seppi.
The young American was up 5-4 in the fourth set but facing a break when he was down 0-40 on serve, before going on to win one of the points of the tournament. An incredible rally saw: Seppi hit a ball behind his back; Tiafoe play a lovely drop shot; Seppi miraculously chase it down and; Tiafoe go full stretch to his left with a stunning volley to claim the point.
"You've got to be kidding me," one Channel 9 commentaor said.
Another added: "Oh my goodness — the longest rally and the most spectacular.
"This is next level stuff."
Even more remarkably, Tiafoe went on to win the game and the set to send the match into a deciding fifth set.
Tennis writer Ricky Dimon said on Twitter: "Tiafoe-Seppi at 5-4, 0-40 in the 4th set is, was, and will be the point of the tournament. Bats*** crazy scenes."
Tiafoe went on to win the fifth set to claim a 6-7 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory.
Shirtless, the 20-year-old celebrated in front of a standing ovation, thumping his bicep and chest and slapping his leg. He then returned to his chair where he put his head in his hands and broke down in tears.
Maria Sharapova won a thriller against Caroline Wozniacki to send the defending champion out of the tournament.
Sharapova landed a decisive blow when she broke Wozniacki midway through the third set to take a 4-3 lead in the decider of their blockbuster third round clash.
The Russian was struggling to match it with the defending champion in long rallies but her trademark power helped push Wozniacki around the court and Sharapova took advantage to secure the crucial break.
Down 3-5, Wozniacki served a double fault to give Sharapova a match point. The Dane held on in marathon rally next point but she couldn't stave off defeat for much longer.
Sharapova put the pressure on with a thumping return from a second serve and dominated a short rally to win the match and progress to the fourth round, where she will play Aussie favourite Ash Barty.
When that match was announced during Sharapova's on-court interview, the crowd reacted with excited murmurs.
Sharapova went to another level in the third set when it looked like Wozniacki was gaining the ascendency, and the victory is her biggest win since making her return to tennis from a suspension for doping.
She let out a visceral roar after the win before blowing kisses to the crowd.
It was a spicy grudge match because Wozniacki was highly critical of Sharapova for her drugs suspension. In 2017 the Danish star said it was "unacceptable" she played on Court 5 at the US Open while Sharapova — given her history — played on centre court.
Wozniacki also hit out when Sharapova was awarded a wildcard entry into a tournament at Stuttgart in 2017, calling it "disrespectful".
Earlier in the pair's match, Sharapova claimed the opening set 6-4 before Wozniacki bounced back to claim the second.
Sharapova dished up a double fault and hit a couple of forehands past the baseline as she tensed up while serving to stay in the second set. Wozniacki kept her cool to break and take the set 6-4, sending the match into a third.
Remarkably, the 2018 Australian Open champion was able to level things up by hitting just one winner in the second set.
American teenager Amanda Anisimova produced a shock boilover when she defeated No. 11 seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena.
The 17-year-old took the initiative early and never relented as she outclassed the visibly frustrated Sabalenka.
"I can't believe this is happening right now," the unseeded Anisimova said. "It was just an unreal feeling. I was expecting a really tough match, she's a great player.
"I can't believe I got through this round.
"I want to be the next person to win a slam as a teenager."
The youngster is the first player born in the 2000s to reach the round of 16 at a grand slam and is the youngest American woman to reach that stage of a major since Serena Williams did so at the 1998 French Open.
Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas almost self-destructed during a highly controversial third set against No. 19 seed Nicoloz Basilashvili.
Tsitsipas was hit with two code violations while serving for the third set while ahead 5-3.
Instead he was forced to do it the hard way through a tiebreaker after he lost his cool following a controversial chair umpire overrule.
On set point, Tsitsipas' serve was incorrectly called out by a linesman, only for the chair umpire to immediately overrule the call.
Basilashvili's return clunked into the net, but the chair umpire ordered the players to replay the point having ruled that Basilashvili's shot was disturbed by the linesman's call.
Tsitsipas fumed when the umpire refused to award him the point and in a heavy double-whammy, he was then whacked with his second time wasting violation and was stripped of his first serve on the next point.
Tsitsipas then went on a lengthy, angry rant in Greek following the next point and was then broken on the following point.
Keen listening fans from around the world have interpreted Tsitsipas' rant and have revealed the 20-year-old used the worst word in the Greek language.
""That w***er there has f***ed me," he screamed. "F*** your house."
Clearly a wreck, Tsitsipas lost six straight points following the umpire's overrule.
At the end of his service game he was also whacked with a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct when he was heard saying "bravo" towards the linesman who made the incorrect call on his serve.
"Tsitsipas is in a world of emotional pain," Channel 9 commentator Geoff Masters said.
Tennis great Wayne Ferreira said the umpire went too far by hitting him with the code violation warning.
"I don't think that warning was necessary. All he said was 'bravo'. He should be allowed to express his emotion," he said.
Other tennis commentators were stunned by the incredible scenes.
Tsitsipas eventually recovered to take the third set 9-7 in the tiebreak to take a 6-3 3-6 7-6 lead into the fourth set.
It was much smoother sailing for the No. 14 seed after he had regained his composure in the fourth set and he was able to seal his passage through to the round of 16 with a 6-4 fourth set win in just under three hours.
Speaking afterwards about the controversial call, the Greek star said: "It was one of those moments I felt that they took something from me.
"It was a tough match today. Conditions were different than the other days.
"I feel so comfortable here, I feel like I am playing at home. It's exciting to have such an atmosphere when I am on the court."
He will now play legend Roger Federer for a spot in the quarter-finals after the Swiss ace also cruised past American Taylor Fritz.
Tsitsipas, who was feeling much happier after his win, joked that he would be cheering for Fritz in the hope of avoiding a clash with the mercurial veteran.
His wish didn't come true and he must now face Federer for the second time this month after they also met in the Hopman Cup in Perth.
A flawless Roger Federer showed off his best form as he won his third round clash against Taylor Fritz 6-2 7-5 6-2.
In commentary, Nick Kyrgios said: "Federer's timing is scary good. He almost hits everything on the half-volley."
It was a common theme of the young Australian's call. After Federer won the first set he said: "The way Federer is moving is scary. This is ridiculous tennis."
Federer was allowing himself to have some fun as he motored towards a straight sets triumph, even charging Fritz's second serve when the American was serving at 1-5 down in the third. It was move Federer pioneered a few years ago, the SABR — Sneak Attack By Roger.
The Swiss maestro had no trouble serving out the match next game to secure his victory.
"I wanted to get out of the blocks quickly because of the threat of Taylor," Federer said. "I had extra focus today to make sure I got off to a good start and I did.
"I had a really good feeling out here today against someone who can be very dangerous and I wish him all the best in the future."
Federer's son wasn't focusing so much on the on-court action, instead amusing himself with his dad's coach Ivan Ljubicic.
In his on-court interview Jim Courier told Federer Kyrgios was commentating, and asked the 37-year-old if he cared what other players on tour thought of him. He may not have meant it, but as his answer referred to the importance of earning respect, it was a message both Kyrgios and some of Australia's other tennis stars should heed.
"I think you do care what they think. Because, I don't want to say you try to create an aura for yourself, but I think you have to work for respect, identity, on the tour," Federer said.
Kyrgios has said previously he doesn't even like tennis that much and would rather play basketball, which makes Federer's claim about the Canberra product's commitment to the sport so surprising.
"Nick is a really sweet guy, I love the guy. I love watching him play," Federer said. "I'm happy to see he is commentating — he's passionate about the sport."
He's ready to roll — Nick Kyrgios in the Channel Nine commentary box and ready for a guest stint during the Roger Federer-Taylor Fritz match.
Kyrgios is a giant Federer fan and appeared thrilled to be courtside. "He is very friendly, very down to earth. He is very polite to everyone and he has an aura about him," Kyrgios said.
"When he walks in, everyone kind of looks at him. He is greatness. He is. He walks in and everyone goes quiet. You stare at him. It gets a little weird. But he is definitely a champion."
But he also revealed Fritz was one of his "closest mates on tour".
Ash Barty displayed some serious footspeed out on Rod Laver Arena, footspeed we think fellow Aussie Alex De Minaur may have been proud of as she took a one set to love lead over Greece's Maria Sakkari.
Returning the serve of Sakkari while up 3-2 and at 15-all in the opening set, the two engaged in an epic point where Barty chased down a Sakkari lob. Her over the shoulder dig sailed towards the roof of the arena and came down on the baseline. Sakkari netted the overhead, drawing huge applause from the crowd.
Barty's own serve was excellent as she sent down eight aces for the set to go with 13 overall winners.
The two were engaged in a rather bizarre tactical encounter as they both looked to pick on the other players backhand with what resembled claycourt tactics as the duo hit with high net clearance and heavy topsin off their forehands and Barty continually preferred to slice her backhand.
Barty had a set point at 5-4 on the Sakkari serve but floated her slice backhand long. However she made no such mistake at 6-5 when the Australian successfully broke Sakkari, who sent a backhand into the net herself to give Barty the opener 7-5.
Ash Barty is on her way to Rod Laver Arena for her third round clash with rising Greek star Maria Sakkari, which will be played indoors as rain lashes Melbourne Park.
Other matches that will get underway are Stefanios Tsitsipas-Nikoloz Basilashvilii on Margaret Court Arena and Tomas Berdych against Diego Schwartzman.
That's really bad news for Schwartzman as the last thing the diminutive Argentine needs is the big-hitting Berdych to get faster conditions with the roof closed on Melbourne Arena.
Channel Nine has confirmed Nick Kyrgios will join its broadcast of Roger Federer's match against Taylor Fritz today.
Sports Illustrated tennis scribe Jon Wertheim initially heard Kyrgios may be a guest commentator before the network confirmed it.
The likelihood of Kyrgios holding his tongue about all the chaos surrounding Australian tennis right now is surely remote given his willingness to engage on social media lately.
This could be dynamite.
"Forever unpredictable and always entertaining, Kyrgios is bound to bring a unique perspective to this afternoon's commentary," a statement from Nine read.
Lleyton Hewitt's feud with Bernard Tomic went nuclear on Thursday night when the Davis Cup captain responded to the accusations levelled at him by the controversial Aussie star.
Hewitt has faced some criticism, including from former coach Roger Rasheed, for speaking publicly and keeping the story in the headlines.
Former US Davis Cup captain Jim Courier weighed in on Channel 9 this morning, describing the situation as "ugly".
"It is a shame it couldn't be handled behind closed doors," Courier said. "(But) you get in front of a media who are eager to have those questions answers.
"It is a shame because we are talking about representing your nation. Something that should be such an honour, a privilege. Now it has become a bit of a blemish story right now.
"(Especially) when we have got an amazing Australian story happening in this tournament right now with these two young wildcards coming up (Alex Bolt and Alexei Popyrin) and Alex De Minaur playing tonight. We should be celebrating the good but we are unfortunately stuck in the twilight zone of Davis Cup drama.
"Lleyton has been dealing with this for a year-and-a-half. He was happy not to have Bernard involved in the culture and the tone that he was trying to set for Australian tennis, which I happen to agree with. You should be set to certain standards to wear the green and gold on your back.
"Bernie certainly is within his rights to have his opinion. He is not within his rights, most likely, to make threats. So that's probably crossing the line. That is a bridge too far."
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