ANOTHER Aussie loses five-set thriller as No.1 just survives huge ...

18 Jan 2024

Fox Sports

Aussie Max Purcell has fallen just short of a stunning upset over world number 11 Casper Ruud, losing a five-set thriller in a heartbreaking match-tiebreak.

Max Purcell - Figure 1 — Photo Fox Sports

Purcell, after reaching the second round of his home Grand Slam for the first time, pushed the Norwegian superstar all the way in a Margaret Court epic, only to fall agonisingly short of victory.

Meanwhile, world number one Iga Swiatek has survived a massive scare from Danielle Collins, fighting back from 1-4 down in the third set to win 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Swiatek was also down 0-40 when serving at 2-4, and said she was ‘at the airport already’, so close was she to defeat.

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Purcell’s forehand was a rocket.Source: Getty Images

PURCELL FALLS JUST SHORT OF HUGE UPSET

Australian Max Purcell’s ambitious bid to oust three-time major finalist Casper Ruud has ended in heartache with the Norwegian winning a thriller in a deciding supertiebreaker.

After 3hr 50m, the No.11 seed managed to edge the Davis Cup representative 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-3 3-6 7-6 (10-7) in a fascinating contest between players with contrasting style.

Purcell attacked the net with vigour, approaching the net more than 100 times during the match in what dual-Australian Open champion Jim Courier declared “good, old-school style tennis”.

Ultimately the aggression fell marginally shy, with the disciplined Ruud making just 19 unforced errors in a phenomenal display of consistency.

Purcell was forced to fight hard to stay with Ruud throughout a high-quality deciding set.

Repeatedly on big moments, the Sydneysider’s ability to conjure a quality approach shot and then deliver with an excellent volley enabled him to keep the three-time major finalist at bay.

A case in point occurred at 5-all in the deciding set where he was able to save a break point by forcing a backhand error from Ruud when perched at the net.

He was particularly aggressive on both his second serve and also his forehand, a clear tactical change from his regular style on tour.

It was high risk tennis but it reaped rewards for a period. But in the super tiebreaker, the consistency of the No.11 seed came to the fore as he surged to a dominant lead.

But the Sydneysider was able to fight back into the tiebreaker, with a phenomenal forehand winner when stretched wide on the court at 4-7 simply remarkable.

“It was an outrageous winner at the moment he most needed it,” Courier said in commentary.

Using exceptional variety, from drop shots to topspin lobs, Purcell moved his rival around the court as Ruud tightened up to close the advantage to 8-7.

But when a forehand from Purcell sailed long, the match was over, with the pair embracing warmly at the net.

Ruud praised the performance of the plucky Australian, noting the variety he displayed made him a tricky proposition to handle.

“What can I say? It was an incredible match, honestly. It could have gone both ways,” Ruud said.

“If he keeps playing like this, he will have good chances to do good results this year.”

The Norwegian noted that Purcell’s style was a throwback to the days of the 1980s and 90s when stars used to serve-and-volley regularly.

“He plays fast. Serve-and-villey, he is one of the most unorthodox players thers days,” he said.

“That is tough, because you are not used to playing players like that these days. I was lucky in the end. Only a few points separated us in the end.”

Purcell was continually frustrated by Ruud’s ability to defend break points.Source: AFP

SWIATEK PULLS OFF STAGGERING RECOVERY

World No.1 Iga Swiatek avoided her earliest grand slam exit in five years when overcoming a significant deficit against former Australian Open finalis Danielle Collins on Thursday.

The four-time grand slam champion was in significant peril when trailing the feisty American by two service breaks at 1-4 in the third set, with the momentum firmly against her.

But Collins, who let slip a 5-1 second set lead in her straight sets loss to Ash Barty in the final two years ago, endured a similar dip in dominance when losing the last five games.

Swiatek, a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, said after her 6-4 3-6 6-4 triumph 3hr 14min that she tried to extend Collins in the latter stages hoping her hot streak would start to cool.

“Oh my God. I don’t even know. Honestly, I was at the airport already,” she said.

“I wanted to fight to the end. I knew she had played perfectly but that it would be hard for anyone to keep playing at that level. I am really proud of myself, because it was not easy.”

After conceding the first of the two service breaks in the third set, Collins had the chance to reclaim the momentum when holding three break points on the top seed’s serve at 4-2.

But they went begging and exacerbating the squandered opportunities was the loss of her conviction from the baseline.

Swiatek survived a huge scare.Source: Getty Images

Where once she was firing winners as regularly as fist pumps, she began erring badly from both wings, though she did continue to fight.

The 30-year-old saved two match points when serving at 4-5, one by driving a backhand straight at Swiatek at the net, to keep her hopes of an upset alive.

But after a spirited rally on her third match point, Swiatek was able to chase down a drop shot and whip a backhand winner up the line to clinch a spot in the third round.

Swiatek was wearing a black band underneath her left knee to assist with a niggle dating back to her triumph in the WTA Tour Finals in Cancun last November.

“It does not matter, because I have been struggling a little bit with my knee since Cancun. You don’t have to be worried, because it is all good,” she said.

She will play Czech Republic teenager Linda Noskova on Saturday for a spot in the Round of 16.

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EX-FINALIST MAKES SHOCK RETIREMENT CALLAfter a heartbreaking three-set loss to Iga Swiatek, 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins made the shock revelation that she will retire after this season.

Collins led 4-1 in the final set and had three break points with Swiatek serving at 2-4, but the American couldn’t get it done, losing 4-6 6-3 6-4 to the No.1 seed.

The 30-year-old was asked in her post-match press conference whether some losses ‘stay with you longer than others’.

She replied: “At this point, you know, I’m kind of at the end of my career and they don’t sting quite as much, to be honest.

“I feel like I have kind of gotten to the point where obviously they matter and, you know, my career means a lot to me, but the end of the day, you know, you either win or you lose, and that’s all there is to it.”

It was a heartbreaking defeat for the American.Source: News Corp Australia

Reporters in the press conference were stunned to hear her mention the end of her career, and asked a follow-up.

“This is going to be my last season, actually, competing. I don’t really know exactly when, but this will be my last season and I’m really looking forward to that,” said the American.

One reporter asked: “Really?”

Collins replied “Yeah,” before adding: “I have other things that I’d kind of like to accomplish in my life outside of tennis, and would like to be able to kind of, you know, be able to have the time to be able to do that. Obviously having kids is a big priority for me.”

CONTROVERSIAL STAR ZVEREV ESCAPES IN FIVE

Alex Zverev, the sixth seed from Germany, also needed a match tiebreak to claim victory after a 4h 31m epic against a player ranked just 163rd in the world.Zverev looked to be cruising when he won the first set 7-5 against qualifier Lukas Klein of Slovakia.

But the underdog showed unbelievable resilience in the second set, defending all six break points he faced and claiming the set 6-3.In the third set, he broke Zverev in the opening game and – after almost breaking the German again with a set point in hand at 3-5 – then served the set out comfortably 6-4.In a very tight fourth set, Klein defended a break point to make it 2-2, before Zverev defended a break point of his own to hold for a 5-4 lead, with the set heading to a tie-break.

The Slovakian suffered made a bizarre brainfade when he had Zverev on the ropes in the second point of the tie-break, with Klein rushing to the net but opting not to swing at a desperate Zverev shot, believing it would go out of play – only for the ball to comfortably land in the court.

Zverev roars after match point.Source: Getty Images

Zverev then kept his tournament alive as Klein made a couple of unforced errors at crucial times, with the German winning the tie-break 7-5 to send the match to a fifth set.

It was another rollercoaster set that went all the way to a match tie-break, but Klein - in just his second-ever slam appearance - made too many errors as he slumped to a heartbreaking defeat.

“He deserved to win the match more than me today but that’s how tennis goes sometimes,” Zverev said. “His ranking is not valid to how he is playing right now.”

“To be honest, I was just a spectator. The match was in his hands,” he added.

Zverev has again been in the spotlight this tournament after a recent announcement from Germany that the player would face trial in May 2024 over assault allegations from former-partner Brenda Patea, the mother of their daughter Mayla.

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DJOKOVIC BATTLING MYSTERY ILLNESS

Novak Djokovic has lost a set in both the first and second round for the first time since 2018, and eagled eyed viewers suspect the World No. 1 is carrying a mystery illness.

Djokovic struggled with a wrist complaint during the United Cup and said he was “a bit under the weather” during the early stages of his campaign at Melbourne Park.

“I’m definitely not playing or feeling my best,” Djokovic said.

Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted: “Djokovic admitted after his first round that he wasn’t feeling great. And if I saw correctly, I think a tissue fell out of his pocket during that last game?”

— news.com.au

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DAY 5 ORDER OF PLAY (Show courts)

Day session from 12pm AEDT, night session from 7pm AEDT, unless listed

ROD LAVER ARENA

Day session

No.1 Iga Swiatek (POL) def. Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4 3-6 6-4

Not before 1:30pm: No.2 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs Lorenzo Sonego (ITA)

Night session

No.3 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs Anna Blinkova (RUS)

Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) vs No.3 Daniil Medvedev (RUS)

MARGARET COURT ARENA