Rafael Nadal

Dominic Thiem stunned Rafael Nadal in four sets on Wednesday to reach the 2020 Australian Open semi-finals. 

Thiem, 26, topped the No. 1 seed 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) to book his first Grand Slam semi-final outside the French Open, sealing Nadal's second Australian Open quarter-final exit in his past three appearances.

Alexander Zverev will make his Grand Slam semi-final debut against the Austrian after he came from a set behind to beat Stanislas Wawrinka 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Simona Halep was the first to book her spot in the semi-finals after she blitzed 28th seed Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 6-1 in less than one hour.

Her next opponent will be Garbine Muguruza, who is the only unseeded semi-finalist in either draw after defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-3.

      

Wednesday's Quarter-Final Results

Men's Singles

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. (15) Stanislas Wawrinka: 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. (1) Rafael Nadal: 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6)

      

Women's Singles

(4) Simona Halep bt. (28) Anett Kontaveit: 6-1, 6-1

Garbine Muguruza bt. (30) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: 7-5, 6-3

Visit the Australian Open website to see the full results.

      

Recap

Thiem has made it to the semi-finals of Roland Garros on four occasions but never advanced as far in any of the three other majors in 18 previous attempts.

The Austrian ended that run with a memorable win over Nadal—who has twice beaten him in the French Open final—where he fired back to win the first two sets despite suffering the first break in each.

He suffered a slight setback but withstood the pressure to triumph in a third tiebreak in as many attempts against Nadal, who looked second best in his first defeat to Thiem at a major.

Zverev's prospects looked low coming into the Australian Open this year following a bumpy patch of form, including three straight defeats at the ATP Cup.

The German suggested after Wednesday's match that it was the lowered expectations that had spurred him to greater success after a period of "playing horrible" tennis, per The National's Reem Abulleil.

Zverev won just three of 19 receiving points he faced during a woeful opening set against Wawrinka.

Tennis Channel analyst Jon Wertheim commented as the German prepares to rejoin the elite ranks in the penultimate stage of a Grand Slam.

Halep will play in the Australian Open semis for a second time in her career, hoping she can better her runner-up finish to Caroline Wozniacki in the 2018 renewal.

The Romanian rampaged past Kontaveit in 53 minutes and saved the sole break point she faced in what was an efficient day's work.

The world No. 3 said in her post-match press conference that "perfection doesn't exist," despite being pleased with her performance in the quarter-finals.

Muguruza only learnt she'd be facing Halep after her own straight-sets quarter-final victory against Pavlyuchenkova, advancing to the Australian Open's last four for the first time in her career. She reached the quarters in 2017 but had failed to make it past the fourth round in six other appearances.

The two-time major winner hasn't reached the last four of a Grand Slam since her semi-final exit at the 2018 French Open, when it was Halep who beat her in straight sets en route to the Roland Garros title.

Halep will look to stop Muguruza from making a first major final appearance since she won Wimbledon in 2017, with the winner of their semi set to face either Ashleigh Barty or Sofia Kenin in Saturday's decider.

Dominic Thiem conjured up a brilliant performance to knock Rafael Nadal out of the Australian Open on Wednesday. 

In a gripping quarter-final showdown, the Austrian produced the better tennis in the clutch moments, eventually winning 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6).

Nadal was up a break in the first two sets, although he couldn't hammer home his advantage in either of them.

The top seed did recover in the third, triggering hopes of a special comeback among his supporters. Thiem then spurned the chance to serve for the match in the fourth, with Nadal able to break back and force a tiebreak. But as had been the case in the two earlier breakers in the match, the fifth seed prevailed.

Thiem will now face Alexander Zverev in Friday's semi-final, with the German advancing on Wednesday after beating Stanislas Wawrinka.

The opening set followed a pattern that so many have in Nadal's matches in this tournament, as he seized a break-point chance and gave himself the opportunity to serve for the set.

However, Thiem dug deep. He was able to break back and force a tiebreak, in which he was the dominant player. His shot placement and dynamism from the back of the court were causing big issues for Nadal and were the foundation for Thiem edging in front in the match.

The top seed was able to regroup at the start of the second set, with Thiem losing some rhythm on serve.

Nadal capitalised on that hesitancy and broke his opponent to go 3-2 in front. In the following game, the Spaniard was given a time violation by the umpire, to which he responded, "You don't like the good tennis." 

While Nadal consolidated in the next game to go 4-2 up, Thiem clung on. The Austrian held serve and, as was the case in the first set, the 19-time Grand Slam champion opened the door for his opponent again, with a double fault putting the match back on serve.

At 6-5, Thiem had a set point, which Nadal was able to save with a rasping forehand. The Spaniard then took the set to another tiebreak with a pinpoint backhand.

In the breaker, it was Thiem who was again on top, racing into a 4-0 lead. Even when Nadal recovered and restored parity at 4-4, the Austrian was composed and continued to play the superior tennis; he took the second of his set points and gave Nadal a mountain to climb in the match.

Nadal threw everything at his opponent in the third. Thiem showed no signs of buckling for long spells, but at the sharp end of the set, he demonstrated the first signs of edginess, and the top seed struck to take the set.

At the start of the fourth, Nadal was all over the Thiem serve, but the fifth seed showed incredible resistance again to save a couple of break points. Crucially, Thiem was then able to break himself and open up a 3-1 lead over the world No. 1.

After looking so solid on serve throughout the fourth set, Thiem got jitters when 5-4 ahead, allowing Nadal to break, force a tiebreak and seize some momentum.

In it, the Austrian could have easily lost confidence again, as he let two match points slip by. However, a brilliant passing shot on the Nadal serve set up a third chance to win the contest, and a loose forehand from the Spaniard brought an end to a thrilling battle.

Alexander Zverev progressed to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open for the first time on Monday, producing a clinical display to beat Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

In the last eight, the German will face Stanislas Wawrinka, who got the better of Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller. Top seed Rafael Nadal and home favourite Nick Kyrgios were also involved in an epic encounter on Rod Laver Arena, which the Spaniard won in four sets.

In the women's bracket, fourth seed Simona Halep continued her excellent run with a routine win over Elise Mertens, while Garbine Muguruza coasted past Kiki Bertens to continue her recent rejuvenation.

Here are some of Monday's results from the competition and the key details on where to rewatch the action from down under.

        

Australian Open - Monday Results

Men's Draw

(15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. (4) Daniil Medvedev: 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. (10) Gael Monfils: 6-2, 6-4, 6-4

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. (17) Andrey Rublev: 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

   

Women's Draw

(4) Simona Halep bt. (16) Elise Mertens: 6-4, 6-4

Garbine Muguruza bt. (9) Kiki Bertens: 6-3, 6-3

(30) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bt. (17) Angelique Kerber: 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-2

(28) Anett Kontaveit bt. Iga Swiatek: 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-5

    

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

TV Info: Eurosport 1 at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player 

     

U.S. Replay Schedule (Time ET)

TV Info: ESPN 2 at 2 p.m., Tennis Channel 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere 

    

Monday Review

While Zverev has long been one of the most talented players on the ATP circuit, he's rarely translated that ability into strong showings at the Grand Slam events.

In Australia, there have been some signs of him doing just that. Rublev was a potentially awkward opponent for the seventh seed, but Zverev was able to deal with the challenge in a professional manner and in doing so improved his previous best run at the Australian Open.

Zverev served expertly to get the better of the in-form Russian:

Alexander Zverev doesn't face a break point all match, ends Andrey Rublev's 15-matches winning streak 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to reach his 1st Grand Slam QFs outside RG, 3rd GS QFs overal at the #AusOpen 2020.

Gets Wawrinka next (leads the h2h 2-0).

Sascha is yet to drop a set (12-0). pic.twitter.com/eFuEZETxcD

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 27, 2020

Next up will be Wawrinka, as he recovered from a two sets to one deficit to get by Medvedev.

The Swiss showcased the spirit and stamina that's become his trademark throughout his career, digging deep in the fourth set to win the tiebreak and then taking the game away from the fourth seed after that.

Per The Tennis Podcast, Wawrinka seems to raise his game when pitted against some of the best young players in the world:

https://twitter.com/TennisPodcast/status/1221699570436071424

The women's bracket has been full of drama to this point, although Halep has continued to advance with authority in Melbourne.

At this stage, the Wimbledon champion appears as though she will be tough to beat, with the intensity and inventiveness she's shown throughout the tournament too much for Mertens to cope with on Monday.

Afterwards, the Romanian detailed how she will be spending her time between the matches:

"I will go to buy myself something to get motivated for the next one."

Treat yourself, @Simona_Halep 🛍️#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3Dd1S2WuEv

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2020

Alongside Halep, Muguruza is arguably the player looking the strongest in the women's bracket, as she's rediscovered the form that has led to her winning two Grand Slam titles previously.

The former Wimbledon and French Open champion endured a challenging 2019 and is unseeded for this event. However, on the evidence of her win over Bertens, Muguruza should be among the favourites for victory.  

Rafael Nadal fought his way into the quarter-finals of the 2020 Australian Open on Monday, overcoming home favourite Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) in a gruelling encounter. 

The two men shared the first two sets, before Nadal was able to edge an attritional third through a nervy tiebreak.

Nadal controlled long spells of the fourth set but spurned the chance to serve for the match, with Kyrgios doing brilliantly to cling on. The top seed got a second chance in another tiebreaker and eventually found a way past his battling opponent.

The win for Nadal means he will face fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the last eight as he goes in search of his 20th Grand Slam title overall and his first win at this event since 2009.

Before the match, Kyrgios paid tribute to basketball star Kobe Bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday: 

Paying tribute to the late great Kobe Bryant ❤️@NickKyrgios | #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XGOjf2WSXO

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2020

When the tennis got started, the home player was given raucous backing by the Melbourne crowd. However, the atmosphere didn't daunt Nadal, who was able to quickly settle into an ominous groove.

The top seed was able to conjure this magical forehand down the line early on and grab a break of serve: 

A running forehand like no other.@RafaelNadal | #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/GlQHI5H1cx

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2020

By contrast, Kyrgios was unable make a dent in his opponent's serve and was powerless to prevent the 19-time Grand Slam champion from clinching the first set.

After being comprehensively outplayed early on, it was imperative Kyrgios started the second set well. He had to dig deep to hold serve against a Nadal barrage, and that appeared to fill the Australian with confidence.

Kyrgios then broke to move 3-1 in front and behind his booming serve he was able to do enough to level things up with the second set. Eleanor Crooks of the Press Association noted that Nadal was looking a little unsettled at this stage: 

Kyrgios has really got going this set and he takes it 6-3. Not sure slow-balling Nadal will work in the long run but it seems to have unsettled him a little.

— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) January 27, 2020

In the third set, both players settled in behind their serve and there was just one break point carved out between the pair; that was for Nadal, although Kyrgios was able to hold.

It meant a tiebreak was needed to separate the players and a tense hush fell over Rod Laver Arena for it. After falling 3-1 behind in the breaker with a loose shot, the Australian took out his frustration on his racquet: 

Nadal up 3-1 in the tie-break, & Kyrgios's racquet pays the price.

Another venomous forehand from Nadal to lead 4-1. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/QrEjxs2wdl

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) January 27, 2020

Despite dropping the next point, Kyrgios managed to pull himself back into it. However, Nadal clung on and muscled his way into the lead again. George Bellshaw of Metro offered his thoughts at the end of a draining third set: 

https://twitter.com/BellshawGeorge/status/1221747712904790017

At the start of the fourth, it appeared as though that huge effort had taken something out of Kyrgios and in the third game of the set, sloppy play from the Australian allowed Nadal to secure an early break.

Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times was losing faith in Kyrgios' chances of getting back into the match: 

Kyrgios drops serve at love.

NK can't fancy his chances of winning this in five, so I'd be surprised if there are twists left to come now.#AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2020

While Kyrgios was slowly wilting, Nadal was continuing to play relentless tennis, as he manoeuvred his opponent around the court with trademark intelligence.

Backed by the Australian crowd, Kyrgios continued to cling on in his service games and forced Nadal into serving the contest out. Although that scrapping from the home player looked like it would be in vain, Nadal got some jitters with the ball in hand and allowed the Australian to get back on serve.

However, even with that impetus, Kyrgios couldn't force a fifth. In the tiebreak, Nadal was able to show more match awareness and discipline on the crucial points, ensuring he eventually finished a draining affair in four sets.

Third-round action at the 2020 Australian Open saw world No. 1 Rafael Nadal breeze into the fourth round. Nadal saw off Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets and will face Nick Kyrgios in the next round.

Home favourite Kyrgios remains in the draw after surviving a tense, five-set tilt against Russia's Karen Khachanov. Kyrgios won the first two sets, before dropping the next two in a match that needed four tiebreaks to eventually separate the players.

Nadal and Kyrgios will be joined in the next round by Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka were also among the winners in the men's bracket.

Top half of the #AusOpen 4th round looking STACKED 👀

🇪🇸 Nadal v Kyrgios 🇦🇺
🇨🇵 Monfils v Thiem 🇦🇹
🇷🇺 Medvedev v Wawrinka 🇨🇭
🇷🇺 Rublev v Zverev 🇩🇪

Who are your winners?

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 25, 2020

The women's bracket involved Simona Halep powering through. She will be joined by Garbine Muguruza, who sent fifth seed Elina Svitolina packing after a dominant, straight-sets win.

Meanwhile, world No. 2 Karolina Pliskova is out after falling to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Saturday Scores

Men's Draw

• (1) Rafael Nadal bt. Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
• (4) Daniil Medvedev bt. Alexei Popyrin: 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
• (5) Dominic Thiem bt. (29) Taylor Fritz: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4
• (7) Alexander Zverev bt. Fernando Verdasco: 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
• (10) Gael Monfils bt. Ernests Gulbis: 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-3
• (15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. (19) John Isner: 6-4, 4-1 (ret.)
• (17) Andrey Rublev bt. (11) David Goffin: 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4)
• (23) Nick Kyrgios bt. Karen Khachanov: 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (6), 6-7 (7), 7-6 (8)

     

Women's Draw

• (30) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bt. (2) Karolina Pliskova: 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3)
• (4) Simona Halep bt. Yulia Putintseva: 6-1, 6-4
• Garbine Muguruza bt. (5) Elina Svitolina: 6-1, 6-2
• (28) Anett Kontaveit bt. (6) Belinda Bencic: 6-0, 6-1
• (9) Kiki Bertens bt. Zarina Diyas: 6-2, 7-6 (3)
• (16) Elise Mertens bt. CiCi Bellis: 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0
• (17) Angelique Kerber bt. Camila Giorgi: 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3
• Iga Swiatek bt. (19) Donna Vekic: 7-5, 6-3

Nadal was in no mood to buckle against a capable Carreno Busta. The 33-year-old broke down every aspect of his younger opponent's game with systematic precision.

Nadal's defensive game was on point, while he didn't let winners pass him by whenever he went on the attack. Ultimately, Carreno Busta had no answer for Nadal's mix of efficiency and technique.

In the process, Nadal moved into some select company when it comes to making progress in Melbourne:

.@RafaelNadal is tied for 2nd place with 13 Round of 16 appearances @AustralianOpen:@rogerfederer 18@DjokerNole 13#Nadal 13@tomasberdych 11
Stefan Edberg 11

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 25, 2020

Even so, Nadal will know not to take an opponent as gifted as the mercurial Kyrgios lightly. The latter won't be dominated on home court, despite being pushed to his limit by Khachanov.

There was a certain sad irony when an instant classic was brought to an end by an uncharacteristic error from the Russian:

SCENES IN MELBOURNE!@NickKyrgios | #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/EZwT4Gldim

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 25, 2020

It was still enough for Kyrgios to catch his breath and begin letting the scale of his efforts sink in:

Exhausted yet ecstatic.@NickKyrgios | #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/i9K7l0G466

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 25, 2020

Facing Nadal looks like dubious reward for Kyrgios. Yet he can feel confident thanks to notable recent experience beating Nadal on this surface:

The last time Nadal & Kyrgios met on a hard court, it was an instant classic...#AusOpen https://t.co/uUcif88DpO

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 25, 2020

Medvedev was close to mistake-free against Alexei Popyrin. The latter landed some big serves, booming eight aces, but Medvedev converted five of eight break points and won 15 of 16 points at the net, per the tournament's official website.

What stood out most from the numbers was the 19 unforced errors Medvedev made, compared with the 44 his opponent was guilty of. Forcing Medvedev out of his comfort zone will be a daunting challenge, but Wawrinka is skilled enough to do it.

While Nadal is turning on the style in the men's bracket, Halep is playing like she is in a different class in the women's draw. She hit twice as many winners, 26, as Yulia Putintseva, while also hitting three aces.

Elise Mertens will be a tough opponent in the last 16, but Halep is in the kind of form to suggest she's ready to take full advantage of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka both slipping to early exits.

Muguruza is another player capable of taking advantage. The Spaniard barely took a wrong step when dropping just three games against an overwhelmed Svitolina:

Vintage performance from Garbiñe Muguruza. The former No.1 strikes 31 winners to just 9 unforced errors to defeat No.5 seed Elina Svitolina 61 62.

Statement made. #AusOpen

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 25, 2020

While she impressed, Muguruza will need to be just as efficient if she's going to halt Kiki Bertens' momentum in the next round. Bertens is buoyant after hitting a career-best mark thanks to her win over Zarina Diyas.

With Pliskova joining Williams and Osaka as high-profile players no longer involved, the women's draw is set to spring several more surprises before a new champion is crowned.

Rafael Nadal, the top seed in the men's draw at the 2020 Australian Open, is into Round 4 following a comfortable win over Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday.

Seventh seed Alexander Zverev is also through, with the German winning in straight sets against Fernando Verdasco.

In the women's bracket there were more big surprises. Second seed Karolina Pliskova and sixth seed Belinda Bencic were dumped out by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Anett Kontaveit, respectively. Later in the day, fifth seed Elina Svitolina also lost, with Garbine Muguruza racing past her in straight sets.

Fourth seed Simona Halep did progress, though. As did 2016 champion Angelique Kerber.

Here are the latest results from Saturday's clashes in Melbourne and the key information on where to catch the action again.

              

Australian Open - Saturday Results

Men's Draw

(1) Rafael Nadal bt. Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-1, 6-2, 6-4

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. (29) Taylor Fritz: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. Fernando Verdasco: 6-2, 6-2, 6-4

(10) Gael Monfils bt. Ernests Gulbis: 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-3

(15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. (19) John Isner: 6-4, 4-1 (ret.)

(17) Andrey Rublev bt. (11) David Goffin: 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4)

          

Women's Draw

(30) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bt. (2) Karolina Pliskova: 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3)

(4) Simona Halep bt. Yulia Putintseva: 6-1, 6-4

Garbine Muguruza bt. (5) Elina Svitolina: 6-1, 6-2

(28) Anett Kontaveit bt. (6) Belinda Bencic: 6-0, 6-1

(16) Elise Mertens bt. Cici Bellis: 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0

(17) Angelique Kerber bt. Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3

          

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

TV Info: Eurosport 1 at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player 

        

U.S. Replay Schedule (Time ET)

TV Info: ESPN 2 at 2 p.m., Tennis Channel 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere 

                    

Saturday Recap

For Nadal, it was clear from the off there were going to be no major problems against Carreno Busta, quickly finding his range with his forehand.

After taking the opening set 6-1, the 19-time Grand Slam champion coasted through the rest of match with ease, keeping up his perfect start to the tournament in Melbourne.

Per Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated, the Spaniard has appeared serene in Australia:

Nadal is Nadal-ing....up 6-1, 5-2....one meh 7-6 set against Delbonis. Otherwise a virtually flawless week one

— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) January 25, 2020

Zverev will be pleased with the manner in which he's performed too, with no sets dropped in any of his first three matches. The fourth round is the furthest he has ever progressed at this event, although you suspect he will want to go a lot further.

Per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times, both Zverev and his upcoming opponent, Andrey Rublev, are in fine form:

#7 Sascha Zverev is into the second week of a Slam without dropping a set for the first time since Wimbledon 2017.

He's got a tough one next against Andrey Rublev, who is on a 15-match win streak. #AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 25, 2020

Meanwhile, Pliskova's wait for a first Grand Slam goes on after her shock elimination by Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday.

The second seed played well in spells, although she was outdone by her fellow Czech on the big points, with two tiebreaks needed to separate the players. The Guardian's Tumaini Carayol commented on the problems Pliskova has at high-profile tournaments:

https://twitter.com/tumcarayol/status/1220901099844067329

Svitolina will also have to wait for her maiden Grand Slam, as she was hammered by former French Open and Wimbledon champion Muguruza.

Per WTA Insider, after a difficult 2019, the Spaniard has shown signs of being back to her best at the start of this season:

Vintage performance from Garbiñe Muguruza. The former No.1 strikes 31 winners to just 9 unforced errors to defeat No.5 seed Elina Svitolina 61 62.

Statement made. #AusOpen

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 25, 2020

It was a day to forget for Bencic too, with the Swiss a long way short of her usual levels in a heavy loss to Kontaveit.

With a number of big-name players out, Halep will be increasingly confident of her chances, especially given the swagger with which she is operating. Putintseva was powerless to prevent the Romanian racing into the fourth round.

Rafael Nadal is safely through to the fourth round of the 2020 Australian Open after a routine win over Spanish compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday.

The top seed found his groove early in the contest and was able to coast to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory at the Rod Laver Arena.

He will face Nick Kyrgios in the next round, who overcame Karen Khachanov in a five-set epic later in the day. 

There was no easy passage for Karolina Pliskova, though, as the second seed in the women's draw was upset in straight sets by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Sixth seed Belinda Bencic was also eliminated, winning just one game against Anett Kontaveit.

Elsewhere, there was a win for Dominic Thiem, with the fifth seed able to overcome Taylor Fritz in four sets, while Daniil Medvedev progressed at the expense of Alexei Popyrin.

Read on for standout early results in Melbourne and a recap of some of the day's best moments.

   

Australian Open - Saturday Results

Men's Draw

(1) Rafael Nadal bt. Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-1, 6-2, 6-4

(4) Daniil Medvedev bt. Alexei Popyrin: 6-4, 6-3, 6-2

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. (29) Taylor Fritz: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. Fernando Verdasco: 6-2, 6-2, 6-4

(10) Gael Monfils bt. Ernests Gulbis: 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-3

(15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. (19) John Isner: 6-4, 4-1 (ret.)

(17) Andrey Rublev bt. (11) David Goffin: 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4)

(23) Nick Kyrgios bt. Karen Khachanov: 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (6), 6-7 (7), 7-6 (8)

     

Women's Draw

(30) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bt. (2) Karolina Pliskova: 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3)

(4) Simona Halep bt. Yulia Putintseva: 6-1, 6-4

Garbine Muguruza bt. (5) Elina Svitolina: 6-1, 6-2

(28) Anett Kontaveit bt. (6) Belinda Bencic: 6-0, 6-1

(9) Kiki Bertens bt. Zarina Dyas: 6-2, 7-6 (3)

(16) Elise Mertens bt. Cici Bellis: 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-0

(17) Angelique Kerber bt. Camila Giorgi: 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3

Iga Swiatek bt. (19) Donna Vekic: 7-5, 6-3

     

Saturday Recap

There have been few issues for Nadal down under, and he continued his excellent start to the competition with a high-class performance on Saturday.

From the first set, it was clear this was going to be an uphill task for Carreno Busta, with Nadal's forehand quickly dictating the majority of points. After taking just one game in the opening set, the underdog was always unlikely to find a way back.

Per the ATP Media Info Twitter account, Nadal is making a habit of getting through the first week of the competition with minimal fuss:

[1] @RafaelNadal advances to 4R @AustralianOpen for 13th time in 15 appearances with 6-1 6-2 6-4 win over [27] Carreno Busta. #Nadal hit 42 winners (7 unf. errors), broke 5 times and never faced break point.

Third straight year #Nadal has not lost a set (9-0) going into 4R.

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 25, 2020

After his win, Nadal detailed how he spent the previous night watching Roger Federer's epic win over John Millman:

"Federer is Federer" 🍽️ x 🎾@RafaelNadal said he spent Friday night in, with room service & Federer vs Millman on the 📺.

Sounds like he didn't miss a beat!#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/HrGQDJsNkw

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2020

Kyrgios is next up for Nadal, after he overcame Khachanov in an epic encounter. After winning the first two sets, the former was pegged back by his gallant opponent, setting up a deciding stanza.

In it, Kyrgios eventually had too much for his opponent, getting over the line in a tiebreak. David Law of BBC Radio 5 Live praised both players after four-and-a-half hours of pulsating tennis:

https://twitter.com/DavidLawTennis/status/1221053224762904576

Following on from a day of shocks on Friday, there were more surprises on Saturday in the women's draw, with Pliskova's hopes being dashed.

She was involved in two tight sets against Pavlyuchenkova, with a tiebreak needed to decide each of them. Pliskova was unable to play to her best at the crunch point in either stanza, though, meaning her wait for Grand Slam glory goes on.

Per WTA Insider, the second seed was in despondent mood afterward:

As disappointed as No.2 Karolina Pliskova has looked after a Slam exit. Said it was the best Pavlyuchenkova has played against her, but felt off even in her warm-up. Said she thinks she struggles at Slams b/c of the 2-week format. Has to find a way to solve it. #AusOpen

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 25, 2020

Bencic was also eliminated, with the Swiss a long way below her best in the defeat to Kontaveit, who was the dominant force throughout the contest.

The 2016 champion Angelique Kerber is through, with the German able to hold off Camila Giorgi in three sets. Fourth seed Simona Halep continues to look imperious, too, breezing past Yulia Putintseva.

Top seed Rafael Nadal marched into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday, beating Federico Delbonis 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Nadal was able to assert his quality on the match quickly and was rarely troubled by his opponent in a professional display. Next up for the Spaniard will be a meeting with his compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta.

Earlier in the day, there was a routine win for fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, as he came through in straight sets against Pedro Martinez. Dominic Thiem was forced to come from behind against home favourite Alex Bolt, with the Austrian eventually winning a five-set thriller.

In the women's bracket, second seed Karolina Pliskova was a routine winner, as was two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep.

Here are some of the standout results from Melbourne and a recap of what was another entertaining day at the Australian Open.

      

Australian Open 2020 - Selected Wednesday Results

Men's Draw

(1) Rafael Nadal bt. Federico Delbonis: 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-1

(4) Daniil Medvedev bt. Pedro Martinez: 7-5, 6-1, 6-3

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. Alex Bolt: 6-2, 5-7, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. Egor Gerasimov: 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-5

(10) Gael Monfils bt. Ivo Karlovic: 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4, 7-5

    

Women's Draw

(2) Karolina Pliskova bt. Laura Siegemund: 6-3, 6-3

(4) Simona Halep bt. Harriet Dart: 6-2, 6-4

(6) Belinda Bencic bt. Jelena Ostapenko: 7-5, 7-5

(9) Kiki Bertens bt. Arina Rodionova: 6-3, 7-5

   

For the results in full, visit the Australian Open website.

    

Thursday Recap

Nadal started his match against Delbonis in a supreme groove and raced through the opening set after taking a solitary break.

In the second set, the top seed let a number of break points slip by and that offered some initiative to his opponent, who pushed the Spaniard to a tiebreak. 

While Nadal did eventually come through the breaker, Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times picked up on his break-point profligacy:

Nadal is 1/18 on break points tonight.

When they'd talked about him trying to equal Federer here, I didn't realize that was what they meant. #AusOpen

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 23, 2020

He finally grabbed a second at the start of the final set and took full control of proceedings, with Delbonis unable to live with the power and precision of the 19-time Grand Slam winner.

There was also a moment late in the match when Nadal comforted a ball girl, as his return struck her in the head, per Jose Morgado of Record:

Nadal hits a ball girl and kisses her owwwwwww pic.twitter.com/OlvZyeCLOx

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 23, 2020

Meanwhile, Medvedev looks like he's going to be a serious challenger for the title this year, with Martinez unable to contain him over the course of three sets. After getting a taste of a Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open last year, the Russian has the quality and experience to go far.

The tournament nearly came to a premature end for Thiem, as he battled against a determined Bolt and the Australian crowd to emerge on the right side of a five-set epic.

Afterward, the fifth seed said he enjoyed playing in front of what was a lively Melbourne crowd:

"I really love to play in a great atmosphere."

That's Melbourne for ya, @ThiemDomi! #AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ZzvlpszR92

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2020

Nick Kyrgios always provides thrills, too, whether that be with his tennis or his antics in between points.

The Australian faced a potentially difficult clash with Gilles Simon and eventually outlasted his opponent over four sets. 

Per Wide World of Sports, there was a good spirit between the two men, as they were each administered with time violations:

Kyrgios and Simon give their best Nadal impersonations when given their respective time violations. 😂

They seem pretty spot on!

Watch: @Channel9
Stream: https://t.co/YVc8u4pCVY#9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/MAoYHE8iXP

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 23, 2020

As Eleanor Crooks of the Press Association relayed, Kyrgios appears to be dialled in on his tennis:

Nick Kyrgios admits he could have gone "to a very dark place" in the 4th set having been in control against Gilles Simon but he pulls it out. No doubting how much he cares about tennis right now.

— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) January 23, 2020

If he continues to win, then there's potential for what would be a fascinating meeting with Nadal in Round 4.

Elsewhere, there were no major surprises in the women's draw, as Pliskova was a confident winner over Laura Siegemund. The second seed is chasing her first Grand Slam title, and the early signs are that she is in the kind of form needed to win this competition.

Halep will be tough to get the better of in Australia, though, as she looks to add to her two major successes. She showed her class to overcome Harriet Dart, who pushed the Romanian hard in the final set.

Rafael Nadal will feature in the second round of the Australian Open for the 14th time in 15 appearances at the tournament after he routed Hugo Dellien 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday. 

Among the seeded stars to join him in the second round were Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem. Fourth seed Medvedev beat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and has now made the second round in each of his last three runs at the Australian Open, while fifth seed Thiem thrashed Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Like that duo, Alexander Zverev is still waiting on his maiden major and will continue his search at the Australian Open having defeated Marco Cecchinato 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to advance.

Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep led the charge of top women's seeds who also progressed to the second round, notching victories over respective opponents Kristina Mladenovic and Jennifer Brady on Day 2.

Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic—seeded fifth and sixth, respectively—knocked Katie Boulter and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova out of the running as they progressed with a pair of straight-sets victories.

American star Madison Keys reached the second round of the Australian Open for a seventh time following her 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Daria Kasatkina, who fell at the first hurdle for a third time in Melbourne.

        

Tuesday's Key Results

Men's Singles

(1) Rafael Nadal bt. Hugo Dellien: 6-2, 6-3, 6-0

(4) Daniil Medvedev bt. Frances Tiafoe: 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. Adrian Mannarino: 6-3, 7-5, 6-2

(7) Alexander Zverev bt. Marco Cecchinato: 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3

(12) Fabio Fognini bt. 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5)

(15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. Damir Dzumhur: 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4

(23) Nick Kyrgios bt. Lorenzo Sonego: 6-2, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (1)

(24) Dusan Lajovic bt. Kyle Edmund: 7-6 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (4)

(27) Pablo Carreno-Busta bt. Jozef Kovalik: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2)

Alexei Popyrin bt. (28) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1, 0-0 (retired)

Ernests Gulbis bt. (20) Felix Auger-Aliassime: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4

      

Women's Singles

(2) Karolina Pliskova bt. Kristina Mladenovic: 6-1, 7-5

(4) Simona Halep bt. Jennifer Brady: 7-6 (5), 6-1

(5) Elina Svitolina bt. Katie Boulter: 6-4, 7-5

(6) Belinda Bencic bt. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova: 6-3, 7-5

(9) Kiki Bertens bt. Irina-Camelia Begu: 6-1, 6-4

(10) Madison Keys bt. Daria Kasatkina: 6-3, 6-1

(17) Angelique Kerber bt. Elisabetta Cocciaretto: 6-2, 6-2

(19) Donna Vekic bt. Maria Sharapova: 6-3, 6-4

(26) Danielle Collins bt. Vitalia Diatechenko: 6-1, 3-6, 6-4

Ons Jabeur bt. (12) Johanna Konta: 6-4, 6-2

Zarina Diyas bt. (21) Amanda Anisimova: 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Ajla Tomljanovic bt. (31) Anastasija Sevastova: 6-1, 6-1

Visit the Australian Open website to see the results in full.

         

Recap

Nadal looked increasingly confident en route to his opening-round win at the Rod Laver Arena and fittingly sealed his victory with a bagel to end Dellien's hopes of an upset, via Nine News Melbourne:

On a day of blow-ups, upsets and drama, World Number 1 Rafael Nadal has calmly made his way into the second round. @AyrtonWoolley #9News pic.twitter.com/VrL92lRxpE

— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) January 21, 2020

The Spaniard is seeking his 20th career Grand Slam in Melbourne but hasn't won the title here since 2009, his longest title drought in any of the four majors.

While one of the sport's most revered veterans sauntered to victory, the younger Medvedev, Thiem and Zverev also joined him in the second round with wins of their own.

Fourth seed Medvedev was challenged in an awkward meeting opposite American Tiafoe, while Thiem and Zverev looked more at ease clinching straight-sets wins.

Zverev's serve has been a particular concern of late, but both he and German compatriot Angelique Kerber showed composure clinching a pair of clean wins, per Live Tennis:

"Gut Gemacht!"

Germany 2-0 Italy!

Alexander #Zverev takes down Marco #Cecchinato 6-4 7-6 6-3 just as Angelique #Kerber completes a 6-2 6-2 victory over Elisabetta #Cocciaretto! pic.twitter.com/ZHdCSg3Sin

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) January 21, 2020

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired when he was 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1 down to Australia's Alexei Popyrin, while Italy's Fabio Fognini looked to be on the verge of his own first-round exit to Reilly Opelka.

Fognini rallied from two sets down to beat Opelka 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5) and complete a rare Slam of his own, per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times:

Fabio Fognini = King of Comebacks (also unnecessary deficits).

He's completed the #SlingshotSlam, coming back from two sets down at:#AusOpen: 2020 Opelka
French Open 2010 Monfils
Wimbledon: 2010 Russell; 2014 Kuznetsov
US Open: 2012 Roger-Vasselin; 2015 Nadal; 2016 Gabashvili

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 21, 2020

Stanislas Wawrinka's 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4 win over Damir Dzumhur extended his Australian Open first-round record, which is superior to even Nadal's:

[15] @stanwawrinka hit 21 aces and 57 winners overall in his 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 win over Dzumhur @AustralianOpen. Wawrinka converted 3 of 7 break pts and saved both break pts. faced.

Wawrinka is 15-0 in #AusOpen 1R matches.

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 21, 2020

Pliskova made relatively light work of Mladenovic and advanced following her 6-1, 7-5 triumph, with the second seed facing Germany's Laura Siegemund in the next round.

Fourth seed Halep looked set for a first-round upset opposite Brady, and AFP's Reem Abulleil described the extent of her 7-6 (5), 6-1 comeback win after a testing first set:

Such high level from both Brady and Halep, who stole the set somehow after twice trailing by a break, 7-6(5) in 69 minutes.

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) January 21, 2020

She'll next face Harriet Dart, who recovered from a slow start to edge Misaki Doi 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) to ensure at least one female Briton will line up in the next phase:

Compatriots Johanna Konta (No. 12 seed) and Boulter each fell out of the women's singles on Tuesday, while Heather Watson is set to face Kristyna Pliskova in her first-round matchup.

Rafael Nadal made a triumphant debut at the 2020 Australian Open on Tuesday, steamrolling his way into the second round following a 6-2, 6-3, 6-0 victory over tournament newcomer Hugo Dellien.

The 2009 Australian Open champion showcased his best tennis in a one-sided third set, and Nadal will face either Joao Sousa or Federico Delbonis in the next stage of the contest.

Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem—seeded fourth and fifth, respectively—also advanced with wins against Frances Tiafoe and Adrian Mannarino. Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (1) to progress after he was knocked out in the first round of last year's Australian Open.

Karolina Pliskova beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 7-5, with the Czech star hoping to reach at least the quarter-finals of this tournament for a third year running. Fourth seed Simona Halep had a more difficult job defeating Jennifer Brady, but the 2018 runner-up edged her American opponent 7-6 (5), 6-1.

       

Tuesday's Key Results

Men's Singles

(1) Rafael Nadal bt. Hugo Dellien: 6-2, 6-3, 6-0

(4) Daniil Medvedev bt. Frances Tiafoe: 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

(5) Dominic Thiem bt. Adrian Mannarino: 6-3, 7-5, 6-2

(12) Fabio Fognini bt. Reilly Opelka 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5)

(15) Stanislas Wawrinka bt. Damir Dzumhur: 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4

(23) Nick Kyrgios bt. Lorenzo Sonego: 6-2, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (1)

(27) Pablo Carreno Busta bt. Jozef Kovalik: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2)

Alexei Popyrin bt. (28) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1, 0-0 (retired)

Ernests Gulbis bt. (20) Felix Auger-Aliassime: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4

      

Women's Singles

(2) Karolina Pliskova bt. Kristina Mladenovic: 6-1, 7-5

(4) Simona Halep bt. Jennifer Brady: 7-6 (5), 6-1

(5) Elina Svitolina bt. Katie Boulter: 6-4, 7-5

(6) Belinda Bencic bt. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova: 6-3, 7-5

(9) Kiki Bertens bt. Irina-Camelia Begu: 6-1, 6-4

(10) Madison Keys bt. Daria Kasatkina: 6-3, 6-1

Ons Jabeur bt. (12) Johanna Konta: 6-4, 6-2

Zarina Diyas bt. (21) Amanda Anisimova: 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

Ajla Tomljanovic bt. (31) Anastasija Sevastova: 6-1, 6-1

      

UK Replay Schedule (Time GMT)

Eurosport 1 at 3:27 p.m., 6:07 p.m., 9:36 p.m. and 10:35 p.m.

Eurosport 2 at 1:59 p.m., 4:01 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 6:59 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)

      

U.S. Replay Schedule (Time ET)

ESPN 2 at 8 a.m.

Tennis Channel at 10 p.m.

Live Stream: Tennis Channel Everywhere (U.S.)

      

Nadal made light work of Bolivia's Dellien and will continue his quest for a third Australian Open final in four years, still hoping to win his first major title in Melbourne in more than a decade.

The Spaniard's serving, in particular, improved as the match progressed—three of his five aces came in the third set—while the longer baseline rallies appeared to weigh more heavily on Dellien over time.

Nadal's only first-round exit at the Australian Open came at the hands of countryman Fernando Verdasco in 2016, and the ATP summarised a dominant display from the top seed:

World No. 1 @RafaelNadal improved to 14-1 in 1R #AusOpen matches with a 6-2 6-3 6-0 win over Dellien. #Nadal hit 38 winners and broke 8 times.#Nadal is 57-2 overall in 1R #GrandSlam matches.

— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) January 21, 2020

He'll face the winner of Sousa and Delbonis in the next round, and Nadal isn't looking beyond that, per the official ATP Tour website: "I think about my practice tomorrow, try to follow up the level of tennis that I played in the third set. That should be my main goal today, no? I need to play at my highest level if I want to keep going in the tournament."

Medvedev was always expected to have a tricky opening clash with Tiafoe, who offered some resistance but ultimately fell 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to the Russian.

Former world No. 29 Tiafoe made his first (and to date, only) Grand Slam quarter-final appearance at the 2019 Australian Open.

Despite the timing of their match, Medvedev was in great form:

.@DaniilMedwed: Spoiling the (Frances Tiafoe's birthday) party since #AO2020 🎂#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Cuic6z9iCP

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2020

Thiem booked a straight-sets win of his own after defeating Mannarino 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, his eighth successive career win against the Frenchman without a reply.

The Austrian is certain to see the level of competition significantly increase in the matches to come, but Thiem's opening matchup showed a lot of promise, per tennis writer Jose Morgado:

Apart from 15 minutes in the middle of the 2nd set, it's been a great 1st round for Thiem.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 21, 2020

Kyrgios showed great focus to win two tiebreak sets en route to his straight-sets win against Sonego, who came off second-best in the clutch moments and suffered the only breaks of the match (two).

Australian Kyrgios was given more motivation to succeed in this tournament after seven-time major winner John McEnroe gave him a charity-based incentive, per Metro's George Bellshaw:

https://twitter.com/BellshawGeorge/status/1219578152374145024

Pliskova looked similarly untroubled in her matchup with Mladenovic, who also fell in straight sets and has now failed to advance past the first round of the past four Australian Opens.

Mladenovic recorded seven double faults and won just a single break point from seven opportunities, per the official Australian Open website, as her poor streak in Melbourne continued.

Elsewhere, Madison Keys required less than one hour to best Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1, per the New York Times' Ben Rothenberg:

#10 Madison Keys routs Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1 to reach #AusOpen R2.

Keys now 7-0 against Kasatkina, who has fallen off considerably after coming here a year ago as a Top 10er.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 21, 2020

Halep encountered more resistance in her meeting with Brady but pulled through to secure a 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory, an early test that could prove valuable as her tournament progresses. 

The Romanian looked troubled in a particularly tense opener and had to save three set points, though she looked closer to her usual best with a run of four successive games to round out the match. World No. 3 Halep will face Briton Harriet Dart after she defeated Japan's Misaki Doi.