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In comms, they’re wondering why Michelsen, who explained pre-match that he’s left-hand dominant but plays righty, hence his devastating backhand, didn’t just play lefty given the advantage it confers. They conclude that when he took up the game as an infant, it probably wasn’t on anyone’s mind that one day he’d be doing what he’s now doing. Anyroad, De Minaur holds under pressure, so Michelsen will now serve to stay in set two at 0-6 3-5.
I’ve just checked out tomrorow’s night session! Yes, I know i was only recently pontificating about staying in the moment, but we begin with Sabalenka v Pavlyuchenkova – if I’m honest, I was starting to whinge about my preference for Gauff v Badosa – and then I saw it’ll be followed by Djokovic v Alcaraz. We’d’ve took it.
Michelsen rushes through a love-hold, and though De Minaur leads by a set and a break, he’s under a little bit of pressure now at 6-0 4-3.
In Sydney, England are in trouble again.
Another long rally forces De Minaur to find a winner for deuce, then Michelsen misses the line by a fraction and larrups a forehand long. Demon leads 6-0 4-2, but he’s in a match now, the bellow with which he greets his hold evidencing the change in circumstances.
Michselsen is playing pretty nicely now, a terrific point turned with a backhand and finished with a volley; it gives him 30-all, then his forehand takes over the next point and that’s 30-40. The American has a bigger game than the Aussie and now he’s cut out the unforced errors that pockmarked the early stages, this is a proper match.
De Minaur is just too good and too consistent for Michelsen – no small achievement given the youngster has beaten both Tsitsipas and Khachanov to reach this point. But the American saves two break point in holding for 0-6 2-3. He’ll feel like he’s in the match now, but can he make an impression on the return?
Oh, but as my mouse dies, Michelsen holds to get on the board and at least avert the embarrassment of another bagel at 0-6 1-2. If Stefan Edberg’s 6-0 6-0 6-0 win over Stefan Eriksson at Wimbledon 1987 was on YouTube, I’d embed it here, but it isn’t.
Back to The Demon, he’s giving Michelsen a proper sonning off, leading 6-0 2-0.
The old security guard at my daughter’s school used to sing this when he saw me coming; apparently I swagger like the Bee Gees in this video, and I can’t believe I’m admitting to that. I guess it’s not quite as bad as David Davis MP, famously described as “a man who can even swagger sitting down.”
Navarro, wrapped in a towel, explains that they played “that song, Staying Alive,” at 5-4 in the third, and it seemed appropriate – this whole tournament, she’s been staying alive.
Prior to today, she’d been on court twice as long as her opponent, and says that the longer she plays, the more she finds her form. It’s awesome to have the crowd cheering them on and she appreciates people staying out to watch long sets.
She then thanks her coach, Peter Ayres, who never says anything negative, and that’s her third grand slam quarter in a row. She’s a very, very fine player now, and though it’s hard to see her beating Swiatek, her tenacity gives her a chance.
Emma Navarro (8) beats Daria Kasatkina (9) 6-4 5-7 7-5
A booming return sets up the winning overhead and ends a brutal epic of a match, Navarro wins a fourth three-setter and claps her opponent off the court. Now, she must somehow recover to face Iga Swiatek, who was in and out in 59 minutes – versus 2 hours 40 minutes in this match.
From 30-0, Navarro makes 30-all, and another error from Kasatkina means she must face a fourth match point over an hour after her last…
I’m tired just watching Navarro and Kasatkina – this is seriously impressive behaviour – and, during another cruel, vicious rally, at 27 shots the longest in the match, the American finds a devastating backhand winner to save herself, then another on the forehand! The intensity here, and Navarro doesn’t even have the energy to celebrate, nor when a return goes long! Like a snake in the winter, she’s conserving energy to strike, and at 5-6 in the third, Kasatkina will shortly serve to stay in the competition.
Navarro does really well to save the break point, only to immediately hand over another; De Minaur breaks Michelsen a third time for 5-0 in the first.
Kasatkina now looks the stronger player and makes 15-30, but Navarro outlasts her in the next rally, slice deployed to maximum effect; fancy bending those knees? No, thought not. But then up game point, the American, at the net, hits to the occupied corner and is summarily passed, then an error means she’s down break point. Huge moment in the match…
Out of nowhere, two straightforward holds mean Navarro and Kasatkina are 5-5 in the third while, on Laver, De Minaur is now up a double-break against Michelsen at 3-0, consolidating to 30 as I type for 4-0.
…and this time, Kasatkina converts! She rests on a courtside clock and we’re level at 4-4 in the third; De Minaur now leads Michelsen 2-0
An error from Kasatkina means yet another break point and this time, Navarro steps in. But the forehand she disburses isn’t quite big enough, the Russian hanging in the point for the error, only to make advantage and err herself. At 4-3 in the third, we go to deuce number nine…
Again, Navarro earns but can’t convert break point, this time going for a winner herself and missing; she’s 8/22 in the match, ridiculous. But as I type, she moves beautifully on to a short ball, painting a fantastic forehand winner down the line. But again, she can’t convert – unlike De Minaur, who breaks Michelsen to 30 in game one.
Oh wow, Kasatkina doubles, then muscles a forehand winner on to the sideline and back to deuce we go. But another fine return from Navarro is too good … for all the good it does her, a pace-off T-serve opening the court for a backhand winner on to the sideline. Kasatkina is giving the big points everything.
Down 40-30, Navarro defends superbly – she’s in terrific shape, especially given three three-setters to reach this stage – before punishing a forehand winner down the line. But when Kasatkina goes long, she can only do likewise, burning break point for deuce. No matter, an inside-out backhand return, cross-court on to the sideline, hands her another go … and this time, she narrowly misses. Deuce again while, on Laver, Michelsen serves in game one.
Obviously Navarro has broken Kasatkina back for 3-3 then holds to 15, and this is such a good match. I fancy the American if it finishes without a breaker, the Russian if it needs one, as the former is more consistent while the latter has the bigger shots.
So what do we know about Michelsen? “If you never saw him play tennis he’s all the main male characters in Superbad rolled into one,” advises Coach Calv. “He’s a complete dufus. A nice kid though, and he hits a clean as [redacted] tennis ball.”
Alex Michelsen is on the surge and has been hitting with his now great mate, Learner Tien, who lost to Sonego earlier today. What a few days it’s been for them! Anyone else get up to similar with their pals when they were 19/20?
Back on Cain, Navarro serves at 1-1 2-2 40-40 … and Kasatkina dismisses her second delivery, clouting a forehand on to the line for a winner. And the American then goes long, ceding a second break in a row! Kasatkina leads 3-2 in the decider!
Next on Laver: Alex Michelsen v Alex de Minaur (8). Oooh yeah!
Swiatek says she’s just played her first night session and she’s happy to have played on Laver with such a great atmosphere. Asked how she can still improve she notes that she’s just …. 23 (it takes her a while to work it out) and isn’t yet at her peak.
She’s glad she’s able to player her game and it’s good having the fresh blood of Wim Fisette in her team, but everyone is working well together. She then thanks the Polish fans and everyone else before taking her leave. She seems in a really good place.
Iga Swiatek (2) beats Eva Lys (LL) 6-0 6-1
A merciless dismissal, but what an effort from Lys, making round four as a lucky loser. Swiatek, though, moves on to meet Navarro or Kasatkina and, fun though their contest is, it’s hard to see either troubling the Pole who is far more consistent than both.
Lovely hitting from Kasatkina eventually breaks Navarro’s scurrying resistance and raises break point, then a forehand into the net secures the riposte. Navarro leads 2-1 in the third, and I’ve not a clue who’s going to win this. The American is more solid, the Russian more aggressive.
Now it’s Kasatkina who must save break points, an inside-out forehand winner accounting for the first. But then she bangs one just long, and Navarro leads 2-0 in the third. This match, though, hasn’t been short of breaks, so this next game is huge.
On Laver, Lys has a game and it’s a break too, so she now trails Swiatek 0-6 1-4, while Navarro secures a heavily contested hold for 1-0 in the third against Kasatkina.
Something I don’t get: the desire to “make memories”. Enjoy the moment, people, not the thought of remembering something you didn’t fully appreciate at the time. Life is the present, not the past or the future.
I’ve been saving Shelton’s post-match interview for a quieter moment, so let’s do it. The interviewer tells him that Monfils is “almost your dad”; “Is that a black joke?” comes back the response.
Laughing, Shelton says he’s been watching Monfils, who has “the greatest highlight reel of all time”, since he was a little kid, and we saw some of his best work today. He hopes to still be walking without crutches at 38 and to play as he did today, entertaining everyone, is amazing, and he hopes to be able to create some memories like that with his family when he’s that age.
He knew Monfils had played a lot of tennis so wanted to make the match as physical as possible, but his opponent was serving so well and making him uncomfortable on court.
Shelton is doing well in the majors now and asked why, he explains it’s a physical and mental test coming down to who wants it more and he always backs himself when it comes to that. Over five sets it feels like you’ve got all the time in the world and he’s pretty fit so it’s working for him.
Navarro quickly makes 0-15 and then Kasatkina, who hit so freely a few moments ago, goes long for 0-30. But it’s soon 40-30 and set point, a T-serve follows, and though the Russian then makes herself a target at the net, Navarro wipes a forehand wide and will once more need to play a third set if she’s to progress! This is a belting match, level at a set apiece.
Swiatek breaks Lys at the first time of asking in set two and this is borderline cruelty; she leads 6-0 2-0, while Kasatkina has broken Navarro for -6 6-5 and will now serve to earn a decider! This is really good match that merits a third set, and I say that with no self-interest in my own entertainment whatsoever.
A fine forehand makes advantage for Kasatkina and then Navarro nets; a monstrous hold for the Russian, while the American might regret not going for more when up match point. She leads 6-4 5-5.
…but Kasatkina invents a lovely angle on the forehand, opening the court before finishing into the opposite corner. No sooner have I typed, though, then she must go again, this time saving herself with a big backhand and wel despatched overhead.
Kasatkina nets a forehand, and at advantage, Navarro has another match point…
On Cain, Navarro – up 6-4 5-4 – leathers a leaping backhand winner to make 30-all on the Kasatkina serve, and moves two points away from victory. And though the Russian then does really well to set up and execute an overhead, two further stunning passes mean she’s match-point down; a netted forehand return saves it for her.
Ben Shelton (21) beats Gaël Monfils 7-6(3) 6-7(3) 7-6(2) 1-0 retired
It had to happen. Monfils has done an incredible job, beating Mpetshi Perricard, Altmaier and Fritz– this was a great contest until injury intervened – but no mas. He and Shelton share a lovely moment at the net – will we see him again here? Let’s hope so – but it’s the American who moves on to beat Lorenzo Sonego in the last eight, in what’s a colossal opportunity for both.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, probably not even Daria Kasatkina, Navarro soon makes 15-40, then a long backhand restores parity at 4-4 in set two. My sense is that the American will, at some point, do the necessary as the nastier, more reliable competitor. Meantime on Laver, Swiatek sees out another bagel set, leading Lys 6-0, while on Court, Shelton has broken Monfils for 2-1 1-0.
On Cain, Kasatkina has turned it up, hitting more aggressively from the back and Navarro doesn’t respond, broken for 3-4 in the second. But as I type, a beautiful forehand pass, hooked cross, gives her 0-15. These two are really well-matched.
Meantime on Court, the tune of the championships is in full swing, Monfils having nipped off for a break.
You’re the voice, try and understand it
Make a noise and make it clear, oh, woah
We’re not gonna sit in silence
We’re not gonna live with fear, oh, woah.
Prescient even now.
Swiatek is all over Lys now, up 4-0 in no time at all while Kasatkina is fighting hard not to lose her serve again, saving a break point before Navarro swipes a backhand wide. The American leads 6-4 3-3.
Shelton makes 6-2 and looks to have found his rhythm again his injured opponent, opening body to paste an inside-out forehand winner that breaks the sideline, and he leads 7-6 6-7 7-6. It’s incredible that Monfils is still going.
Navarro is just a bit too solid and a bit too nasty for Kasatkina, I think, breaking her back to lead 6-4 3-2.
Back on Court, Shelton leads Monfils 4-2 in their third-set breaker and if he sees it out, might the Frenchman retire? I could see him convincing himself he’s good for one more set, but two?
Lys starts well, narrowly missing a backhand down the line that would’ve given her a break, before Swiatek secures her hold through deuce. She’s never gone further than the semis here, which is in some way surprising – the balls bounce slower and lower than on other hard courts, meaning the surface is more clay-like than at Flushing Meadow, where she won in 2022. And though, in 2023, it took Elena Rybakina to beat her in Melbourme, last term it was Linda Noskova. I’d be surprised if she got past Coco Gauff or Aryna Sabalenka, likely final opponents, but she’s got a good chance of getting there given standing in her way are Kasatkina or Navarro, then Svitolina. She breaks immediately for 2-0.
It’s busy in Sydney too…
Monfils is a total freak of nature, barely able to run and yet giving Shelton plenty. His anticipation is incredible – his younger, fitter opponent is really struggling to keep the ball away from him – and we’re at 5-5 in set three, the first two having been split in tiebreaks.
Eva Lys, by the way. She was sitting on the physios couch having been beaten in the final qualifying round by our old friend, Destanee Aiava, then got a message that Anna Kalinskaya had pulled out and she was on court in 10 minutes. Three wins later, here we are: She’s on Laver playing a night session against the no 2 seed, and she wins the first point of the match on return.
Kasatkina breaks Navarro in the first game of set two then fights back from 0-30 to secure her consolidation. This is a really good contest.
On Laver, Lys and Swiatek are out.
Meantime on Court, Gael Monfils, now 38, serves at 1-1 3-4 against Ben Shelton, but he’s hurt a leg and isn’t moving freely. He’s doing a decent job of hanging in there and holds for 4-4, but I’m not sure he can win from this position.
On Cain, Navarro rushed into an early lead but Kasatkina fought back and now serves at 4-5 in the first and, as I type, finds herself down 0-40; Kasatkina then flaps long, and the American takes a topsy-turvy, 41-minute first set 6-4.
Preamble
G’day one and all and welcome to the Australian Open 2025 – day nine, evening sesh!
It’s as misty-moisty Monday morning – in north London, at least – but rich light emanates from Melbourne Park. It beginss with Eva Lys v Iga Swiatek, continues with Alex Michelsen v Alex de Minaur, and also takes in Gael Monfils v Ben Shelton and Daria Kasatkina v Emma Navarro.
Let’s go!