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6 hours ago

Australian Open LIVE: Jack Draper wins five-set thriller as Jacob Fearnley also through

Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley are through to the third round on a dramatic day at the Australian Open

Jamie Braidwood
Wednesday 15 January 2025 16:49 GMT
Novak Djokovic practices for Australian Open 2025 with Andy Murray as coach

The Australian Open continues as Jack Draper came from behind to beat home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis in a five-set epic, joining Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in the third round.

British No 1 Draper silenced the home crowd as he performed a stunning escape to beat Kokkinakis in the longest match of the tournament so far. The Australian served for a place in the third round at the end of the fourth set but Draper stayed alive, winning 6-7 6-3 3-6 7-5 6-3 against a raucous crowd in the longest match of the 23-year-old’s career.

Meanwhile, Fearnley reached the third round on his Australian Open debut with a comeback victory over Arthur Cazaux. Fearnley dropped the first set after a rain delay but the Scot did not blink and came back to win 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-3. His astonishing rise will continue when he plays the second seed Alexander Zverev for a place in the last-16.

Jodie Burrage gave World No 3 Coco Gauff a brief scare on Rod Laver Arena but fell to a straight-sets defeat. Burrage served to level the match but Gauff recovered to win the final four games of a 6-3 7-5 win.

Harriet Dart is also out after threatening an upset against Olympics runner-up and 18th seed Donna Vekic. Dart won the opening set but managed just two more games, as Vekic came from behind to win 4-6 6-0 6-2.

Follow all the latest action from Melbourne Park below:

14 hours ago

Australian Open: *Coco Gauff 4-2 Jodie Burrage

Break! Burrage’s errors at the net prove costly as Gauff breaks straight back to lead 4-2. On 0-30, Burrage had an angle at the backhand pass down the line but pushed it wide.

With three break points, Gauff remained patient in the rally and Burrage found the net with another backhand.

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:43
14 hours ago

Australian Open: Coco Gauff 3-2 Jodie Burrage*

Break! From 0-3, 15-40 down, it’s back-to-back games for Burrage to get back on serve against Gauff!

The Briton steers the backhand winner past Gauff from midcourt, but immediately faces pressure on the next service game with a couple of errors at the net.

She will face to come from 0-30 down if she is to level the opening set.

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:40
14 hours ago

Australian Open: Jack Draper 2-2 Thanasi Kokkinakis*

The first real pressure on Draper’s serve comes after a double fault on 15-15, which brings some cheers from the crowd and raises their hopes.

Kokkinakis then steps around a Draper forehand to blast a winner down the line, setting up the first break point of the match on 30-40.

Superbly saved by Draper, unloading on a forehand winner that catches the edge of the line.

Deuce. From there, Kokkinakis blasts wide and Draper holds to pass his first test of the match.

(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:36
14 hours ago

Australian Open: *Coco Gauff 3-1 Jodie Burrage

Just 14 minutes in, Burrage is trying to hang on. Gauff dials up the pressure with a deep return, with the Burrage forehand breaking down from the baseline.

Two break points for Gauff to take a 4-0 lead, but Burrage steps in confidently and finds back-to-back winners.

Burrage then finds the first-serve out wide, which Gauff is unable to return on the stretch. She roars as she gets onto the board.

(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:31
14 hours ago

Australian Open: *Jack Draper 1-2 Thanasi Kokkinakis

Draper settled well with a hold to love, which is immediately thrown back by Kokkinakis as he jumps to 40-0. The Australian is a fun player to watch, capable of finding a hot-streak and lashing together a string of winners. The issue in his career has been consistency and fitness, and he came into this second-round clash with some strapping on his shoulder.

Pushed on by the crowd, Kokkinakis gets out of deuce with a forehand blast to Draper’s backhand. The return from Draper floats long.

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:29
14 hours ago

Australian Open: *Coco Gauff 2-0 Jodie Burrage

BREAK! Not the start Burrage wanted. Despite trying to settle with a couple of nice winners past Gauff, Burrage is dragged into deuce.

On break point, Burrage blasts a forehand into the net from mid-court and hands away the early advantage.

The 25-year-old will have known that she could not afford those types of unforced errors against Gauff.

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:26
14 hours ago

Australian Open: *Jack Draper 0-1 Thanasi Kokkinakis

There are loud roars as Draper nets on his backand and Kokkinakis comes through his opening service game.

The British No 1 won an excellent opening point with an approach to the net, but Kokkinakis was able to dicate behind serve from there.

This crowd is wild... Tough ask for Draper to block it all out as he comes out to serve.

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:24
14 hours ago

Australian Open: Coco Gauff 1-0 Jodie Burrage*

Gauff and Burrage have met once before - the American actually couldn’t remember after her opening win, but she beat the Briton 6-1 6-1 at Eastbourne in 2023.

The World No 3 is used to taking to the night session at grand slams but is taken to deuce in her opening service game...

No matter, Gauff winces a bit as she squeaks through deuce on a second serve and takes the hold.

(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:19
14 hours ago

Australian Open

We have players on the court! There are lots of Australian fans in the John Cain Arena, looking to make as much noise as possible as Thanasi Kokkinakis prepares to face Jack Draper.

The British No 1 said he is expecting a hostile crowd, and he was right. There are some boos as Draper steps out. It could look quite similar to Jacob Fearnley’s clash with Nick Krygios on Monday morning.

Over on Rod Laver Arena, Jodie Burrage steps out onto the night session alongside Coco Gauff. What an occasion for Burrage, who missed most of last season due to injury.

The action of Rod Laver is a little ahead that on John Cain Arena as Gauff and Burrage warm-up.

(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 08:09
14 hours ago

Jodie Burrage faces Coco Gauff after year of injury turmoil

Jodie Burrage will step onto Rod Laver Arena to face Coco Gauff in the night session after an emotional victory in the first round.

The 25-year-old admitted ahead of the tournament that she considered quitting the sport a couple of months ago, but she tasted victory in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time with a 6-2 6-4 success against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.

After her final forehand dribbled over the net, Burrage covered her face with her hands as the emotion of the moment caught up with her before sobbing into her towel.

It was her first match at a grand slam since a first-round defeat here last year, with Burrage suffering a wrist injury in February that needed surgery before rupturing an ankle ligament just as she was about to make her comeback.

Emotional Jodie Burrage celebrates Australian Open win after year of injury turmoil

The 25-year-old, who missed most of last season through injury, defeated qualifier Leolia Jeanjean

Jamie Braidwood15 January 2025 07:59

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