Australian Open 2022 day three: Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal ease into second round – live! 💥💥

Thursday’s schedule has landed – here’s how the show courts are lining up:

Rod Laver Arena
Alize Cornet (France) v 3-Garbine Muguruza (Spain)
Wang Xinyu (China) v 2-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Not before 2:30pm ADET/3:30am GMT
Kamil Majchrzak (Poland) v 32-Alex de Minaur (Australia)
Not before 7pm AEDT/8am GMT
Nick Kyrgios (Australia) v 2-Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
14-Simona Halep (Romania) v Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil)

Margaret Court Arena
6-Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) v Clara Tauson (Denmark)
Hailey Baptiste (United States) v Maddison Inglis (Australia)
Sebastian Baez (Argentina) v 4-Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
Not before 7pm AEDT/8am GMT
Danka Kovinic (Montenegro) v 17-Emma Raducanu (Britain)
Steve Johnson (United States) v 11-Jannik Sinner (Italy)

John Cain Arena
7-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v Rebecca Peterson (Sweden)
Not before 1pm AEDT/2am GMT
Frances Tiafoe (United States) v 20-Taylor Fritz (United States)
Zhang Shuai (China) v 12-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
Not before 5:30pm AEDT/6:30am GMT
Andy Murray (Britain) v Taro Daniel (Japan)

Kokkinakis/Kyrgios have just served their way to first-round victory against Bolt/McCabe, finishing the match 6-4, 6-2 on Court 3. A few siuuus but nothing like at Kyrgios’s singles match last night. This will feel good for Kokkinakis, who suffered a disappointing first-round singles exit to Hanfmann on Monday straight off the back of winning the Adelaide International.

On Margaret Court, Shapovalov and Kwon are still slogging it out in what might be called the tie-break tussle – the score is currently 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 4-3 in favour of Shapovalov.

But there’s plenty happening on Court 3, where Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are leading Bolt and McCabe 6-4, 3-2 in front of a keen crowd.

That’s it on centre court until the evening session, when Japanese reigning champion Naomi Osaka will do battle with American Madison Brengle before Australian John Millman takes on German world No 3 Alexander Zverev.

Jim Courier is tying to suggest something about Nada’s biceps. Specifically, that they are large.

“What do you do to keep yourself at this level? What are the secrets to your fitness?” Courier asks.

“I play some golf,” Nadal says.

Courier presses him further about his injury issues and whether he has needed to spend more time in the gym than on the tennis court of late.

“Sometimes, I can do more one thing, sometimes the other,” Nadal says. “Unfortunately, I have been going through a lot of issues in my tennis career, so I need to be very flexible and adapt myself to what’s coming. And sometimes I am able to have some good practices on court, sometimes I am not able to do it that often so I have to work more on the gym … but always holding the positive spirit.”

Nadal has this to say about the qualifier who gave such a good account of himself:

“I played against him, if I am not wrong, the first round of Roland Garros a couple of years ago. I know he’s dangerous. The result against Thanasi [Kokkinakis] in the first round here says that he was playing great, and coming from the qualis he was used to the courts.

“And he’s a player with big shots, good serve and with very high potential. I think today his level of tennis was much higher than what his ranking says, without a doubt. So I wish him all the very best. He’s a great guy.”

It’s 15-15 and another 17 shots will be taken before Nadal takes a 30-15 lead. That was a pleasing rally. The Spaniard bounces the ball at the baseline, readying to serve under the sun. It’s an ace – his first of the match (and likely his last at this point). He has two match points but loses the first after catching the ball late on his frame. Hanfmann plays the second as if it’s his last, throwing the kitchen sink at his opponent and using his feet to get back into position time and again, until he catches his opponent out. Deuce. Nadal forces the error. Match point. He does it this time, and it’s all over red rover. Well, magenta in Nadal’s case.

Third set: Nadal* 6-2, 6-3, 5-4 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) The nerves must be peaking because Hanfmann is making needless errors. Can he come back from 0-30? He answers this question with an ace. He can’t repeat it though and Nadal has two match points to play with. A clever serve-volley rally gets rid of the first, and another very similar point brings him level at deuce. Another ace brings up the advantage and then he forces Nadal to return into the net. Hanfmann lives to fight another day. My remark about needless errors has aged well.

Third set: Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 5-3 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) What a belter of a shot by Hanfmann! Nadal thinks he’s skewered him with a crosscourt forehand but the German takes that acute angle, matches it and then raises him one with a stretching backhand to kill. Nadal follows it with an unforced error and all of a sudden it’s 0-30. Could Hanfmann secure his first break? Apparently not. Nadal is soon back level at 30-30, and follows a powerful service point with another to bring him to 40-30. A baseline winner rounds out the game and his fourth consecutive point, which means Hanfmann is now serving to stay in this tournament.

Third set: Nadal* 6-2, 6-3, 4-3 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Obviously, though, keeping his body right will be the top priority given the major disruptions to his playing and training with that foot injury and a bout of Covid-19. Hanfmann holds to love.

Third set: Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 4-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal, if and when he wraps this up, will no doubt want to review this match before the third round on Friday. There have been moments of brilliance, but this also has not been a complete performance First

Third set: Nadal* 6-2, 6-3, 3-2 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) No sooner have I written that and Hanfmann has raced to 40-0. Minor glitch in his unanswered run when Nadal returns a winner down the line, then normal practice resumes with a Hanfmann ace for a comfortable hold.

Third set: Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 3-1 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Hanfmann is hanging in there. He’s won 13 points this set to Nadal’s 16. But the latter is utilising that ferocious backhand and he now has a comfortable cushion to close this out.

Third set: Nadal* 6-2, 6-3, 2-1 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) An early break! This could be the determinate factor in whether this is the deciding set. Hanfmann fights back from 0-40 but is struck down at 30-40. He slices forehand, slices backhand, keeps Rafa running. But Nadal is doing the same. They made 22 shots, and it ends with a low, hard, well-placed backhand and a return shot that lands out.

Third set: Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 1-1 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal holds with more effort than he would have liked.

Third set: Nadal* 6-2, 6-3, 0-1 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Nadal is back on the court, in a fresh kit, which is identical to the white-shorts-and-magenta-shirt combo he started in. He almost immediately racks up two break points before losing his ground to a deuce-and-advantage stoush. Eventually Hanfmann rips a crosscourt backhand that gives him an advantage he does not waste.

As Nadal is off changing his outfit Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are readying for an all-Australian doubles opener against James McCabe and Alex Bolt. They’ll be on Court 3, where Latvian Jelena Ostapenko is trying to close out the third set against American Alison Riske. Kyrgios won’t be feeling too tired after last night’s singles opener, which he breezed through in straight sets against British qualifier Liam Broady.

Second set: Nadal 6-2, 6-3 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Not many first serves are going in but second serves to out to be enough. A meek Hanfmann return gives Nadal three set points. He overcooks the first past the baseline, then loses the next to a superb Hanfmann inside-out backhand. 40-30. A longer rally ensues and Nadal catches the far line with a drop shot that Hanfmann scoops up and out. Set.

Second set: Nadal 6-2, 5-3 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Hanfmann doesn’t really need Nadal to put him under pressure. He is managing that all by himself. He’s resumed his centre-of-the-baseline service position now and throws away the first point. But he recovers with an aesthetically pleasing backhand winner and then an ace. 30-15. Another unforced error. 30-30. He sends down another of those aggressive top-spin shots but leaves himself open down his right. Surprise surprise, that’s where Nadal deposits his down-the-line forehand winner. Another of those and Nadal has broken. The first of this set, and at a convenient time too because now he is serving for the set.

Second set: Nadal 6-2, 4-3 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal puts the pressure straight back on his opponent with another quickfire hold, losing only one point through a double-fault.

Second set: Nadal* 6-2, 3-3 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) In second-round matches at the Australian Open – and there have been 16 of them – Nadal has never dropped a set. This does not bode well for Hanfmann, who is serving with the wind behind his back now. He’s serving way out wide. Is he playing doubles? A few errors are creeping into his game now and he’ll have to watch that, but he does hold here. Nadal has had break point in every one of Hanfmann’s services games this set but not managed to convert one yet. He fails again here in a game that twice goes to deuce.

Second set: Nadal 6-2, 3-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) This game is far more routine for the world No 5, who hits cleanly and brutally and needs very few shots over three points to hold serve. Get it done, move on.

Second set: Nadal* 6-2, 2-2 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Hanfmann has the wind against him and one can only imagine how that must feel, having to put extra muscle into every shot delivered back to him with interest. Still he is serving well and, down the advantage, pounces on Nadal’s return. Runs right around it to take it on his forehand and gives the Spaniard no chance. The advantage is soon his after a quite spectacular winner down the line. Rafa was clearly not thinking he would land that. He holds.

Second set: Nadal 6-2, 2-1 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal holds. Not without a deuce-flavoured bump along the way, but his leg-generated power is something to behold. This is a match of groundstrokes and tactics, not a big-serving encounter. Only one ace thus far (Hanfmann). Nadal has the upper hand but they are not as unevenly matched as the German qualifier’s resume might suggest.

Second set: Nadal* 6-2, 1-1 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Back on centre court, Hanfmann is down a break point and the pair are trading baseline blows in what is turning into an extraordinarily long rally. Hanfmann finally makes his move and Nadal thinks this lob is going out. He must do because he’s not chasing it and he probably could. It sails over his head in practically slow motion before landing in. Danger averted. He takes the advantage, in this time he approaches the net, all six foot four of him, volleys back at Rafa and then ensures the next one is out of reach.

Over on Margaret Court Arena, Denis Shapovalov is leading Kwon Soon-woo 7-6(8-6), 3-2 and at John Cain Arena Matteo ‘The Hammer’ Berrettini is warming up against Stefan Kozlov.

First set: Nadal 6-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Hanfmann, serving to stay in the set, has his head just about above water but is sinking. Nadal has him at 30-40, then deuce, and then another break and set point. At which point Rafa sends down one of those discombobulating backhands that closes out the set.

First set: Nadal 5-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal is not setting the world alight in his own service game though, struggling to get a handle on rallies and finds himself down a break point at 30-40. Hanfmann is helped by the net on one shot but that same net becomes his undoing on the next, as he mismanages Nadal’s slice. Another unforced error later and Nadal is sending down a winner to hold serve.

Here’s a wee Barty recap:

First set: Nadal* 4-2 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Nadal has a habit of breaking serve when he wins the opening point of his opponent’s service game. Tends to turn the screw a little more. It comes to pass. A crosscourt backhand draws Hanfmann to his right and forward. As he bands and stretches he can’t quite get enough purchase on his shot and it plays right into the hands of Nadal, who deposits a backhand down Hanfmann’s left-hand line to make it 15-40. Another forehand winner later and he wins the game.

First set: Nadal 3-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Bravo! What a rally. What a shot. The pair trade blows before Nadal gets under the ball and whips a precise forehand so low it almost kisses the net and drops into the far service square out of reach. This might have set the tone for the game but Hanfmann clearly has a game plan, and is sticking to it, using his backhand to set up his points, running the Spaniard around the baseline, forcing him to pop up a sitter and coming forward for to put it away. He has the advantage and break point now, too, though it’s short-lived as Nadal saves his own skin and then, himself on the advantage, dispatches an ungettable pile-driver into the back corner.