Day 5 live updates, news, Alexander Zverev facing upset from Lukas Klein, Max Purcell vs Casper Ruud, rain halts play, weather forecast, schedule, order of play, scores, results, Aussies in action and blog

Aussie Max Purcell, already enjoying a career-best tournament at the Australian Open after reaching the second round for the first time, is threatening a staggering upset of 11th seed Casper Ruud, with the pair locked at a set apiece.

Meanwhile rain has again hit Melbourne Park – against the weather forecast – causing delays on the outside courts. And there are a host of big names facing upsets, including world number one Iga Swiatek and controversial world number six Alexander Zverev!

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Purcell, who took care of Hungarian qualifier Máté Valkusz in four sets, faces a much tougher challenge against the 11th seed Ruud – and lost the first set 6-3 as Ruud delivered a a near-flawless performance.

Ruud made just two unforced errors and served at 79 per cent – including nailing his first serve at crucial moments, defending a break point early and surviving another three while serving out the set at 5-3.

“Casper Ruud just came out on fire,” Jim Courier said in commentary, calling the Norwegian’s performance “red hot”.

Ruud broke for an early 3-1 lead and staved off a break point the following game, before the Aussie fought back well at 3-5, bringing up 15-40 on Ruud’s serve. But Ruud hit a trio of excellent serves to stave off two break points – and another after deuce – before sealing the game and the set.

Then a bizarre downpour arrived at Melbourne Park seemingly out of nowhere, defying the weather forecasts and halting play around the grounds.

The roofs were immediately closed on the main arenas and even the chair umpire joined the ballkids to wipe down the court, with play only briefly paused for Purcell on Margaret Court Arena.

The Aussie held serve well to open the second set after the brief delay and brought up another three break points at 0-40 – but again, Ruud’s excellent serving got him out of trouble, saving the first before nailing three-straight aces and eventually holding serve.

It meant that Purcell had failed to win any of his seven break point opportunities in the match.

But the Aussie was still performing excellently, smacking his forehand some 30km/h faster than his average.

“That’s a clear strategy to fight fire with fire,” Courier said of Purcell’s dazzling forehand.

The Aussie didn’t face a break point on his own serve all set, but just couldn’t break through the strong serving and clinical forehand of Ruud – his opponent surviving two set point to take it to a tiebreak.

But Purcell went to another level in the tiebreak, sending down three aces to emerge 7-5 winner and level the ledger at one set apiece.

Remarkably, Ruud defended all five break points he faced in the second set – just like he defended all four in the first set. And the Norwegian once again was almost error-free, making just four unforced errors (after two in the first set) – but even that wasn’t good enough to get past the Australian.

Ruud broke Purcell for a 3-1 lead in the third set – though he needed four break points to do so.

Purcell entered the match full of confidence after a victory over Ruud in the second round of last year’s Cincinnati Masters.

“We’re 1-1 I think in head-to-head,” Purcell said on Tuesday.

“I got the last one. Hopefully it’s lively and bouncy like Cincinnati and I can just do some damage like I did against him there.”

The Australian is in hot form after a breakthrough singles year that had 28-time Grand Slam champion John Newcombe declaring he could find himself inside the top 20 soon.

“Yeah, huge,” replied Purcell when asked how those kinds of words of affirmation made him feel.

“I’ve had a lot of these ex-players give me some belief in my game, they like the way I play in trying to come forward. Obviously today less than usual just ‘cause I knew the guy I was playing, his legs were dead from qualifying.

“It’s great to kind of have their backing. Obviously I have my own team’s backing, my own colleagues, friends who back me, as well. We have such a tight group in Australia right now.

“I back the s*** out of Rinky [Hijikata] and all these other guys that go out and play. I think we have such a good support group. That helps me believe I can win, as well.”

Purcell is not the only Australian in action on Day 5 with Thanasi Kokkinakis facing 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov later in the day while Ajla Tomljanovic takes on old foe Jelena Ostapenko to cap off the night’s action on John Cain Arena.

Meanwhile, there will be plenty of star power on Rod Laver Arena too with women’s World No.1 Iga Swiatek and men’s No.2 Carlos Alcaraz looking to continue their Australian Open charge.

ZVEREV IN DIRE STRAITS AS STUNNING UPSET LOOMS

Elsewhere in the early action, some big names are in deep trouble.

Alex Zverev, the sixth seed from Germany, is down two sets to one to qualifier Lukas Klein of Slovakia. Klein is ranked just 163rd in the world, and this is just his second-ever slam appearance.

But after losing the first set 7-5, 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.

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 over former-partner Brenda Patea, the mother of their daughter Mayla.

Broadcasters Channel 9 were aso criticised for showing Zverev’s first-round match in primetime despite two higher-ranked women’s matches being played at the same time.

SWIATEK LOCKED IN THRILLER

Swiatek’s rematch of last year’s second-round win over Danielle Collins promised to be brilliant – and the first set was exactly that.

Collins survived a break point in the very first game of the match, and had two break points in Swiatek’s first service game but couldn’t capitalise.

Collins then broke Swiatek for a 3-1 lead only to be broken back immediately. But after a brief rain delay saw the roof closed, Swiatek’s hitting went to another level – with her average speed sharply rising in the changed conditions.

Collins was up 40-15 while serving at 4-4 before the Polish youngster surged and claimed the crucial break, before serving out the set 6-4.

It was highlighted by an incredible backhand smash volley over the shoulder – one of the hardest shots in the game – that left fans in awe.

Swatek then broke in the first game of the second set, but quickly to a 1-4 deficit as Collins got her backhand firing. But the American tightened up as she tried to serve for the set at 5-1, burning FOUR set points before Swiatek broke back at her third break point attempt – a double-fault from Collins ending a marathon 16-point game.

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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