Australian Open history.
Ruusuvuori is performing well enough to keep playing, but he is clearly not as precise as he was a few sets ago. The strength behind his shots is significantly reduced and Medvedev is currently in top form. He takes a 4-0 lead without losing a single point, finishing the game with some impressive forehands.
Ruusuvuori is currently receiving medical attention for his right shoulder and arm from a member of his team.
After receiving his first serve, the third-ranked player in the world commits a double fault. Can this be attributed to the pressure of the moment? However, he quickly recovers with two aces and takes a 3-0 lead. This puts him in a favorable position.
Medvedev secures a break and takes a 2-0 lead in the fifth set! Could this be the final blow for Ruusuvuori? The Finnish player doesn’t seem to be moving quickly enough on the court.
In the fifth set, Medvedev wins the first game after Ruusuvuori makes an error on a basic backhand shot.
Prior to beginning the last set, Medvedev is informed that his shoelaces are too long and he is advised to tuck them in. It’s reassuring to see that safety measures are still being followed as we enter the fifth hour of this match.
Medvedev easily wins the tie-break 7-1! Ruusuvuori is unable to return these powerful serves and the match continues to a fifth set.
It is 3.12am in Melbourne.
Medvedev reaches the tie-break with his 18th ace of the game! We are just 20 minutes away from the four-hour milestone. Let’s observe how this situation unfolds.
Ruusuvuori gains insight from his rival with a spectacular drop shot, bringing the score to 30-15 following a 27-shot rally. The Finnish player also secures the next point when Medvedev’s shot goes long.
Medvedev’s impressive movement on the court causes Ruusuvuori to hit a forehand into the net, bringing the score to 40-30. However, Medvedev then serves long, giving Ruusuvuori a 6-5 lead. The Russian is visibly displeased with his coaching team at this moment.
Medvedev manages to hold on to his serve! Ruusuvuori came close to winning, but his nerves got the best of him. His second serve was not strong and the Russian player is relieved.
Amazing! Ruusuvuori appeared to be in control at the beginning of the game, but then made some mistakes and now we’re tied at deuce. However, Ruusuvuori impresses with a stunning shot and takes the lead 5-4. He executes a fantastic slice that barely clears the net and wins him the game.
Medvedev angrily hurled his racquet like a boomerang, knocking over two water bottles in the process. However, unlike in bowling, he did not receive any points for his outburst, only a warning.
The score is now even at 4-4! Medvedev has given up his break advantage by hitting the final shot into the net. He seemed uncertain on some points, opting not to take the final shot when he had the chance. He is now expressing frustration towards himself and/or his coaches. The atmosphere is tense.
Medvedev appears very resolute at the moment. I am uncertain of where this attitude was two hours ago. But let me get back on topic. He takes a 4-3 lead in the set. Once again, it is the drop shot that is proving to be his saving grace, along with some powerful serves. He now has 14 aces, while Ruusuvuori has yet to score one.
Ruusuvuori is currently leading in this set. The score is now 3-2 in favor of Medvedev, with Ruusuvuori’s volleys helping him secure the last game.
Medvedev makes a double fault, resulting in a 15-15 score. Oh no!
After a fortunate moment, we reach a deuce. Despite Ruusuvuori’s return of Medvedev’s poor drop shot, the Russian’s volley is sufficient to score a point. However, Ruusuvuori demonstrates his ability to match this strategy with a quick volley and gains the advantage.
We exchange rallies for a while, but Medvedev ultimately wins the game with powerful serves.
After a remarkable shot from Medvedev (reminiscent of Nadal!), we reach a tie at deuce in the third game. Although Ruusuvuori gains the upper hand, Medvedev evens the score with yet another drop shot. Ruusuvuori is playing defensively from the back of the court and struggling to reach those shots. However, he manages to secure the game with some strong offensive moves, making it 2-1.
Medvedev wins the following game, bringing the fourth set score to 2-0. He is utilizing the drop shot strategy, possibly because he believes it is the only way to defeat Ruusuvuori. However, the Finnish player appears fatigued and will likely regret not securing the victory earlier.
Medvedev secures a break and wins the first game of the fourth set! The third-ranked player used impressive drop shots to force Ruusuvuori to move around the court. The camera shows that three hours have passed.
Currently, it is 2:14am in Melbourne and the night may be prolonged if Medvedev successfully makes a full recovery. However, the night is already quite eventful. If you have any reflections on this game or other surprising outcomes from today, feel free to send me an email. Contact information can be found at the beginning of the blog.
Medvedev secures the third set with a strong finish, as Ruusuvuori hits the net, granting his opponent the set.
Ruusuvuori secures another victory to bring the third set score to 5-3! The impressive forehand shot was the standout moment of the game. Medvedev nearly cost himself the game with a double fault.
Thank you Daniel! Indeed, Medvedev appears to be struggling as Ruusuvuori effortlessly wins the next game, halting any progress the 3rd ranked player had. The stakes are high now.
Unfortunately, my shift has ended. Now, Yara El-Shaboury will take over and keep you company until the end, whenever that may be.
When I mention that Medvedev is in better physical condition, I am not implying that he trains harder or anything like that. It simply means that he is more accustomed to competing at this level, in these types of tournaments, and for this duration of time – whereas Ruusuvuori is not. I am curious if he will purposely lose the remainder of this set in order to conserve energy for the fourth set. However, as I am typing this, we have reached a deuce and Ruusuvuori impressively makes his opponent hit one more shot. Medvedev, who was previously leading 40-15, hits the net! And look at this! Medvedev, who won four sets in a row but still lost the last set, hits the net again and loses one of his two breaks. As a result, this match is still ongoing! Ruusuvuori is ahead 6-3 7-6 2-4.
Ruusuvuori has experienced a slight decline, as he is now missing shots that he hasn’t missed before and is currently down 30-40. However, he makes a powerful forehand and follows it with an ace. Unfortunately, he then hits the net, bringing the score back to deuce. On the other hand, Medvedev is effectively controlling the rallies, using a drop shot to force his younger and potentially less fit opponent to charge in and hit the net. With another netted shot, Medvedev has achieved a double break, but he still trails behind 2-0.
It felt like momentum had switched when Medvedev won four games on the spin last set, and he ended up losing it, so I’m reluctant to suppose similar now. But he holds easily, and has slipped into a more proactive style, which is working much better, and it’s now 3-0 in the third.
Medvedev showed improvement in his performance, starting with a 0-15 lead and provoking Ruusuvuori to make a long shot. After executing a drop shot and a volley, Medvedev gained a 30-all score, but a clever lob forced Ruusuvuori to hit a backhand overhead that landed in the net, resulting in a break point for Medvedev. He has only converted 2 out of 9 break points so far, but with Ruusuvuori committing a double fault for the first time in the match, Medvedev was able to take the lead. This shows progress for the world number three.
After leading 30-15, Medvedev serves twice and ends up tied at deuce, quickly moving back and forth across the court while losing his lead. However, he manages to finish with an ace and forehand winner, now behind Rusuvuori with a score of 3-6 (1)6-7 1-1.
Yes, it’s more of the same: Ruusuvuori maintains the lead at 1-0 and shows no signs of faltering. Can Medvedev perform well enough to secure three consecutive sets? Initially, it seems unlikely given his opponent’s composure, but when the end is in sight, anything can happen.
Respect to Ruusuvuori, who had to hang about doing nothing while Medvedev got treatment, then just carried on doing what he’s been doing: outplaying the third-best player in the world like it’s regular gear.
Ruusuvuori just needs one point! He hits a strong forehand shot, but Medvedev misses and can’t seem to handle the powerful hits coming from both sides.
Medvedev scores a point, but Ruusuvuori dominates him once more by sending him scrambling towards the forehand side and ultimately hitting a winning backhand shot for a 6-1 lead. He now has five points and is leading 2-0 against the third-seeded player.
Wow, Medvedev is really putting in some effort! He hits a backhand close to the side, followed by a powerful forehand and a skillful volley, earning him a 4-0 lead and a double mini-break. Now it’s a triple mini-break as he takes a 5-0 lead. Medvedev hasn’t had much of a chance in this breaker, not because he’s playing badly, but because his opponent is seizing the moment.
After recovering, Medvedev is facing a second-set tiebreaker, just seven minutes after reaching a six-all score. The question is, who will regain their momentum first? Surprisingly, Ruusuvuori seizes the opportunity with a strong forehand return and a powerful drive-backhand winner. He secures the mini-break and maintains his composure as he takes a 3-0 lead. It is clear that he is determined to win and believes he deserves it.
She remained composed and concentrated, allowing her to advance to her next match against Ostapenko. This bodes well for her.
Oh dear, Ruusuvuori has made two mistakes and now the score is tied at deuce. He will be determined to not lose a set like this, so he uses powerful forehands to gain an advantage and wins the game. Well done to him! It’s time for a tiebreaker, but wait…Medvedev has a blister on his foot and calls for the trainer. He didn’t want to interrupt his opponent’s momentum, what a kind gesture. While we wait for the trainer, we find out that the latest finish in Australia was at 4:34am in 2008, when Hewitt defeated Baghdatis 4-6 7-5 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3.
Medvedev successfully maintains a score of 6-5. It is uncertain when this match will conclude as it is currently past 1am and there are still three more sets, each lasting an hour. We have already been playing for 108 minutes, which will result in an absurdly late finish time.
There is currently only one remaining match in progress and, with caution, it appears to be coming to an end as Azarenka leads 4-1 over Tauson in the third set. Tauson hits a forehand wide, giving Azarenka a double break. Unfortunately, Tauson seems to have lost her confidence.
Source: theguardian.com
