6.02am 06:02
That’s all from me today. Tom Bassam will be back with live coverage of day six tomorrow. I’ll leave you with some Andy Murray news. Andy Murray pulls out of Marseille tournament as he weighs up hip surgery Rafa Nadal is asked about playing Tomas Berdych in the fourth round. “He has been off the court for a while but he played the first week of the season and did it well. He has confidence after the comeback. When you are playing well after a tough time with injuries, that helps the energy even more. I predict a very tough match.” Rafael Nadal speaks! “He is a big fighter. He is super quick. He is the fastest on the tour. I think I played a very solid match. I want to congratulate Alex for a great start to the season. No complaints [about the crowd]. I can’t thank all the support I have received here all my career. Even playing against an Australian I feel like some parts of the crowd are with me. I am in the fourth round. That is the best news possible because I have another chance to play here. Ten years ago that [injury] situation would be a drama, but very difficult. But throughout my career I have had a lot of stops for my injury. I have been in that situation a couple of times. Alex de Minaur walks off to a big ovation. The 19-year-old Australian left everything on the court and will hopefully be stronger for the experience, even though he’s just received an almighty thrashing from Rafa Nadal. Rafael Nadal beats Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4!Serving for the match, Nadal makes it 15-0 with yet another forehand winner. A big, bouncing, swinging serve gets De Minaur’s backhand in a tangle. 30-0. Then Nadal plonks another forehand winner down the line to earn three match points. But De Minaur saves the first and then Nadal double-faults. Are we about to witness an incredible choke? Nadal misses another first serve. A dramatic rally ensues. After 24 shots Nadal sends a forehand wide for deuce! The crowd go wild, enthralled with De Minaur’s fight. Nadal restores calm with an ace. De Minaur saves a fourth match point with a brilliant forehand winner. Nadal earns a fifth chance; De Minaur comes up with another stubborn forehand. Nadal earns a sixth chance with a solid serve. Then Nadal’s given a time violation by Carlos Ramos, an umpire he’s rarely seen eye to eye with in the past. It doesn’t matter, though. De Minaur finally cracks, sending a forehand long. 5.28am 05:28 Third set: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 5-4 De Minaur* (*denotes server): De Minaur holds to love. This has been a drubbing, but at least he’s kept Nadal honest in this set. Nadal will surely serve it out now. Facebook Twitter 5.25am 05:25 Third set: Nadal* 6-1, 6-2, 5-3 De Minaur (*denotes server): Nadal moves a game away from victory. De Minaur will serve to stay in the set. Facebook Twitter 5.21am 05:21 Third set: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 4-3 De Minaur* (*denotes server): The game goes to deuce. Somehow De Minaur finds the will to keep landing a few blows. He holds. He’s showing plenty of heart 5.15am 05:15 Third set: Nadal* 6-1, 6-2, 4-2 De Minaur (*denotes server): Nadal holds to love once again. Facebook Twitter 5.10am 05:10 Third set: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 3-2 De Minaur* (*denotes server): More “C’mons!” from De Minaur as he holds again. He’s still fighting the inevitable. 5.05am 05:05 Third set: Nadal* 6-1, 6-2, 3-1 De Minaur (*denotes server): Nadal keeps rolling, holding to love. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the power of Berdych, who crushed him in the quarters in 2015. Facebook Twitter 5.01am 05:01 Third set: Nadal 6-1, 6-2, 2-1 De Minaur* (*denotes server): De Minaur holds to love! “Come on!” he cries. That’s good to see. I doubt Nick Kyrgios would be showing so much positivity in similar circumstances. Facebook Twitter 5.00am 05:00 Third set: Nadal* 6-1, 6-2, 2-0 De Minaur (*denotes server): Nadal consolidates the break. Let’s hope De Minaur is taking some lessons on board.
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