Australian Open 2026: De Minaur, Zverev, Tiafoe and Andreeva win, Raducanu out – as it happened | Australian Open 2026
Key events
Right, that’s all the matches done on day four and all from me on this blog. Thanks for reading, and here is some more for you if you are catching up. Bye!
Jovic will play Paolini in the third round. What a tantalising match that is – the pair met at the US Open a few months ago with Paolini winning in straight sets. But Jovic was asked about that defeat and says she is “much improved” since August.
Given her ranking and her record, Paolini will be the favourite but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the US prodigy come through against the Italian.
Jovic speaks! She certainly looks like a teenager but has the poise of someone a lot older.
It was incredible. I totally didn’t expect to play on this court but you guys made it special. I feel like I played solid tennis, thankfully it was enough today.
It was surreal to be on this court. It was a dream of mine.
Monica Seles was a hero of mine, she has a similar background to me. Novak Djokovic also, it’s cool to play in the same tournament as him. Hopefully I get to catch up with him.
Jovic signs the camera: “First time on Laver!”
Jovic beats Hon 6-1, 6-2!
That is about as comprehensive as it gets for an 18-year-old against a home favourite. Wow. She is a special talent.
Tiafoe beats Comesana 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2!
A good win for Tiafoe, who looks like he’s in a good place right now with a new team behind him. The No 29 seed, who turned 28 years old yesterday, will face Alex de Minaur, the Aussie No 1, in the third round.
With that whippy forehand, Tiafoe is close now. The American serves to love – including a second serve ace – and is now just one game away from the third round. Comesana looks helpless.
Tiafoe breaks in the fourth set! A remarkable shot to do so, as Comesana does everything right in forcing the American back into the backhand corner. But Tiafoe runs it down and somehow scoops a return low down the line – Comesana, at the net, can’t quite get down to it. Tiafoe now leads 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 4-2.
Paolini will face the winner of Jovic v Hon in the third round.
After a dominant first set for the American, Hon is showing some real steel on Rod Laver in the second set, particularly with her serve. She breaks Jovic but cedes the next service game. At 2-2, Hon aces out wide to move to 40-0 up, but Jovic battles back, powering a forehand down the line, clipping the outside of the line, to get back to deuce.
From deuce, there is only one winner. Jovic secures another crucial break. She is relentless, consistently hitting a very flat ball and on the rise.
Paolini speaks after her victory. It’s nearly midnight, local time.
It was better here [on indoor John Cain Arena] without the wind. [Frech] was a really tough opponent.
I need to rest. The goal is always to stay focused on the next match. I always feel the love of the Italian community in Melbourne. Thank you for staying here to cheer for me, it’s late. Grazie!
Paolini signs the TV camera with ‘Finally, we finished!’ as she walks off.
Paolini beats Frech 6-2, 6-3!
A tricky match for Paolini – partly because Frech put up a real fight in that second set, partly because the rain meant that match had to be moved from the Kia to John Cain Arena – but she is through to the third round. Paolini has never been further than the fourth round here.
Wow! An OUTRAGEOUS backhand down the line from Paolini secures the crucial break of serve over Frech. That was a monstrous shot from the 30-year-old, who was travelling to her right but contorted to her left and somehow picks up the ball from her laces. Paolini leads 6-2, 5-3 and will serve for the match.
Paolini has recovered against Frech in the second set, and things are back on serve with Frech 3-4 down and the ball in hand. Despite her improvement, Paolini seems to be in a foul mood and she curses and gestures to her corner – in a way that only Italians can – after missing a simple volley at the net.
It has taken just 27 minutes but Jovic has sealed the first set over Hon with an ace. Rod Laver was raucous at the start of this match in supporting Brisbane native Hon, but it’s all gone a bit quiet. Ruthless stuff from Jovic, who looks completely at ease as she moves towards the third round.
I have to admit this is the first time I have had a proper look at Jovic. Her balance and poise is remarkable, particularly on her returns. She looks like a great all-rounder, too, with both shot-making and consistency – Jovic made just four unforced errors in that set to Hon’s 15. The American made 98% of her forehands in that first set.
Back on Margaret Court, Comesana is two sets down but now serving for the third set, 5-4 up. At 30-30, the Argentinian completely misjudges a drop shot but saves deuce with a mis-hit winner, as Tiafoe looks to the heavens in disbelief. After a eight-minute game, Comesana finally prevails to send us into a fourth set, smashing a deep forehand winner past the American!
Jovic is all business and roars straight into a 3-0 lead over Hon. This is frightening stuff from the 18-year-old American.
Thanks Daniel, decent stint, that.
Straight into the action and. After cruising to the first set 6-2, No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini has been broken early in the second by Magdalena Frech. The Italian, twice a grand-slam finalist, won’t want this set to get away from here. Frech is very capable, though, reaching the fourth round here a couple of years ago.
Righto, I’ve been at this since 7.30 so i’m off for a break; here’s Michael Butler to coax you through the next bit.
Jovic holds in game one, while Frech and Paolini have moved from Kia to Cain and are just about to resume, the Italian up 6-2 15-40, and on Court, Tiafoe leads Comesana 6-4 6-3 3-3.
And really, check this out.
It’s no more than she deserves for her round-one sportsmanship…
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On Laver, our final match of the day is almost under way. Iva Jovic, just 18 but already top-30, looks a superstar in the making and I can’t wait to see how she handles the occasion against an Aussie making her debut on the country’s biggest court.
I wonder how much of Medjedovic’s capitulation was mental; De Minaur just doesn’t give you any breather, and playing your best point every point is extremely demanding, so it’s not surprise to see someone on the other end of it wilt. Ultimately, he just couldn’t cope when his level dropped below the best he can muster, frustration and resignation taking over.
Now to Demon who, during Medjedovic’s first-set onslaught, told himself to stay patient against an opponent playing incredible tennis – serving great, hitting it big from the baseline, “and not really allowing me to do much.”
But a five-set match is a long match, so he knew there’d be lots of chances, he took them and is happy. He’s happy with where his level’s at, he’s up for the challenge as things get harder, and he’ll go out there to give it his all.
Zverev credits Muller, who played a 7-6 in the fifth against Popyrin, for contributing to a high-level match. He’s one of the fittest guys on tour and is really happy with the match.
Cain is his favourite court in Melbourne, “the atmosphere is always insane and the crowd is very wild,” and asked about his injury, says he was scared as it was his achilles and there’ve been a lot of achilles injuries on tour recently, but he took a painkiller, was fine thereafter, and isn’t expecting any trouble tomorrow.
Back to our earlier point about Zverev, his serve and backhand are two of the best shots in the game and, though his forehand and volleying isn’t of the same level, both are much improved. Or, in other words, the principal barrier to his winning a major might be between the ears – though it may also be the case that now, Sincaraz are just too good and his chance has gone.
Alexander Zverev (3) beats Alexandre Muller 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
An ace finishes an entertaining contest, and next for Zverev comes Norrie.
Another long rally, but Muller can’t quite get above and behind an overhead, backpeddling but knocking it wide when perhaps he shouldn’t; that’s 30-0, and a backhand winner, inside-out and wrongfooting, raises three match points.
We’ll do his interview shortly, but first, Zverev is serving for the match against Muller at 5-4 in the fourth.
Alex de Minaur (6) beats Hamad Medjedovic (5)6-7 6-2 6-2 6-1
Decent from Demon, who struggled against an opponent playing his best stuff in set one, but was there when the level dropped, losing just five more games to win in impressive style. Next for him it’s Tiafoe or Comesana.
…and the first is saved through a fantastic rally, a net cord forcing Zverev to the net but he can’t stretch to play his second volley, then a lob falls long and to deuce we go. Back on Laver, Medjedovic holds through deuce, meaning De Minaur will now serve for the match at 2-1 5-1 and within seconds, it’s 40-0.
Zverev makes 15-40 on the Muller serve, meaning two match points…
De Minaur breaks Medjedovic again to lead 4-0 and, while i’m trying to force the words into my fingers, rushes through as fast a hold as you can imagine; he leads 5-0 in the fourth and is nearly home. On Kia, though, it’s rain stopped play, with Paolini up 6-2 but down 15-40 against Frech, and on cain, an ace means Zverev leads Muller 2-1 5-3, a game away from a third-round meeting with Cameron Norrie.
On Court, meantime, Tiafoe clinches the second set against Comesaña to lead 6-4 6-3.
We’re close to the end on Laver, De Minaur breaking Medjedovic at the first time of asking and endorsing. He leads 6-7 6-2 6-2 3-0, and will be better for a workout that’s not become too tiring.
Paolini loses her serve but then breaks Frech to seal a 6-2 set while Zverev, up 2-1 3-2 with a break, calls out the doctor for medication. It was at this tournament last year he became fully acquainted with his grand slam problem, the ease with which Sinner dismissed him crushing his spirit. He does still have the ability to win a major, but he needs to find a way of attacking – he was far too tentative in the match, effectively waiting to be beaten.
Karolína Muchová (19) beats Alycia Parks 4-6 6-4 6-4
Muchova is a lot, lot better than the 19th-best player in the world. Next for her, it’s Magda Linette; if she wins that, it’s Hailey Baptiste or Coco Gauff next or, in other words, things are getting real.
…who i’ve just realised I earlier called Adele, not Alycia.
Back with Muchova, she has her fourth match point against Parks…
What on earth must that be like, watching a mate compete at this level? Anyone who knows, feel free to email in.
In the club in Ibiza, I got chatting to a lad who’s best mates with Fabian Schär, the Newcastle defender, and he’d been at Wembley for the League Cup final in which they beat Liverpool. He said that at the whistle, he totally lost his mind and was crying his eyes out, which makes perfect sense.
Norrie is delighted. He says the atmosphere was unreal, thanking the crowd for sticking with it despite the rain delay, so they respond by singing for him; “Everyone’s had a few drinks, so fun,” he surmises.
He just wanted to enjoy the match, so hasn’t looked ahead, but the support really helped him and he credits Nava for playing and serving well with the crowd against him. After the rain, he was a bit tight on the groundstrokes when he came back, but it was a great feeling to get over the line with a couple of mates in the crowd.
Talking of whom, Zverev has the trainer out, looking at his left ankle. He leads 2-1 2-1, with a break, so ought really to get off court in the next 20 minutes.
Cameron Norrie (26) beats Emilio Nava 6-1 (3)6-7 6-4 7-6(5)
As in round one, Norrie gave a chance to a tenacious opponent he didn’t really believe could beat him, upping it when he needed to and coming back really well after the break to close out the match. Next for him: Zverev or Muller.
Nava saves the first two on serve, but Norrie has another go on his own delivery…
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