It is the midway point of the tournament – the young hopefuls who came to Melbourne Park on little more than a wing and a prayer have had their moment in the spotlight and have now left the premises, while those with serious pretentions to the title are digging in for the long haul.
After a whole week of competition, what have we learned? What do we think? What do we remember? Here are a few thoughts and memories.
Upset of the week
This is easy: Stefanos Tsitsipas beating Roger Federer in the fourth round on Sunday 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5). The 20-year-old from Greece was fearless, he was aggressive and he believed that this was his moment. Taking on the 20-time Grand Slam champion, the six-time Australian Open champion and, for good measure, the defending champion, he sidestepped 12 break points, served like a man possessed and never gave Federer a whiff of a chance.
He was impressive, he was aggressive, he served and he volleyed, he was everything the sport was hoping for in the new generation – and he won in nerveless style. And then he cried. What was not to love?
It was scarily like that moment at Wimbledon in 2001 when a young Swiss bloke called Federer beat Pete Sampras in the fourth round. He turned out all right, that Federer fella. Keep your eyes on Tsitsipas – that man could go far.
Best men’s match
I may be biased, being of a Pommie persuasion, but Andy Murray’s first-round defeat to Roberto Bautista Agut was a cracker. It could well be the Scot’s last match here in Australia and, indeed, the very last match of his career thanks to that knackered right hip of his. It was an emotional, rip-roaring rollercoaster of a match with Murray fighting back from two sets down – as only he can – and playing the sort of cunning, crafty, spectacular tennis that got him to the top of the game in the first place.
It could not last – his hip simply would not allow it – and he lost in five sets. But with the waves of support he was getting in the packed Melbourne Arena, he was as happy as a man facing possible retirement could be. If this was the end, it was a hell of a way to go. And for all of you screaming “but what about Tsitsipas?” I refer you to “upset of the week”.
Best women’s match
For the sheer quality of tennis from first ball to last, Garbine Muguruza’s three-set win over Johanna Konta took some beating. Starting at 12.30am and finishing at 3.12am, the lateness of the hour did not stop either woman. Muguruza came flying out of the blocks in the opening game with Konta in hot pursuit. For almost three hours they stood toe to toe, and only in the last couple of points of the match did Konta waver and Muguruza seize her chance. Great stuff from the pair of them.
Big three men
This may look like the easy option but, really, who else are you backing other than Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal? Raf, the French Open champion, was in the final two years ago and booked his place in the quarterfinals this summer with a 6-0 6-1 7-6(4) clobbering of Tomas Berdych on Sunday, while the six-time champion Djoko is motoring through the rounds. Yes, he dropped a set to Denis Shapovalov but, yes, he showed just who was boss with a 6-0 fourth set.
When, earlier this week, someone asked Djokovic if he was surprised how he turned last year around, starting the grass court season as the world No.22 and ending the year as the world No.1 and champion of Wimbledon and the US Open, he was quite clear. “No, not really,” he said calmly. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Djokovic is back in the house, and he means business.
But there is one Alexander Zverev who might just have something to say about this duopoly. He beat Djoko to win the ATP Tour Finals at the end of last year and currently is looking rather good as he makes his way through the rounds. Now mentored by Ivan Lendl, the stone-faced coach who taught Murray how to win Grand Slam titles, he is moving ever closer to the established superstars. With the confidence he gained in London last November, he might yet have something to say about the final destination of the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.
Big three women
You cannot look much further than Serena Williams and Petra Kvitova as the experienced contenders for the title. Between them, they have dropped just 26 games to get to the start of the second week and spent just seven hours and 29 minutes on court in the process. While the attention has been focused on the mayhem of the opening days with stories popping up all over the grounds, they have been simply getting on with business, quickly, quietly and efficiently. The first week has now been negotiated and they all know that the challenges ahead will be tougher and keep them on court longer, but the foundations of their Australian Open challenges have been laid – they are both looking awfully, awfully good.
Who might upset their plans? Well, there is always the US Open champion, Naomi Osaka. She may have dropped a set against Hseih Su-Wei in the previous round, but Hseih’s unique talents can drive anyone to distraction. Do not be surprised if you see Osaka knocking on the door to claim her second major title.
Fashion statement of the week
No prizes for guessing this one: Serena’s “Serena-tard”. Not quite a leotard, not quite a catsuit it is … well, it is a vibrant green statement of intent. With a low temperature wash option.
“I have been working really, really hard in the offseason to be incredibly fit and incredibly ready,” Serena explained. “I took a year off, and I’m still trying to get 12 months under my belt of playing, actually.
“I wanted to be fit. I came back. Nike always wants to make an incredibly strong, powerful statement for moms that are trying to get back and get fit. That was basically it for me.”
That is as may be, but it still does not explain why she warms up in what appears to be a long, black raincoat that she whips off for the big Serena-tard reveal before the opening point. This may need further investigation.
Quote of the week
Zverev announced his intention to become the first vegetable to win the Australian Open. For all his hard work with his fitness trainer, Jez Green (the man who turned Murray from a skinny teenager into a muscle mountain), poor Sascha does not look any stronger. “I’m disappointed,” he said. “I still get called ‘asparagus’.” Still, no one has been able to claim him as one of their five-a-day: he is in the fourth round with Milos Raonic to play for a place in the second Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career.
Frances Tiafoe has come up with some new technical terms and strategies the past few days. What did he think of 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova’s run to the fourth round, beating Aryna Sabalenka to get there? “It was barbecue chicken for her,” the mightily impressed Frances said, leaving a few scribes looking perplexed, and a few more looking hungry.
As for his own chances after beating Grigor Dimitrov in four, long sets to set up a quarterfinal with Nadal – what did he need to do to win that one? “Go to bed now!” came the simple reply. He makes it all sound so easy.