Australian Open 2025: Draper v Kokkinakis, Martínez v Zverev, Gauff beats Burrage – live

Back at the party, Fearnley is doing terrible things to the ball, his power currently too much for Cazaux; he breaks for 1-1 2-0 while, on Laver, Zverev, though he’s being pushed in the games, leads Martinez 5-1. Elsewhere, Mensik leads Ruud 2-1 3-3; Kostyuk has beaten Niemeier 6-3 6-0; and Vekic has had enough, now trailing Dart 4-6 5-0.

You never know how matches might fluctuate but on Cain, it’s Draper playing the better tennis and it’s been that way for a while. And though at 1-1 3-3 30-30, Kokkinakis finds a tremendous backhand, an error brings us to deuce then another offers break point … quickly and violently extinguished. Another netted volley from Kokkinakis then offers another opportunity … but again, he saves himself with power. We’re back at deuce.

Now then! Fearnley makes 0-30 and is two points away from levelling the match at 1-1. And have a look! A nuclear forehand to the corner, unleashed like an overhead punch, is far too good; that’s three set points! And he only needs two, Cazaux netting, and Fearnley looks great out there now! Cazaux 6-3 5-7 Fearnley

Fearnley holds for 6-5, meaning Cazaux will shortly serve to stay in set two having taken the first; Vekic has broken Dart immediately in set two, so I’m switching back to Mensik v Ruud, the youngster leading the no 6 seed 2-1 1-2; and Kokkinakis is back playing after treatment, holding for 1-1 3-2.

Humbert now leads Habib, the Lebanese qualifier, 6-3 6-4; Vukic is up a break at 1-0 in the fifth against Korda; Nishikori and Paul have just started; Vekic holds to trail Dart 4-6 1-0; and Zverev leads Martinez 3-0.

Draper is giving Kokkinakis all he can handle, but so far no breakthrough, the Aussie ploughing through deuce for his latest hold and 1-1 2-1. Again, though, he’s caught coming in, but this time the Brit nets. Then, at change of ends, Kokkinakis holds his shoulder, calling the physio.

Coach Calv is watching Fearnley. “[Redacted] great atmosphere”,” he says of the party court. ”There’s a bar.”

As for the actual tennis, Cazaux breaks back so now leads 6-3 4-5.

On Laver, Zverev has just held – with aggravation – in the first game against Martinez, a canny operator who might just give him grief.

A fine set (of tennis) from Dart, who I think is hitting it harder these days; she holds to love and leads Vekic 6-4. Meantime, Draper holds to love for 1-1 in the third and Cazaux sends a forehand long meaning Fearnley will now serve for the second set at 3-6 5-3. It’s all going on!

Again, Draper threatens Kokkinakis’ serve, but from 0-30 he does enough to hold for 1-1 1-0. And there’s just so much going on it’s ridiculous, but I’ve switched from Ruud v Mensik – the youngster has just served out for a 6-1 third set to lead the no 6 seed 2-1 – to see if Harriet Dart, a lucky loser, can hold to secure the first set against Donna Vekic, seeded 18. She’s up 40-0…

Arthur Fils, seeded 20 and yet another lavishly talented French youngster, has beaten Quentin Halys 6-2 6-4 6-7 7-5; next for him it’s Humbert or Habi, his countryman up 6-3 3-2 with a break.

Draper serves out to 15 and unlike Kokkinakis after set one, there’s no big celebration because he knows there’s a job of work to do. We’re level at a set apiece, and though this match is far from over, he might just’ve seen off the Aussie’s best gear. Draper 6-7 6-3 Kokkinakis

A booming backhand down the line earns Daraper 15-40 and after a first set dominated by Kokkinakis’ serve-forehand combo, he now looks the likelier. We noted earlier that having his man come to the net might work well for the Brit and though here, Kokkinakis ventures in of his own accord, his inability to dispatch a pretty rudimentary volley – he nets – underlines the point. At 6-7 5-3, Draper will now serve for the set.

As for Fearnley, he’s just broken Cazaux back to trail 3-6 2-2; Davidovch Fokina trails Auger-Aliassime (29) 3-4; Dart leads Vekic 4-3 with a break; and Vukic, down 1-2, leads Korda 3-1 in the fourth.

Mensik – who Coach Calv says might lack a bit of X-factor – isn’t going away. He breaks Ruud immediately in set three, so leads 1-1 2-0, while a love hold gives Draper 6-7 4-3.

Gauff says it was a tough match and Burrage served really well, so she started every point on defence. She doubled a little bit but was facing decent returns so was under pressure and next time she might need to vary her spots more.

Asked about her good start to the year, she cites hard work and a book called Chop Wood, Carry Water, that says inches eventually turn into miles.

Finally, reminded that she’ll soon be 21 – goodness me, she’s been around for at least three decades – she’s asked how she’ll celebrate. Explaining that she’s not big into parties, she suggests maybe a drink with her parents, though she’s legal everywhere but the US and travels a lot. Her mates want a party in Miami but she’s an athlete, her buzz is out on the court. I’ll bet, and I’m not at all envious.

Next on Laver: Pedro Martinez v Alexander Zverev (2).

Coco Gauff (3) beats Jodie Burrage 6-3 7-5

Kokkinakis gets to 30-40 on the Draper serve … and guides a backhand winner down the line! At 7-6 2-3, we’re almost back on terms in set two.

Out on court 14, Harriet Dart is up a break on Donna Vekic, the no 18 seed, at 3-2 in the first; on Court, Ruud has just served out to level his match with Mensik at a set apiece.

Kokkinakis is having to fight for his holds now, but he’s on the board in set two at 7-6 3-1. Burrage, though, is running out of road, broken again and, at 6-3 6-5, Gauff will shortly serve for the match.

I said Fearnley might have emerged into his match too late for the first set, but he’s definitely getting Cazaux’s measure; the Frenchman, supported by a rowdy contingent, is serving for set one at 5-3, and even if he closes out – as I type, he does – he’ll know this match is getting harder. The Brit is playing well now.

Kokkinakis earns immediate break-back point but the trusty lefty serve out wide makes Draper deuce. And, though, Kokkinakis again assaults him with forehands, he hangs in there to eventually claim 6-7 3-0.

Meantime, Burrage can’t see it out, broken straight back as Gauff perceives jeopardy. Credit where it’s due, though, she’s playing as well as she can on the biggest stage – a massive step forward.

Oh, and Ruud might just have Mensik’s measure, breaking for 2-6 4-2.

Elsewhere, Fearnley takes back one break off Cazaux, probably too late to save the first set, but early enough such that he’ll feel he can still win. And goodness me, on Laver, Burrage is all over Gauff, who’s serve is breaking down a little – not for the first time. A pair of big forehands secure a break at 3-6 5-3, and the Brit is now serving for a decider! She said she was going to attack, and she meant it.

I wonder if Draper might take pace off, or use the drop more; he needs to do something to compromise Kokkinakis’ forehand. But he makes 15-40 and though one break point is saved, a double – the first of the game – means Draper trails by a set but is up a break at 2-0 in the second. And perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising: Kokkinakis isn’t prime Pete Sampras, which is to say five sets is a long time, and he isn’t likely to serve – or play – perfectly throughout.

Draper holds for 1-0 in the second set, but can he find a way of putting Kokkinakis under pressure on serve? More importantly, have you seen his Greek-themed shorts?

Back on Laver, Gauff now leads Burrage 6-3 3-2 with a break; Cazaux leads Fearnley 3-1; Mensik leads Ruud 6-2 1-2; Korda leads Vukic 4-6 6-3 2-0; Fils leads Halys 6-2 4-6 6-6 (2-4); on, and back on Laver, Burrage breaks Gauff back to love! It’s 3-3 in the second!

Two holds for Kokkinakis, powered by a forehand that’s borderline illegal, and when Draper serves down 3-6, another ninja-style animal secures a 7-6(3) first set! I’m not sure I’ve seen Kokkinakis play better than this – he’s absolutely rabid out there and so far, Draper has no solution to his biggest shots.

Ach, with Kokkinakis backing away facing a second serve, looking to unleash a forehand, Draper thunders into the net, ceding the mini-break. In so close a contest, that might be the difference, especially given how well the Aussie is serving. He leads 4-2.

Burrage is giving Gauff all she’s got, a forehand winner that secures her first hold of set two leaving her opponent sprawling. Gauff leads 6-3 2-1 with a break; Draper and Kokkinakis are 2-2.

Draper holds to 15 and secures his breaker. I guess you have to fancy Kokkinakis because he’s been so clean on serve, but the Brit is more likely to conjure a winner, I think, so it’s hard to feel confident in that prediction. While I’m pontificating, the Aussie begins with an ace, Draper responding with a service winner.

We’re back under way on the outside courts, meaning I can rack up a fourth match: lovely stuff. So I’ve gone for Jacob Fearnley v Arthur Cazaux, the young Frenchman – one of the heroes of last year’s competition, beating Rune and Griekspoor – up 2-0 in the first.

Gauff breaks Burrage for 6-3 1-0; Kokkinakis rushes through yet another love hold, so Draper must now serve for a tiebreak.

I wonder if this might, when we look back, be the tournament which marked a change in the men’s game. Yesterday, Joao Fonseca walloped Andrey Rublev, and today, Jakub Mensik is up 6-2 on Casper Ruud. These lads are the future, but they might also be the present.

A backhand down the line facilitates a clean-up forehand and Kokkinakis has 0-15, the crowd singing their approval – all the more so when Draper then nets. But the game is soon level, the Brit toughing out a long rally; currently, it’s not coming as easily to him as to his opponent. No matter: he clouts down an ace, Kokkinakis slaps a backhand into the net, and we knew where this set was likely to end up from the beginning; at 5-5 it’s nearly there.

An excellent game from Draper, the highlight him drawing Kokkinakis in with a drop, then unleashing a pass. I wonder if we might see more of that, because net-play is not Kokkinakis’ best attribute. In the time it takes me to type that, Kokkinakis makes 40-0 – Draper can’t make any impression with his return – and an ace follows as Gauff serves out for 6-4 against a game Burrage, who’s playing more or less as well as she can.

Kokkinakis powers through another service game for 4-3, but seems to have knack in his right shoulder; one on which to keep an eye. It’s also worth bearing in mind that Draper played five sets on Monday having had time off, so it’s possible that another physical match drains him more than it otherwise might.

Back on Laver, a hold apiece means Gauff must serve for set one at 5-3, Burrage giving a decent account of herself but still at arm’s length.

Gauff wasn’t chuffed to be broken and attacks Burrage’s serve with prejudice, going backhand to backhand to secure another break for 4-2. Meantime, Mensik breaks Ruud for 3-2 in the first – snagging him in round two is about the worst possible outcome for the no 6 seed – while Kokkinakis and Draper both secure straightforward holds and we move to 3-3. There’s nary a blue Rizla between them.

A monstrous, leaping forehand down the line earns Kokkinakis break point at 2-1 in the first … so Draper uncorks a brute of his own, inside-out on to the sideline. From there he secures his hold, while Burrage earns break-back point with a return walloped to the Gauff forehand. Then, handed a second serve, she smites a terrific winner down the line and into the corner! We’re back on serve at 3-2 to the American!

Kokkinakis holds through advantage for 2-1, and this has the feeling of a long, physical match. The Aussie looks pretty grooved, while Draper is still feeling his way back after injury.

Otherwise, it’s still raining, so there’s still no play on the outside courts … oh, and Burrage is on the board, holding through deuce to trail Gauff 1-3.

The A problem Burrage has is that her backhand is also much better than her forehand but she’s not that much like Gauff in any other aspect, not as quick, powerful or smart. Gauff holds again for 3-0 and quickly makes 0-30…

Burrage might have her tactics right but she’s not as good as Gauff, and is broken through deuce at the first time of asking. On Laver, Draper holds, and already you sense this match’ll require a breaker or several.

And we’re away on Cain, Kokkinakis serving confidently. But there’s a hint, on 40-15, at the kind of match this is going to be, both men thrashing away form the baseline before Draper nets a forehand. The Aussie leads 1-0 while on Laver, Ruud and Mensik – yet another young starlet – are level at 1-1 in the first.

We’re away on Laver, Gauff getting to 40-0 before Burrage fights back, and a return whacked straight to that forehand incites the log riposte; deuce. From there, the favourite closes out, but she did not look impregnable in the process.

As for Jack Draper, he should have too much for Thanasi Kokkinakis, a fine but unspectacular player – but only if he’s at it. If he’s not, he’ll be vulnerable against as good a player as he could expect to face in round two given his 15 seeding.

How does Burrage beat Gauff? Er, she probably doesn’t, but what troubles the world no 3 is no secret: her forehand, though improved, remains a weakness. Burrage plans to attack, apparently, and that’s where she’ll surely focus.

Thanks Martin and hi everyone. Welcome to what should be a terrific evening dig – hopefully with but even without play on the outside courts. Coco Gauff and Jodie Burrage are out on Laver; Casper Ruud and Jakub Mensik are knocking up on Laver; while Jack Draper and Thanasi Kokkinakis are en route to Cain.

Play is still suspended on the outside courts until at least 7.30pm AEDT. But there is plenty of action to come with players warming up under the rooves at Melbourne Park.

Coco Gauff (3) and Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage are about to clash on Rod Laver Arena, with Alexander Zverev (2) and Spain’s Pedro Martinez to follow on the main court.

Casper Ruud (6) and Jakub Mensik will meet on Margaret Court Arena before Talia Gibson tries to turn around a disappointing day for the local hopes when she faces Paula Badosa (11).

But the evening session is arguably headlined by Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis taking on Great Britain’s Jack Draper (15).

Daniel Harris will steer you along under the lights at Melbourne Park. Thanks for following to this point.

Ajla Tomljanovic had her moments but was unable to match her younger opponent’s power from the baseline as the Australians love-hate relationship with her home grand slam continues. The 31-year-old is still to progress to the third round of the women’s singles at Melbourne Park since making her debut in 2014.

Diana Shnaider (12) beats Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4 7-5

Diana Shnaider opens the door for Ajla Tomljanovic as she loses her serving range but the Australian is unable to make the most of the opportunity while losing the game to 30. Once again, the Tomljanovic is serving to stay in the Australian Open and this time to take the second set to a tiebreaker.

Another commanding service game from Ajla Tomljanovic. When her forehand is up and running, she can be hard to resist! Tomljanovic wins the game to love and the second set is level at 5-5 with Diana Shnaider to serve.

Ajla Tomljanovic stays alive! The Australian breaks Diana Shnaider as she clinches the game with a powerful forehand winner. Tomljanovic looks pumped as the crowd rises as one, but now needs to hold serve.

Ajla Tomljanovic undoes much of her hard work as she is unable to hold serve. The Australian’s smash into an open court on break point for Diana Shnaider goes long and her head drops as it becomes apparent that she is really up against it now. The 12th seed is serving for a spot in the third round.

Ajla Tomljanovic gets the break that she needs and will serve to even up the second set against Diana Shnaider (12). Plenty of support from the home crowd at John Cain Arena is helping the Australia to lift.

A dominant service game from Ajla Tomljanovic holds to love and takes the second set to 4-2. The Australian still needs to break Diana Shnaider to stay alive.