Australian Open 2025: Collins faces Keys and jeering crowd, Kecmanovic v Rune – live
Key events
Rune and Kecmanovic are going right at it, and Rune wins a power-packed rally, though cannot get another break. He leads 4-2 in the second.
Keys holds her serve for 1-3 down but Collins is playing well. She’s not even being booed.
Collins has a tough hold on her serve, but Keys nets, and it’s 3-0 in the second. This one seems it’s going to a decider and Collins is on her best behaviour.
Collins has broken Keys, and is showing the fortitude of her later career, and some of the guts that have taken her to the final here before. The grunts are getting louder, too.
Rune is a break up in the second and looking more confident. The serve is working well, too, and he rushes to 3-0 up, looking to level the match.
So, where does Collins go from here? She serves well, and Keys’ radar fades from the previous game. Collins aces for a love game. She has some fans on her side in there.
Keys takes the first set from Collins 6-4
Keys serves to win the first set, and she has to fight off a resurgent Collins. The means to do this is fierce serving, and she takes it to love. Not even a big cheer for that. There have been warnings issued to the crowd.
Kecmanovic takes the first set from Rune 7-6
Kecmanovic snatches full hold of the tie-break, and goes 6-1 up. Then loses the next two points. And then, as it gets close, goes big on the serve to win 7-5. He’s played very well.
Keys leads 4-2, with an improvement from both players in this stilted first set.
Rune has to serve to stay in the first set, and is taken to deuce by Kecmanovic. He holds to go to a tie-breaker.
Collins held her serve to a blank response. The noise levels are going up a bit, as the amber nectar has clearly got to a few. Mind, both players’ error levels suggest they’re a bit squiffy, too. Keys holds her serve, somehow. It’s 3-1.
Kecmanovoc and Rune is back with serve. That one could go all night. 5-5 in the first.
When Keys holds her serve to go 2-0 up on Collins, there’s a cheers but this is a very odd atmosphere. Less a bearpit than a dissatisfied audience for a rubbish support band.
And Collins loses the first game, broken on serve by Keys. To cheers. It’s back on serve between Kecmanovic and Rune, at 3-3.
Few cheers when Collins wins the second point at 15-15. But some mockery when she double faults. The hoons and galas are out in force for her.
OK, here we go…and the crowd cheers when Collins nets…oh dear.
Some Sinner quotes after that easy win.
“Tough match – if it’s Holger I know him slightly better. We’ve had some very tough battles in the past. If it’s Miomir it’s a bit different. We’ve played I think a couple of times. Let’s see. I’ll try and focus on my side, as I said try to raise my level and hopefully it’s a good match.”
He did go a bit flat in the third set.
“Today the percentage of my net game was not really good but I try to improve, sometimes I feel certain things are a little bit better, sometimes a bit worse but that’s normal.
“Trying to stay there mentally which is the most important aspect but for sure if I want to go on in this tournament I have to improve. I have to raise my level but I am still very happy.”
A recap of today’s stories as we enter the last two matches on court.
Let’s see how that Melbourne Saturday night crowd react to Colins.
Early break for Rune against Kecmanovic, it’s 3-2 in the first as the Rod Laver prepares for Collins v Keys.
Sinner beats Giron 6-3 6-4 6-2
Sinner serves out with real ease, too easy. Giron barely laid a glove on him.
Giron has been broken and Sinner will serve out, two breaks up
The next match on the Margaret Court Arena is a men’s encounter between Miomir Kecmaovic, against the Dane Holger Rune. Following the Sinner game will be bad girl Danielle Collins v Madison Keys.
Giron breaks but then coughs up break points in the next game, to fall 3-2 down in the third. Giron is being treated now, too.
Svitolina: “I felt very bad on the court today. The first set went very quick. All the Ukrainians, we have this fighting spirit. We are fighting for what is ours, fighting spirit is on our blood.”
Svitolina beats Paolini 2-6 6-4 6-0
Svitolina, after a 6-0 third set on Paolini, is set to end another Italian’s participation.
Giron has his chance here, but blows three of them. He changes his racquet at deuce. The Sinner serve is less than radar-like. But still he holds, and it’s 2-0 in the third.
Sinner tries to break Giron at the start of the third set. It’s mostly one-way traffic. At break point, he hits the net cord. But then sent Giron all over the place and then overpowers the volleying of the American. He leaps up to power the backhand that gives him control of the set. 1-0 and him to serve.
Svitolina took that second set, so it’s 1-1 with Paolini.
Sinner takes the second set from Giron 6-4, leads two sets to love
Sinner and Giron continues to go in the champion’s favour though it’s been a lot closer. Sinner was 0-30 down, and now he rolls to set point, and takes it.
Shelton, 22, will face Monfils in the last-16 after the 38-year-old shocked Taylor Fritz.
Sinner has found life a little less easy but now has his break. He’s 4-2 up. Meanwhile Palolina is in danger in the second set with Svitolina, and is 3-5 down there.
Shelton beats Musetii 6-3 3-6 6-4 7-6
Musetti must again serve to stay in the match with Ben Shelton. He duly does so, and it’s a tie-breaker. 6-6, Shelton 2-1 up. Here comes a test of nerve. Shelton stuffs a volley at the net to go 0-1 down. Musetti is just as nervous, missing a crosscourt winner and then being outdone on a long rally. Then Shelton misses a drop volley. 3-2 up. Musetti cannot capitalise, and rages at his bench as he can only net. A slip as Shelton then falls victim to a drop. He’s 4-3 up, and serves a bomb of an ace. 5-2 after Musetti outlasts the rally. 5-5 after a whipped backhand. Shelton lands his first chance at match point after a stop-volley stops a Musetti charge. He serves, then guides his winner and himself through to the fourth round with a forehand.
Sinner takes first set from Giron 6-3
Bit of a wobble on the Sinner serve, taken to deuce, but then the world No 1 pulls off an amazing winner, landing the ball on a postage stamp. Then Sinner makes another error for deuce. Big serve sees it out.
Shelton’s adrenaline is taking him close but too many mistakes. A poor service return and a blammed winner, going out and Musetti levels at 5-5.
Musetti and Shelton is building towards a dramatic conclusion, and the Italian needs to hold serve to stay in the fourth and the match, 5-4 down. Paolini is already a set up on Svitolina, by the way, winning it 6-2.
Giron, at 4-1 down, is exerting some muscle. His second ace takes him back to 2-4 down on Sinner. Now all he has to do is break the Sinner serve.
Shelton and Musetti has turned, and a break back in serve takes it to 3-3 in the fourth with a chorus of “Italia, Italia”.
Sinner, 3-0 up, seems to have far too much for Giron, who is speedy around the court and looks relieved to have won a game. 3-1, it goes, but now for the Sinner serve.
Talking of Italians, Jasmine Paolina, a losing finalist in 2024 at SW19 and Roland Garros, is playing Elina Svitolina, and it’s going with serve. To complete the Italian dominance on show courts, there’s a right old battle going on between Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Musetti, though it appears the American has the fourth set in hand, leading 3-0 and two sets to one.
Early break for Sinner, and Giron’s second serve looks vulnerable, to say the least. 2-0 to Sinner.
Sinner takes 1-0 lead
Sinner took a while to decide, but he will serve first, and bar a double fault, takes the first game with some ease.
John Brewin
G’day, here comes the knock-up on a sunny court. Giron, at 31, is experienced but it would be quite the shock if he beats Sinner. This is the furthest he has ever reached at Melbourne.
John Brewin has brewed a coffee and taken his seat in time to cast an eye over reigning men’s champion Jannik Sinner taking on Marcos Giron on RLA. There is plenty more action to keep you going with Jasmine Paolini (4) meeting Elina Svitolina, and Danielle Collins perhaps renewing her love-hate relationship with the Australian crowds against fellow American Madison Keys later on. Enjoy …
The big guns are making their way onto the show courts to start their warm-up but we have one match from the day session still being played. And it looks like this one will be finishing under lights with Ben Shelton (21) and Lorenzo Musetti (16) all square at 6-3, 3-6, 4-4.
Lorenzo Sonego beats Fabian Marozsan 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-1, 6-2
Lorenzo Sonego will face Learner Tier in the round of 16 after finishing over the top of Fabian Marozsan in a 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-1, 6-2 win. The Italian is into the fourth round for the first time at Melbourne Park as he eyes a breaking grand slam quarter-final but with an qualifier riding a wave of momentum in his way.
Learner Tien beats Corentin Moutet 7-6 6-3 6-3
Learner Tien continues his dream run and this time has done it in straight sets as he polishes off Corentin Moutet 7-6 6-3 6-3 to reach the round of 16. He’s barely 19 years of age!
Jack Snape is at Melbourne Park and has taken a closer look at how Alex de Minaur found a way to drag himself back into the contest against a stern challenge from Francisco Cerundolo.
In a warning shot to the rest of the tournament, Alex de Minaur is feeling the goods even after a cagey four-setter against Francisco Cerundolo.
While we wrap up proceedings on RLA there is still plenty of action around the grounds.
Qualifier Learner Tien’s fairytale run looks set to continue as the 19-year-old builds a strong 7-6(10), 6-3, 4-3 lead over Corentin Moutet.
Lorenzo Sonego is closing in on victory over Fabian Marozsan with a 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-1, 4-0 stronghold on court 3.
Ben Shelton (21) leads Lorenzo Musetti (16) 6-3, 2-4 with the Italian serving to extend his lead in the second set.
Alex De Minaur (8) beats Francisco Cerundolo (31) (5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-3
Alex De Minaur didn’t have it all his own way, and the relief on his face is telling, but finally the No 8 seed wears down the brave Francisco Cerundolo to move into the round of 16 for the fourth consecutive time at Melbourne Park.
Up next for the Australian will be young American Alex Michelsen.
De Minaur (8) v Cerundolo* (31) (5-7, 7-6 [7-3], 6-3, 6-3): De Minaur lures Cerundolo into the net with a crafty chip to the service line as the return gives him multiple options to finish off the Argentinian. The No 8 seed goes cross-court to make it 15-15 then edges towards a pair of match points. Cerundolo saves both and takes out four points at deuce but is unable to seal the fight back. De Minaur’s backhand is on a perfect length across the rally until Cerundolo nets then gives up the ghost with a double fault.
De Minaur* (8) v Cerundolo (31) (5-7, 7-6 [7-3], 6-3, 5-3): Cerundolo stops for treatment in the change of ends and once again it seems to have worked wonders. The Argentinian pulls out a sublime cross-court backhand that lines barely on the lead to give him a 15-30 lead. De Minaur has dropped back into the habit of return too many shots to the middle of the court when he should be get Cerundolo on his bike. The No 8 seed does just that next to draw level at 30-30 then another blunder from Cerundolo at the net gives De Minuar a stronghold on the game. The Australian shows him how it should be done as he sprints from well behind the baseline to reach a drop shot and get enough under the ball to chip back over the net. De Minaur slaps his thighs again but Cerundolo ain’t laughin’. The No 31 seed will serve to stay alive.
De Minaur (8) v Cerundolo* (31) (5-7, 7-6 [7-3], 6-3, 4-3): Oh, wow! A wonderful point from De Minaur as he races from the net to the baseline to chase down the impossible and forces a poor volley from Cerundolo. The Australian slaps himself on the thighs as thanks as much as in celebration. Cerundolo double faults at 30-40 and De Minaur breaks the Argentinian. It might have even been enough to break the No 31 seed for good.
De Minaur* (8) v Cerundolo (31) (5-7, 7-6 [7-3], 6-3, 3-3): One of the rallies of the match lasts 23 shots until De Minaur slams a winner down the line and just inside the baseline to start at 15-0. The Australian fires in an ace next then wraps up the game to 15 with another forehand winner.
