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DavidC · Tennis legend

Boys & Girls: 2026 Australian Open, hard (Week 4)

DavidC · Tennis legend

There will be just 2 Brits in the main draws

Girls QR1

(q6) Rira Kosaka (JPN) d. Rosie Cho 6-2 6-2

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

BOYS

R1

Mark Ceban (GBR) v Connor Doig (RSA)

Connor is age 18 already so must be born right at the start of the year. He's ranked 44 in juniors, and 1661 in ATP. He lost in R3 in Traralgon last week and has nothing particulalry 'scary' on his results sheet

GIRLS

R1

Hollie Smart (GBR) v (q) Azuna Ichioka (JPN)

Azuna is also 18 arelady. No WTA ranking and only 189 in juniors. Lost in R2 in Traralgon (after being a LL)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Perfectly decent round 1 draws - both are scheduled to play tonight, with Hollie first on court 14 at 11pm GMT. Mark is 4th on court 8, which may be very late or postponed because of the weather. Junior matches are streamed on Discovery+

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I see that the adults have an 'intentionally blank' space in the OoP in the mid afternoon, because of the heat

But there's no similar spot in the programming for the juniors?

I don't quite see the logic in that

Doubles is fine (adult or juniors), it's different

But singles is singles - why should adults be more protected?

Lambda · Top national player

Isn't the intentionally blank just there to separate the day session from the night session? It's only on the show courts, which are climate controlled when the roof is closed so heat shouldn't be as much of an issue on those courts. If the weather is to be as forecast, than I think the extreme heat suspension of play rule will likely come into effect on the outside courts anyway.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You may well be right, Lambda - I've probably misunderstood

All I do know is that poor Hollie's face is dripping wet and she's only been on the court 10 mins

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Hollie takes the first set 7-5- playing beautifully, at least since I started watching a few games back.

wolf · Tennis legend

After 2 hours 24 minutes and after serving for the match at *5-4 Hollie splits sets 7-5 6-7(7)

wolf · Tennis legend

Oh dear

R1

(q) Azuna Ichioka (JPN) defeated Hollie Smart (GBR) by 5-7 7-6(7) 2-3 retired

I didn't watch but Hollie was 3-0 up in the final set.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I stopped watching when Hollie was 2-0 up in the second - I thought she was home and dry in that one - the first set had been a struggle but she was playing better towards the end and started the second one well

DavidC · Tennis legend

Looking at a replay of the closing stages Hollie was unfortunately cramping badly, could barely walk, and gave her service game away at 3-1 in the final set in order to get change of ends medical attention, but to no avail cry

DavidC · Tennis legend

Mark is up first tonight on court 8

Boys Doubles R1 (L32)

Ceban/Filaretov (GBR/***) v Rybkin/Sloboda (***/SVK)

Girls Doubles R1 (L32)

Marinkovic / Smart (SWE/GBR) v Lizunova/Tupitsyna (***)

Julia Carrot · All-time great

DavidC wrote:
Looking at a replay of the closing stages Hollie was unfortunately cramping badly, could barely walk, and gave her service game away at 3-1 in the final set in order to get change of ends medical attention, but to no avail

I was fully expecting them to bring the heat rule in after the second set - and she might have been able to rehydrate properly AND cool down.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Mark is on court and leads 6-2 3-0 currently