Australian Open day seven: Barty v Anisimova, Monfils in action – live!

Kecmanovic is serving to stay in the second set at 5-6, having lost the first 7-5. At 0-15, he’ll have been having flashbacks, at 15-all he nets a backhand for no reason whatsoever, and at 30-all he goes long on the forehand for no reason. I say no reason, I mean P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E, but Monfils then nets on the run, and we’re at deuce. Not for long, first Kecmanovic misses a game point then Monfils earns a set point, setting it up with an excellent backhand only to net that same forehand on the run. Back to deuce we go while, on Laver, a hold each means it’s 3-3 in set two.

Is Barty about to be broken again? Er no. At 30-40, she finds a big serve, and on advantage, Anisimova slips when poised to unleash a big forehand. Barty 6-4 2-2 Anisimova

Oh dear. Barty is so consistent, a consequence of mental equanimity and a rounded game. She quickly makes 15-40, and though Anisimova saves one break-back point, she then swipes a backhand wide and plenty. That is going to sting, and I’d not be surprised to see Barty accelerate away from here.

Monfils has broken Kecmanovic back in set two and now leads 7-5 4-4.

Now then: Anisimova gets to 15-40 and lands a really good forehand on the line, but Barty gets it back and when she tries the same again, she drops fractionally long. However! Anisimova gets a second serve to go out, she wallops a forehand return, and Barty can’t respond! That’s the first time she’s been broken in the competition, and do we got ourselves a ball-game?!

Ooh yeah! Barty coaxes a luscious forehand down the line and into the corner for deuce, then clouts a forehand winner for break point; Anisimova is hanging on here, but a forehand error from Barty gives her deuce and she closes out well enough. Courtside, Barbara Schett notes that a big difference between the players is the spin Barty’s able to impart on the ball – but she’s also won 63 consecutive service games, which is ridiculous. Barty 6-4 0-1 Anisimova

Ach, Barty is just so good. An ace out wide gives her 40-0, then a serve down the middle allows a clean-up forehand at the net. She takes the first set 6-4, but the difference between the players is chasmic. Barty 6-4 Anisimova

Anisimova finds her groove with consecutive aces but still finds herself at 40-30, whereupon another biggie forces Barty to serve for it.

Hello! Barty seems to lose concentration and a netted forehand hands Anisimova an immediate break-back point at 30-40, followed by a second serve to go at. Understandably, she unloads the suitcase when it arrives, but the length was decent and the backhand return goes long – way long. A rueful smile follows, and seconds later the game is done. Barty 5-3 Anisimova

Meantime, Kecmanovic has broken Monfils and leads 2-1 in set two, Monfils having taken set one 7-5.

A fantastic forehand return from Barty, cross-court and breaking the sideline, sets up a gorgeous backhand-slice winner from the opposite corner and that’s 0-15. 0-30 follows, and Anisimova is being gradually broken down here, the broadsword to Barty’s rapier. Another point follows that’s typical of the match, Barty directing her opponent around the court before unfurling that backhand-slice winner again; 0-40. Anisimova gets the power going to claw back two break points, but is then incited to go long on the forehand, and that was coming. Barty leads 4-3 and looks great out there.

Barty holds to love for 3-3 while, on Cain, Kecmanovic is struggling to hold, trailing 5-7 0-1.

Yup, Barty is working this out. She’s mixing up spins and speeds, and at 15-30 comes to the net again, sending an underarmer to the corner then putting a way a volley. But she wastes her first break point, sending a forehand return long, then nets on the backhand; neither was necessary, but Anisimovic did well to get her first serves in and eventually secures another hold with the help of an ace. I guess if she can keep doing that, she can reduce the contest to a few points here and there, in which case she’s a good chance of winning it, but already it’s clear that the style match-up suits Barty. Anisimova leads 3-2.

First break point of the match and it goes to Anisimova, but she makes a hash of a backhand from the corner when she didn’t need to, and Barty quickly cleans up. She’s much the better mover of the two, and based on what we’ve seen so far, I’d be surprised if she didn’t find a way to win this. Barty 2-2 Anisimova

There we go! More set points for Monfils, and this time he doesn’t let them (all) slip away, thunking down a shoulder-high winner to the delight of Elina Svitolina, his wife, in his box. Kecmanovic 5-7 Monfils

A lovely exchange at the net, Barty hanging in there via lob, before clattering down a smash, is the best point of the match so far – it looks like she’s got the touch and tennis-brain advantage – but Anisimova holds easily enough for 2-1.

Barty nets a forehand, then redeems it with that kick-serve of hers – her ability to do so is doubly impressive given her height, which is to say Stefan Edberg she is not. An ace follows, and it’s quickly 1-1.

On Laver, Anisimova has again started slowly, facing a break point first up; she saves it with a booming serve and an inside-out forehand from mid-court. She quickly cleans up for 1-0, and we’ll now get a look at Barty’s serve.

Back on Cain, Kecmanovic has just saved three set points at 4-5 in set one; Monfils was as chuffed by this development as you’d expect.

I’m looking forward to the Barty match, partly because how can you not look forward to watching such ray of sunshine, but also because Anisimova can play – just ask Naomi Osaka, who she beat the day before last. Though Barty beat her in Paris the year before last, it was from a set down and a break down and she was playing well enough to win the thing then; she might be now too, but those who know more than me are certain Anisimova is going to win majors.

“Not much I can say that’s positive about today,” Zverev has just said with his head in his hands. He says Shapovalov has worked hard and improved, but that was the worst he’s played since Wimbledon – “awful from myself”.

Greetings! It’s already been a decent day in Melbourne: just when he looked to be over the hump, Alex Zverev [3] was whacked by Danie Shapovalov [14], the rejuvenated Madison Keys whacked Paulo Badosa [8] and Barbora Krejcikova [4] whacked Victoria Azarenka [24]; Jessica Pegula [21] despatched Maria Sakkari [6]; and Rafael Nadal [6] survived a epic first-set tiebreaker to get by Adrian Mannarino.

But, as Jimmy Cricket would say, there’s more: Gaël Monfils [17] and Mimir Kecmanovic are just underway, in a few minutes Ash Barty [1] and Amanda Anisimova will be too, then when they’re done, we’ve got Pablo Carreño Busta [19] and Matteo Berrettini [7].

On we go!