The round of 128 at the 2024 Australian Open is complete, with the bottom half of the draw the last to play their matches across the three-day opening round.
Like day two, it was another successful day for most of the seeded players, with Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Sascha Zverev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov, Tommy Paul, Cameron Norrie, Tallon Griekspoor and Jiri Lehecka all progressing.
However, it wasn’t all plane sailing with Rune, Zverev and Dimitrov each dropping a set, the latter finding himself a set and a breakdown before summoning some of the form that landed him the Brisbane title just over a week ago.
Also, like yesterday, there was just one seed to fall – Sascha Bublik, who crashed out to Sumit Nagal in straight sets as the Indian qualifier recorded one of his biggest career wins.
You can see the full set of results from day three below.
Day Three 2024 Australian Open Round of 128 Results
| Winner | Loser | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz (2) | Richard Gasquet | 7-6(5) 6-1 6-2 |
| Alexander Zverev (6) | Dominik Koepfer | 4-6 6-3 7-6(3) 6-3 |
| Holger Rune (8) | Yoshihito Nishioka | 6-2 4-6 7-6(3) 6-4 |
| Casper Ruud (11) | Albert Ramos-Vinolas | 6-1 6-3 6-1 |
| Grigor Dimitrov (13) | Marton Fucsovics | 4-6 6-3 7-6(1) 6-2 |
| Tommy Paul (14) | Gregoire Barrere | 6-2 6-3 6-3 |
| Cameron Norrie (19) | Juan Pablo Varillas | 6-4 6-3 6-2 |
| Tallon Griekspoor (28) | Roman Safiullin | 2-6 3-6 7-6(3) 6-4 7-5 |
| Sumit Nagal (Q) | Alexander Bublik (31) | 6-4 6-2 7-6(5) |
| Jiri Lehecka (32) | Bernabe Zapata Miralles | 6-3 6-2 6-3 |
| Arthur Cazaux (WC) | Laslo Djere | 6-2 6-7(3) 6-2 3-6 6-2 |
| Jack Draper | Marcos Giron | 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-0 6-2 |
| Arthur Fils | Jiri Vesely (PR) | 4-6 7-5 6-2 6-3 |
| Lukas Klein (Q) | Soonwoo Kwon (PR) | 7-6(0) 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3 |
| Thanasi Kokkinakis | Sebastian Ofner | 7-6(1) 2-6 6-7(4) 6-1 7-6(8) |
| Johannes Michelsen | Ryan McCabe (WC) | 7-5 3-6 6-1 6-2 |
| Max Purcell | Mate Valkusz (Q) | 3-6 7-6(2) 6-4 7-5 |
| Juncheng Shang (WC) | Mackenzie McDonald | 6-3 1-6 3-6 6-4 6-2 |
| Lorenzo Sonego | Daniel Evans | 4-6 7-6(8) 6-2 7-6(4) |
| Giulio Zeppieri (Q) | Dusan Lajovic | 6-3 3-6 6-3 7-6(3) |
Rune Negates Nishioka
Holger Rune kicked off his Australian Open with a hard-fought victory in four sets, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
With 30-degree heat challenging both players, Nishioka’s ability to frustrate opponents with his speedy court coverage meant Rune struggled to keep his errors down.
After splitting the first two sets, the third decided the match as Nishioka saved a set point at 4-5, then had two deuces at 5-5, but the Dane powered through to take the tiebreak with some authoritative hitting,
Overall, Rune’s ability to strike winners from the baseline ultimately proved the difference, and he’ll be looking to tidy up his performance in the next round.
It’s tough, but it’s always exciting to start the first round. The conditions were hot and dry, so it was difficult to find the right pace. The ball was fast. But again, it was great to start with a match like this. Rune on his win over Nishioka.
Dimitrov Dogs Out Victory
Grigor Dimitrov ended a six-year title drought when he lifted the trophy in Brisbane just over a week ago, but things didn’t look too good in Melbourne when he found himself a set and a break down to Marton Fucsovics.
The Bulgarian 13th seed started poorly, firing multiple errors in the heat, but he was able to recover as the match wore on, and while his game never hit the heights we’ve seen in recent months, his physical conditioning allowed him to prevail 4-6, 6-3. 7-6(1), 6-2.
Grigor will face Thanasi Kokkinakis next.
Overall it was a good match. I think for sure I could have done a lot of things better, but it’s always tricky when you start a Slam. I have been doing a lot of work prior to the tournament as well. I was kind of hoping that I would have a better first match, but it is how it is. You need to go through those matches. Dimitrov on his win over Fucsovics
Alcaraz Makes Impressive Start
So far in his relatively short career, Australia hasn’t been one of Carlos Alcaraz’s happy hunting grounds, but he made a rapid start this year, seeing off Richard Gasquet 7-6(5), 6-1, 6-2.
Gasquet, who has just dropped out of the top 100 for the first time in almost twenty years, is still capable on his day, as he proved in a tight opening first set that lasted 72 minutes.
However, the Frenchman has never been the type of player to win through sheer grit and stamina, and after his flashy shotmaking bailed him out of trouble several times in the early stages, he began to tire, whereas Alcaraz accelerated, blitzing through the second and third sets to move into round 2.
It’s always great to play here in Australia. This is the third time that I’m playing here. I didn’t have a good run the years that I played here, but I enjoyed it a lot and I missed it last year. Today I felt really good, playing here and I enjoyed in front of the crowd. I tried to get better. I think in the first set I struggled a little bit with his game and Richard was playing great as well. Every set, I played better and better, and in the end I think I played quite a good level. Alcaraz on his win over Gasquet.
Other Matches of Note
- Griekspoor Sinks Safiullin: The seeded Dutchman came back from two sets down to win through 2-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 and 7-5 in 3 hours and 50 minutes. I had fancied Safiullin to come through that one, given his form at the end of last year, and he had a break point at 4-4 in the third, but Griekspoor fought back to take an impressive win.
- Draper Denies Giron: A satisfying win for the Brit who’s had both injury and stamina problems in the past as he recorded a 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-0 6-2 in three hours twenty minutes. I’m not sure how he will fare in round two, as he looked to be clutching his abs and had to throw up in a trash can on the side of the court immediately after victory, but a five-set win will give him confidence.
- Nagal Boots Bublik: The Indian qualifier toppled the 31st seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5). That’s the first time in 35 years an Indian has defeated a seeded player at a Grand Slam, and his steady, composed play proved too much for the flashy Bublik, who only applies his talent in fits and spurts.
- Ruud Routines Ramos-Vinolas: A 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Albert Ramos-Vinolas for the Norwegian to carry on his form from the United Cup and he’s completely turned around this particular H2H from 0-3 to 4-3.
Australian Open Day 4 Round of 64 Matches
- Daniel Galán (LL) vs Sebastian Baez
- Pavel Kotov vs Flavio Cobolli (Q)
- Jannik Sinner vs Jesper de Jong
- Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Karen Khachanov (15)
- Fabian Marozsan vs Francisco Cerundolo
- Lorenzo Musetti vs Luca Van Assche
- Adrian Mannarino vs Jaume Munar
- Taylor Fritz vs Hugo Gaston (LL)
- Alex de Minaur (10) vs Matteo Arnaldi
- Sebastian Korda vs Quentin Halys (Q)
- Gael Monfils vs Tomas Etcheverry
- Christopher O’Connell vs Ben Shelton
- Frances Tiafoe vs Tomas Machac
- Christopher Eubanks vs Andrey Rublev
- Jordan Thompson vs Stefanos Tsitsipas (2)
- Novak Djokovic (1) vs Alexei Popyrin
- Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Hugo Grenier (Q)
- Nuno Borges vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (23)
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