Li Na stormed to her second Grand Slam title with a straight set victory over Slovakian twentieth seed Dominika Cibulkova to win the Australian Open.
It was a case of third time lucky for Li, who had previously reached the Australian Open final in 2011 and 2013, losing both times. However, today was a different story as she raced to a 7-6(3) 6-0 victory in 97 minutes to add a second Grand Slam to her 2011 French Open title.
Her opponent struggled on the day, perhaps the pressure of her maiden Grand Slam final taking its toll. Regardless, it's been an excellent tournament for Cibulkova, claiming notable scalps over Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska.
In the post-match speeches Cibulkova told the crowd, "I don't really know where to start. This has been a fantastic two weeks of my life and I think I'm going to cry."
The victory moved Li into third in the WTA World Rankings, and the crowd-favourite was pleased to win her maiden title in Melbourne. In her post-match speech she said, "Finally I got her [the Australian Open trophy]. The last two times [in 2011 and 2013] was very close."
Li started well, breaking Cibulkova in the first game after a nervous start from both players. However, Li struggled to control the rhythm of her serve, making just two first serves in the first six games, and was broken back to make it 3-3.
Both players continued to test each other's serve, but it remained on course until Li broke at 5-5 to allow her to serve for the set. Yet her serving woes continued and a poor backhand into the net meant Cibulkova broke back to take the first set to a tie-break.
In the tie-break Li opened up a 5-1 lead before an incorrect challenge gave the Slovak a slight chance to come back into it. But experience told as Li served out the set 7-3.
The tie-break victory seemed to kick-start Li who capitalised on a couple of weak second serves from her opponent to break early in the set. A number of backhand winners enabled her to break again for a 4-0 lead.
Whilst receiving for the match Li opened up two Championship points. Cibulkova saved the first but in keeping with the general theme of the match, hit an unforced error to give Li the Melbourne crown.
Andy Murray lost his first set of the Australian Open so far as he laboured to victory against Frenchman Stephane Robert 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-2.
Murray won the opening two sets before the Frenchmen hit back in a third set tie-break. However, Murray replied, sealing his place in the quarter-finals after winning the fourth.
Frustration was evident in Murray's game today as he attempted to get off the court quickly, making a number of errors in the process.
Robert was the lowest ranked player going into the fourth round. Having come into the tournament as a 'lucky loser', he was placed in the draw just 10 minutes before the deadline. With a self-descriptive style of 'casino tennis' Robert put on a show for the Melbourne crowd, firing big winners throughout the match.
Murray acknowledged his opponent afterwards, telling the Guardian, "He is a fun player to watch but not to play against. He made it very tricky for me. He's very unorthodox. You want to close these matches out quickly if you can, but he played very well."
The warning signs were there for Murray early on, saving a break point in the first game after a huge winner from Robert. However the fourth seed took control after this game, sealing the first set 6-1 in just 25 minutes.
He continued to dominate throughout the second set, winning the first four games in a row before Robert finally managed to claw one back. Nevertheless, it was all in vain as Murray claimed the second set 6-2.
Robert refused to go down without a fight, battling toe-to-toe with Murray in the third who lost the intensity held in the opening sets. The Scot broke to serve out the match at 5-3 but was broken back by the dogged Frenchman after missing two match points.
The set entered a tie-break and once again Murray had two points to end the match, both missed as Robert capitalized, winning 8-6 to take the match to a fourth.
Murray pulled himself together in the fourth, regaining his composure to claim it 6-2, making just three unforced errors all set.
In the quarter-finals Murray will face a blockbuster tie against Roger Federer after the Swiss overcame Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets.
UP -Ronnie O'Sullivan - Not only did Ronnie O'Sullivan claim his fifth Masters title this week, but he did it in such style. Leading 7-1 after the first session against defending champion Mark Selby, O'Sullivan finished him off, eventually winning 10-4. Brutal from Ronnie who only dropped seven frames throughout the entire tournament. Absolutely no pot luck about it. UP - Australian Open - Where to begin? It's been an eventful week down under. Ridiculous weather ranging from a four day extreme heatwave to freak lightning storms. Seeds have toppled early in Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Juan Martin Del Potro and Caroline Wozniacki. Fedberg is proving to be a dangerous partnership. Oh, and Murray is quietly going about his business. Roll on the second week. UP - Lizzy Yarnold - Yarnold is one of a number of British hopefuls who will soon be departing to Sochi to take part in the Winter Olympics. Normally we are happy to celebrate just getting one medal but this time there is a genuine chance of a number of medals. Yarnold in the Skeleton, Christie in speed-skating, and both curling teams are notable prospects in amongst a whole host of others. UP - Hyde - Hyde fans were celebrating their first victory in 30 matches this week as they claimed a 2-0 victory against Welling United. Their last victory came all the way back in April and such a poor run of results has left them eighteen points adrift of safety. With just seven points and one win all season, it seems extremely unlikely that they will avoid the drop but you never know! Stranger things have happened. UP - Jamaican Bobsleigh Team - This is a story with so much history. After Jamaican qualification to the 1988 Games led to the film Cool Runnings, it looks like Jamaica will be back, qualifying for the first time in 12 years. Courtesy of an issue with the Dutch team not meeting their National qualifying standard, it looks as though the two man team will qualify for Sochi. Then, they just need to raise the money to actually get there. Nothing warms the soul like a Caribbean country competing at the Winter Olympics.. DOWN - Alexis Ruano - I'm still wincing despite reading this story on Friday. Whilst a Messi wondergoal and a Neymar ankle injury stole the headlines, Alexis Ruano certainly came out of that game badly. After what seemed like a routine coming together Ruano was carried off on a stretcher. It was later revealed that the Getafe player suffered 'broken veins' in his testicle leading to it swelling up to an enormous size. I'm squirming just typing this.
DOWN - Jermain Defoe - Jermain Defoe's transfer to MLS side Toronto has been on the cards for months and this week it finally became official. However a combination of an overenthusiastic promotion video and a geographical nightmare has made the transfer a bit of a joke this week. The video [below] is hugely entertaining but it was Defoe stating that he was "happy to be in the USA" which stole the headlines. Who wants to tell Jermain that Toronto is actually in Canada? DOWN - Rory McIlroy - Poor Rory. Just when he thinks he's back in form he's slapped with an unfortunate but required two stroke penalty meaning he ultimately finished just one shot behind. He claimed a moral victory as he literally hit the fewest shots despite not winning. Nevertheless, it was a strong showing from McIlroy who looked to be back to his best. Perhaps his upcoming marriage has given him a new lease of life? DOWN - England Cricket - It just won't stop. The English men's cricketing collapse continued this week as they lost the ODI series 3-0 with two matches still to play. The second match was tight but the other two were feeble efforts and Captain Cook really needs to reassess the situation down under. At least the women are showing us how its done, closing in on an Ashes victory to show the men up. DOWN - Serena Williams - The Queen has been dethroned! Well, technically she wasn't actually the Queen of Melbourne, just the Queen of tennis. Regardless, her loss this morning to Ana Ivanovic was by far the biggest shock of the tournament so far and has blown the women's draw wide open. Azarenka will now be the odds on favourite to claim a consecutive Aussie Open title.
In his first real test of this year's Australian Open, Andy Murray produced his best tennis, beating the twenty-sixth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6(2) 6-4 6-2.
As the fourth day heatwave finally ended Murray faced his first seeded played in the tournament, overcoming the challenge with ease as he won in just over two hours.
Murray came into the match with a 7-0 winning record against the Spaniard and his victory extended this run. Lopez is a left-handed player and it is notably documented that Murray enjoys playing lefties, attributing to growing up playing with his brother Jamie.
After the match Murray told Sky Sports, "It's been a good start. It was very tricky conditions the first couple of matches with the heat but today was beautiful conditions to play in."
The match did not start well for Murray as he was broken in his opening service game for the second consecutive match. However he broke back instantly as the match started in scrappy fashion.
The errors continued to fly from both rackets as the first set advanced to a tie-break. Murray gained an early mini-break and ground out the first set courtesy of a Lopez error.
The first set galvanized the Scot and he broke instantly at the start of the second. The rest of the set passed by uneventfully as both players held their serve unchallenged, Murray taking it 6-4.
By this point Lopez cut a beaten figure as he was broken twice in the third set to find himself 4-1 down. Murray ruthlessly saw out the match playing a couple of stylish winners before a Lopez error gifted him the match.
In the fourth round Murray will play record-breaking Frenchman Stephane Robert. With a three set victory over Martin Klizan, Robert became the first ever 'lucky loser' to advance to the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
Should Murray beat Robert he will face the daunting prospect of a match against either Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter finals.
Ross Hutchins Grand Slam comeback started successfully with a 4-6 6-4 6-0 victory alongside partner Colin Fleming.
Hutchins, playing in his first Grand Slam since the 2012 US Open after battling cancer during the entire 2013 season, and Fleming battled to victory against local favourite Marinko Matosevic and Pole, Michal Przysiezny to progress to the second round.
In December 2012, Hutchins was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona, spending the first six months of 2013 undergoing chemotherapy before spending the latter half returning to full fitness after being told he was in remission.
In a post-match interview, Hutchins told BBC Sport, "It's an amazing feeling to be back, and especially to get our first win since coming back in 2014".
Fleming was equally joyous to be back with his long-term doubles partner. "When we won I felt a bit emotional myself. I don't know how Ross felt, but just to get that first win under out belt [was great]".
After losses in Auckland and Brisbane in the run-up to the Australian Open both Fleming and Hutchins were keen to return to winning ways. However a nervous start caused them to lose the opening set, a Hutchins loss of serve the only break of the set.
The British contingent squared the match up at a set of piece after breaking at 5-4 in the second set. From then on they controlled the match, dominating the final set 6-0 on another scorching day in Melbourne.
It was a good day all round for the Brits as fellow doubles specialist DOminic Inglot sealed his place in the second round alongside partner Treat Huey. They beat Cololbian pair Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal 4-6 6-4 6-3.
Andy Murray cruised into the Second Round of the Australian Open with a simple 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Japanese qualifier Go Soeda.
As temperatures lingered around 42 degrees centigrade Murray was in no mood to hang around, dispatching his opponent in just 87 minutes.
After playing only three matches since the US Open there were question marks over how the Scot would emerge when tested, especially after losses to both Florian Mayer and Lleyton Hewitt during tournament preparation.
However, he showed few signs of rustiness after the back surgery which kept him out of the last few months of 2013, moving freely around the court and serving particularly well, firing 12 aces during the match.
Murray took control of the opening games, breaking Soeda in his second service game to take a 2-1 lead. Soeda struggled to penetrate the Scot's defence making a number of unforced errors in the process as Murray went on to take the first set 6-1.
The second set continued in much the same fashion, the game consisting largely of short baselines rallies with neither player overly keen on excessive movement in the heat. Murray broke early once again to dampen his opponents hopes as Soeda failed to earn a break point of his own throughout the match.
Targeting his opponents significantly weaker backhand, Murray finished the set off quickly, breaking him once again to claim the second set 6-1.
The scorching humidity finally began to take its toll as Murray endured a slight loss of tempo at the start of the third set. Coupled with a determined Soeda, the set remains on serve until 3-3 when the Japanese defence finally crumbled, Murray breaking to take a 4-3 advantage.
At that point Soeda looked a beaten man, dropping his shoulders as he waited for the inevitable. Luckily he did not have to wait long as Murray broke him for the final time to claim the last set 6-3.
Murray is the final British representative in the singles at the Australian Open after the first round exits of both Laura Robson and Heather Watson yesterday.
In the second round he will face another qualifier, this time in the shape of Frenchman Vincent Millot who won a marathon five setter against Wayne Odesnik.
British interest in the women's draw ended as Heather Watson came agonizingly close to causing a first round upset, pushing thirty-first seed Daniela Hantuchova to a third set before losing 7-5 3-6 6-3.
Watson joined compatriot Laura Robson in falling at the first hurdle after Robson lost in straight sets earlier in the day.
After battling through three rounds of qualifying, Watson will be pleased to have tested a seeded player after a difficult season last year suffering from glandular fever. However, having fought toe-to-toe with the Slovakian throughout, she will undoubtedly be disappointed not to progress.
Despite a solid start to the match, Watson found herself a break down at 4-2. However, she was quick to break back, tying the first set up at 4-4. Despite leading 5-4 Watson ended the set with a flurry of nerves, getting broken to eventually lose 7-5.
Watson came out fighting in the second set, refusing to give Hantuchova another break despite her best efforts. Her resilience paid off as she broke the Slovakian to take a 4-2 lead. Both players then broke each other to take it to 5-3. An unlucky Hawk-Eye decision seemed to affect Hantuchova's concentration, as Watson served out the set to take it to a decider.
The third set continued with both players engaged in grueling baseline rallies in the Melbourne heat. Hantuchova had three break points early on but blew them all as Watson held serve. The Slovakian didn't make the same mistake twice, breaking Watson in the next game and racing to a 4-1 lead.
A fantastic forehand return down the line helped set up a break back point which Watson duly converted to make it 4-3. However, it was not to last as Hantuchova broke back before serving out the match, Watson drilling a backhand into the net on match point.
Watson refused to be too down-heartened by the defeat, telling BBC Sport, Even though I might be dropping in the rankings, I'm not worried about that. I've had a good start to the year, I've improved as a player, and it's been a positive few weeks".
Hantuchova will go on to face the Czech, Karolina Pliskova, who came through her first round match against Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-1. Elsewhere, British hopes now lie firmly in the hands of Andy Murray who begins his campaign on Tuesday evening against Go Soeda.
