Welcome to the latest edition of "Hot Shots," a USOpen.org-curated look at what you may have missed on social media. This week, it's all about the Australian Open.
The first week of the 2024 Australian Open has served up endless drama, with a heavy dose of decisive sets thrilling tennis fans in Melbourne and around the world. One day after world No. 1 Iga Swiatek escaped a 4-1 third-set deficit against Danielle Collins in the second round, 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva pulled off a magic act of her own on Friday.
Trailing Diane Parry 5-1 in the final set, the tournament debutant rattled off five straight games before clinching a memorable 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(10-5) victory that put her through to a Grand Slam fourth round for the second time (Wimbledon 2023).
Andreeva's comeback caught the eye of one of her childhood idols, 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray.
Andreeva has previously admitted being too shy to talk to the British legend, but she has no problem letting her tennis do the talking. When asked about Murray's comment in press, she shared just how much his kind words meant to her.
“Honestly I didn't really think that he would watch the match, then after he would tweet, he would comment something," she said with a big smile. "I will try to print it out somehow. I don't know, I will put it in a frame. I will bring it everywhere with me. I will maybe put it on the wall so I can see it every day.
"Honestly I didn't expect him to do anything about this match.”
While Andreeva dominated the decisive tiebreak against Parry, the third-set breaker between Anna Blinkova and returning finalist Elena Rybakina on Thursday evening was neck-and-neck to the very end.
In what finished as the longest match tiebreak in Grand Slam history, Blinkova ultimately prevailed 22-20. A heroic match-point save a few points earlier—a thrilling rally that featured its fair share of hot shots—kept her hopes of a first AO third-round appearance alive.
While Rybakina's run fell short of the second week, the returning finalist on the men's side is rounding into form. After dropping the opening set in each of his first two matches, Stefanos Tsitsipas was sharp from the start of his 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 win against Luca Van Assche on Friday.
Nick Kyrgios saw that convincing performance coming, judging by his tweet from a day earlier. The fan favorite Aussie is still sidelined as he recovers from injuries, but he has been front and center in Melbourne as a commentator with ESPN, among other broadcasters.
Tsitsipas will face his toughest test of the tournament in the fourth round when he takes on American Taylor Fritz in a rematch of their 2022 AO meeting, which the Greek won in five sets.
Back on the women's side, Amanda Anisimova is also though to the fourth round in her first tournament after an extended mental health break. The 22-year-old American, playing in her first Grand Slam since last year's Aussie Open, has not dropped a set in three quality wins this fortnight—including an opening-round upset of 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova and a third-round win against former world No. 2 Paula Badosa.
Read more on USTA.com: 'Refreshed' Anisimova reaping rewards after mental health break
Finally, we leave you with a delicate moment from Andrey Rublev, whose fiery on-court demeanor and chilled out off-court personality present one of the great contrasts in tennis.
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