Summary

  • Rafael Nadal beats Dudi Sela in straight sets

  • Spaniard claims 6-1 6-0 7-5 victory

  • Maria Sharapova defeats Zarina Diyas

  • Second seed wins 6-1 6-1

  • * Denotes next server

LIVE stream page 1

  1. Postpublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal goes to add his autograph to various Australian Open souvenirs and that is our cue to wave you goodbye. Easy victories for Nadal and Sharapova, but a surprise defeat for Roger Federer. Has the Australian Open got any more shocks in store for us? It's a question I can't answer at this moment, but who knows what drama Day Six will provide us with.

  2. Postpublished at 11:46 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal's next opponent will be the beanpole South African Kevin Anderson. "I have to be relaxed," says Nadal. "I need to rest, have practice tomorrow. Kevin Anderson is a big player, a big serve, very dangerous and he will be a very difficult opponent for me."

  3. Postpublished at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Asked if he did anything differently to recover for this match, Nadal says: "Sleep." Courier responds by asking whether the Spaniard is a vampire. Could this be the biggest revelation in sporting history? Well... "I don't like to sleep a lot. I feel that when I'm sleeping I'm losing time." Classic vampire response.

  4. Postpublished at 11:42 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal replaces his t-shirt with a grey hoodie and tightens his shoelaces before returning to the middle of the court to answer Jim Courier's questions.

    Here is what he says: "I started playing well, not many mistakes in the first two set. In general I think I was playing much better than the day. In the third, he had some chances, seriously, he is a player than can play crazy, a good backhand, and I was lucky at the end of that third set."

  5. Game and third setpublished at 11:39 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Rafael NadalImage source, Reuters

    Sela passes Nadal with a forehand, forcing the Spaniard to simply watch the ball fly by. But Nadal has plenty of tricks left in his magic box, a forehand winner down the line levels at 15-15. An error from the line judge as he deems a Nadal backhand to be out when in fact it was in. The point must be replayed and it's to Nadal's detriment as he is left stranded in the middle of the court by some more stellar Sela improvisation.

    But just when Sela thought the tables might turn, Nadal increases the intensity, squanders his first match point but collects a second. An anguished roar from Sela as he nets. The world number 106 withstands a series of brutal forehands before his resistance crumbles and Nadal secures victory with an irretreivable crosscourt winner.

  6. Postpublished at 11:31 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal fans gulp, while those in favour of this match extending to a fourth set cheer as Sela notches two points on the trot for a 0-30 lead. Nadal in a spot of bother... the Spaniard prowling at the net... Sela with a backhand straight at his opponent and it's too much graphite not enough string from Nadal, which presents Sela with two break points. Wowzers.

    Nervous energy ripples around the arena. Nadal forces the game to deuce, but he must save a third break point as Sela outwits him with an intelligent forehand into the corner. Save Nadal does - stepping in for the overhead. The Spaniard pulls through. Three break points saved and he's ahead once more. And breathe.

  7. Postpublished at 11:24 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Wizardry from Nadal as he sprints across the baseline to retrieve and, in a flash, he turns defence into attack with a sublime crosscourt forehand winner. Sela, though, continuing to hold his own thanks to cunning and guile. He's adding variety to his game, keeping Nadal guessing, and holds to 30 with a feather-soft touch at the net.

  8. Postpublished at 11:19 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    SelaImage source, EPA

    Sela doesn't look like a typical modern-day sportsman. He's more David than Goliath, more diminutive librarian than Adonis. What Sela lacks in power, though, he makes up for in speed. Nadal thinks he has won the game with an ace, but he is told he must serve again. Eventually, the Spaniard pulls through to nudge ahead. Solid if unspectacular from the 2009 champion.

  9. Postpublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    The spectators are enjoying the Sela resurgence, probably hoping for at least a tie-break to get more value for their money. The man from Israel now oozing confidence and holds to love.

  10. Postpublished at 11:10 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    The players have been bish, bash, boshing on Rod Laver Arena for over 100 minutes and, just as we thought we were nearing the end, Sela produces some magic from his racquet to earn two break points. It's a combination of the world number 106 frustrating Nadal with moonballs and Nadal's intensity dropping.

    But to deuce we go, Nadal stepping in from the baseline as he goes in search of a solution and it pays dividends. Sela butchers a return when Nadal was there for the beating, but we're back to deuce as Nadal falters once more. Uncharacteristic errors, but the Spaniard eventually dismisses the threat.

  11. Postpublished at 11:03 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Is this where Nadal turns the screw? The Spaniard collects two break points with ease. But Sela saves one. An ace. He saves another - a forehand into the corner sending Nadal scampering and the Spaniard clubs a forehand into the tramlines. Sela digging in and pulls through thanks to a dash of guile and a bucket-full of spirit.

  12. Postpublished at 10:58 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Rafael NadalImage source, EPA

    Here's a fact for you - the Spaniard has rattled 17 forehand winners from his mighty racquet. Sela is more competitive in this set, nicking points off the Nadal serve, but a Nadal straight-sets victory still feels inevitable.

  13. Postpublished at 10:54 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Earlier, we asked you to tell us how deep, to use American parlance, Andy Murray would go in this tournament and the majority of you - 34% - opted for the semi-final, with 29% thinking he would reach the final and 20% believing he would finally win the tournament. So there.

    Back on Rod Laver Arena, Sela is holding on. At 40-30 he sees a Nadal forehand hurtling towards him, decides to avoid it and it's the correct decision as the ball bounces beyond the baseline. Loud cheers for the underdog.

  14. Postpublished at 10:50 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Sela is almost down and out, but he continues to lunge from tramline to tramline, attempting to retrieve as best he can one flamethrower after another. He can't stop Nadal, however, who launches an all-out attack from the baseline, and holds to love.

  15. Postpublished at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Dudi SelaImage source, Getty Images

    Sela approaching the net more frequently than he has done in previous games and his reward is a 40-15 lead. Nadal either finding the net or clubbing a groundstroke wide. A Nadal forehand a fraction wide and decibels rise on Rod Laver Arena as Sela holds. The 29-year-old raises his arms, conducting the crowd as they holler and whistle at ear-splitting levels.

  16. Postpublished at 10:43 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    News filtering through that Nadal has lost just six points on his own serve in the opening two sets, which is phenomenal, but has only produced the one ace. Nadal allows two points to slip in this game, falling 0-30 behind. The third seed drags himself back into contention at 30-30, but a wild and loose crosscourt forehand from the Spaniard gifts Sela a break point, his first of the match.

    How does Nadal respond? By forcing his opponent on the backfoot, leaving him flat-footed on the baseline while he sprints to the net and rattles off awinner. Second break point for Sela, though. Second saved. Nadal comes through that slight blip and he's motoring again.

  17. Game and second setpublished at 10:34 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    With Nadal in such commanding form, the only thing we can question him on is the length of his shorts. How short should shorts be? The third seed is showing quite a bit of leg muscle above the knee, but his outfit isn't exactly George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley during their Wham days. Neither are they as revealing as Premier League kits in the early '90s.

    Ryan GiggsImage source, Getty Images

    It takes Nadal a while to wrap up the set, needing five set points to see off Sela, but win the set he does, as we all expected him to do.

  18. Postpublished at 10:25 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    The crowd giggle, Nadal smiles as Sela pleads for mercy. The world number 106 needs some help from somewhere. He screws a forehand into the tramlines and slips further behind as Nadal, once again, comfortably holds.

  19. Nadal breakspublished at 10:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal overpowering Sela from the baseline and it's the Spaniard who, more often than not, is coming out on top of the lengthy baseline duels. Brutal stuff from the Spaniard who is upping the ante in this game - a curling backhand winner, a forehand stonker... A couple of break points and the game is his. Jaw-droppingly good from the third seed.

  20. Postpublished at 10:17 Greenwich Mean Time 23 January 2015

    Nadal rattles off points in quick succession and, on this form, we must tip our hats in the Spaniard's direction. Sela helpless on the baseline and, like many others who have gone before him, has no way of responding to Nadal's groundstrokes which are full of top spin and menace.