Australian Open: Novak Djokovic v Andrey Kuznetsov – as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/jan/22/australian-open-djokovic-kuznetsov-live

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3.40pm AEST04:40

The postmortem

Djokovic wanders over for an interview with Jim Courier and he’s all smiles after that victory. “In the opening two sets everything went as I wished and I planned,” says Djokovic. “He’s one of the up and coming future stars,” he adds of his opponent today. “Boris [Becker] is much more active on that than me,” he says of his social media use. I think that’s what he meant...

Djokovic was dominant throughout that encounter and there were fewer signs of the lethargy and illness that had troubled him a few days back. Some stats: Djokovic won the ace count 8-2, hit 28 winners to Kuznetsov’s 10 and committed 15 fewer unforced errors than his opponent, which perhaps undersells how utterly dominant he was in the opening two sets.

That’s it from me for now, but make sure to join us for plenty more live action during this 2015 Australian Open.

3.29pm AEST04:29

Djokovic wins in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 over Andrey Kuznetsov

Third set: Djokovic 6-4 Kuznetsov

We’re only an hour and twenty-one minutes into this clash but Djokovic is on the verge of wrapping it up. Down 0-15, Djokovic runs into the net to put away a despairing lob but merely taps it into the open court when the temptation was there to hammer it down. Another forehand winner at the net makes it 30-15 before a big serve sets up two match points. The Djoker sends the first of those wide on the forehand but a booming serve down the line is too hot for Kuznetsov and it’s all over.

Djokovic waves to the crowd and throws his sweat bands into the stands to signal the end of a job well done.

3.24pm AEST04:24

Third set: Djokovic* 5-4 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

There’s a bit of a lapse here from Djokovic - perhaps his mind is on the next steps he has to take - because he allows Kuznetsov a rare love game on serve and allows him to add a far greater respectability to the scoreline in this one-sided encounter. Djokovic will now serve for the match.

3.23pm AEST04:23

Third set: Djokovic 5-3 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

The amazing thins about this is that while he’s no mug, Kunetsov is being made to look, at best, agricultural in his movements. Djokovic works him around the court and forces errors but his expression is something close to blank as he cooly holds serve.

3.20pm AEST04:20

Third set: Djokovic* 4-3 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Kuznetsov serves well to establish a 30-0 lead on serve but his delusions of grandeur on the forehand are his undoing again as he quickly squanders that advantage. Kuznetsov aces to hold serve and a Djokovic review of that call is unsuccessful, possibly because it clipped the line but possibly just to avoid having this contest labelled as workplace bullying.

3.16pm AEST04:16

Third set: Djokovic 4-2 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Djokovic wears the Peugot logo on his shirt sleeve today but he looks more like a Ferrari out there and his opponent - not to be harsh - something like a Skoda. At 40-0 on serve Djokovic advances to the net and picks off a forehand winner that the Russian would have needed a 10 metre-long racquet to reach.

3.13pm AEST04:13

Third set: Djokovic* 3-2 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Kuznetsov is laughing a little now, not because he’s having a good time but because he just cannot believe the way even his best ground strokes are reeled in by Djokovic and then turned against him. at 15-40, Kuznetsov nets again to lose his serve and put the Djoker back on top. He’s looked a million bucks today. That barely qualifies as a compliment to someone with his earnings, now that I think of it.

Updated at 3.13pm AEST

3.10pm AEST04:10

Third set: Djokovic 2-2 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Of the many indicators of the gulf in class between these two this afternoon, the Djokovic serve has been one of the more noticeable. He pounds another ace down the middle past a hapless Kuznetsov and then a pair of erros from the Russian make it another stress-free hold for Djokovic.

3.07pm AEST04:07

Third set: Djokovic* 1-2 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Kuznetsov is taking this game on now but perhaps he’s become a little overconfident in the last few minutes. He has a big opportunity to take a 30-0 buffer on serve but misses his chance and is fuming when Djokovic dismantles him to make it 15-40. With another error from the Russian, the World No. 1 breaks back and takes a seat.

3.04pm AEST04:04

Third set: Djokovic 0-2 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Now it’s the Djoker’s turn to get the jitters. He double-faults amid an uninspired service game and then Kuznetsov flashes a big backhand winner down the line to make it 0-40 and a break. Yes, a break! And he pulls it off too thanks to another double from Djokovic. Didn’t see this coming.

3.01pm AEST04:01

Third set: Djokovic* 0-1 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

He’s being trounced today but Andrey Kuznetsov isn’t going to give up. He produces his best service game of the match to take a 40-0 lead here but three unforced errors put it back at deuce before the Russian earns a hearty applause by holding with a strong first serve.

2.56pm AEST03:56

Djokovic takes the second set 6-1

Second set: Djokovic* 6-1 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 2 sets to love

Djokovic is hitting winners that seem to be travelling through different postcodes than his opponent and his racquet. Kuznetsov chases and flails about but he hasn’t got a hope and with one last despairing lunge finds himself 2 sets down. His first serve percentage of 48% hadn’t helped either and Djokovic leads the ‘winners’ count 12-4.

2.54pm AEST03:54

Second set: Djokovic* 5-1 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

Kuznetsov spices up his outfit now, changing to a very loud yellow and pink shirt but the aesthetic of the game itself barely alters. The Russian stumbles to a 15-40 deficit and then fires a backhand wide to concede another break.

2.52pm AEST03:52

Second set: Djokovic 4-1 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

While Kuznetsov scrapped and scraped to hold serve moments ago, again Djokovic does it with ease, barely expending energy to hold and retain a commanding lead at 4-1 in the second set.

2.48pm AEST03:48

Second set: Djokovic* 3-1 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

Andrey Kuznetsov needs either a hole to crawl into or a total transformation in the space of the next 20 minutes because this match is slipping away quickly. Only a few unforced errors from Djokovic keep him in with a hope in this service game and then with a neat serve-volley he makes it deuce.

Djokovic, on the other hand, looks like he’s playing a video game on the beginner setting and only an overzealous attempt at a forehand winner prevents him quickly breaking. Kuznetsov earns the advantage and thinks he’s on the scoreboard with an ace but the review goes against him and he’s soon watching a Djokovic winner fizz past him like a bullet.

Then a heartwarming moment: Kuznetsov fires down his first ace and then forces a Djokovic error to finally hold serve and claim a notch on the scoreboard. He raises his fist to the crowd. Great stuff.

2.40pm AEST03:40

Second set: Djokovic 3-0 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

Where Kuznetsov had to fight tooth and nail just for the opportunity to hold serve, Djokovic rips through a love service game with little more exertion than a stroll to the letterbox. He’s 3-0 up now and in a very inhospitable mood.

2.38pm AEST03:38

Second set: Djokovic* 2-0 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

For all his domination, Djokovic curses even the most momentary lapse from his impeccably high standards and lectures himself after a pair of errors that give Kuznetsov a 30-15 lead. Kuznetsov sets up two game points but a pair of very close calls on the baseline go against him as he searches for a winner. He’s a little dejected as he coughs up a break point but a big backhand winner across court should lift his spirits slightly.

Djokovic waits for the mistakes and they come eventually, allowing him to break again. What a shame for Kuznetsov. “Is Stan Wawrinka under the radar a little?” asks Bruce McAvaney to the stunned amazement of even Jim Courier.

2.31pm AEST03:31

Second set: Djokovic 1-0 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server) - Djokovic leads 1 set to love

Djokovic takes up where he left off, spearing a huge double-handed backhand down the line to make it 15-0 but Kuznetsov has an eye-catching moment of his own when he wallops a forehand winner returning serve. That was a scorcher!

The Djokovic response is swift - a huge out-swerving ace down the middle and then an easy hold to begin this second set.

2.27pm AEST03:27

Dokovic takes the firsts set in just 21 minutes

First set: Djokovic* 6-0 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server)

Kuznetsov can’t take a trick here. Even when he nails a swerving forehand to start this service game, Djokovic somehow retrieves both it and a follow-up smash to launch an outrageous winner down the line. Kuznetsov recovers well to establish a 40-15 buffer and the hope of avoiding the dreaded scoreboard ‘bagel’ but Djokovic unleashes a big forehand winner and then it’s deuce after Kuznetsov sends his backhand long.

The Russian then nets to hand Djokovic both break and set point and on the second serve the champ is just clinical and takes out the first set in 21 minutes. If Kuznetsov was under any illusions heading into this encounter, they’ve been shattered in the opening set.

2.22pm AEST03:22

First set: Djokovic 5-0 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server)

The World No. 1 is almost having fun out there at the moment. A cracking first serve at 15-0 is lobbed up off the frame by Kuznetsov and Djokovic swats it like a mosquito. Yet more unforced errors follow from the racquet of the Russian but they’re coming from the Djoker too so it ends up at deuce.

Kuznetsov is suddenly buoyant but the rug - and almost his legs - are pulled from underneath him when a vicious cross court forehand from Djokovic nearly takes him out. Djokovic holds and he’s running rampant here at the moment. 18 minutes down and the set is almost over.

2.17pm AEST03:17

First set: Djokovic* 4-0 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server)

How does Kuznetsov find a way in here? It’ll probably have to be on serve but he’s not exactly nailing it right now. He does construct a decent rally first up but the power of the Djokovic forehand is too much to handle. He’s down 0-30 after clipping the net with a forehand and watching the Djoker dispatch the bobble with disdain.

Even when Kuznetsov does finally nail a first serve, unforced errors are his undoing and Djokovic breaks again without raising a sweat. “The serve of Kuznetsov is a little bit of a liability,” notes Jim Courier, stating the obvious.

2.13pm AEST03:13

First set: Djokovic 3-0 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server)

Bang! Djokovic sends a cracking ace straight down the middle to move to 30-0 and after a rare unforced error next up he sends an identical serve - fast and out-swinging - straight down the middle again to bring up a pair of game points. He needs both of them in the end but makes no mistake to take a 3-0 lead and a quick breather.

2.10pm AEST03:10

First set: Djokovic* 2-0 Kuznetsov (*denotes next server)

Djokovic toys with his opponent to have Kuznetsov under pressure early on serve at 0-30 and though the Russian youngster reels off a pair of impressive forehand winners here, Djokovic makes the early break and isn’t giving cutting Kuznetsov any slack.

2.07pm AEST03:07

First set: Djokovic 1-0 Kuznetsov* (*denotes next server)

Djokovic makes short work of his firsts service game, sending Kuznetsov around the baseline before swiping a forehand winner to make it 30-0 and then forcing a pair of errors to take a love game.

2.04pm AEST03:04

As Djokovic and Kuznetsov begin their warm-up, it’s perhaps a good idea to take a look at what’s happening on some of the surrounding courts.

Kei Nishikori hasn’t had it all his way against Ivan Dodig but he’s just progressed to the third round with a four-set win over the Croatian. He won that one 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-6.

Serena Williams is through in straight sets after an early scare against Vera Zvonereva.

1.55pm AEST02:55

Afternoon all

Russell Jackson here. Welcome to this 2nd round clash between the numero uno, Novak Djokovic, and the 88th-ranked Russian, Andrey Kuznetsov.

What do you need to know about the 23-year-old Kuznetsov? He’s a hard-hitting right-hander with a big double-handed backhand. Kuznetsov’s not exactly an unknown commodity, but Djokovic has never faced him until this point. The Russian progressed to Round 3 at both the French Open and Wimbledon last year but this is as far as he’s come at Melbourne.

You can get me via email on russell.jackson@theguardian.com throughout this encounter with all your comments, observations and predictions.

The Djoker’s fans are expecting an easy route to Round 3 here, but mystery still surrounds his health and fitness and perhaps today we’ll get a better understanding of his progress on that front.

1.55pm AEST02:55

Russell Jackson is the man tasked with delivering a blow-by-blow account of this afternoon’s feature match between world No1 Novak Djokovic and young Russian Andrey Kuznetsov. On paper, it’s a non-contest, but that doesn’t mean it will be. Oh, come on, yes it does. It’s the Djoker. That’s what he does. He eats players like Kuznetsov for breakfast. The breakfast of champions. Anyway, Russ will be along soon enough, but while he does, have a cringe and then get angry at this:

Canada’s 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard was left embarrassed when the male presenter conducting her on-court interview at the Australian Open asked her: “Can you give us a twirl?” When the Wimbledon runner-up replied “A twirl?”, the interviewer, Ian Cohen, told her: “A twirl, like a pirouette, here you go.” Somewhat uncomfortably, the No7-ranked player did as she was asked, then laughed and buried her face in her hands.

More, if you can bear it, here.