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Daria Gavrilova set a new Australian Open record before even setting foot on court on Wednesday night. The Australian’s round two singles loss to Belgian Elise Mertens became the latest to begin at Melbourne Park with an 11.59pm start time.
The women were left waiting while third-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov was taken to five sets by American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald.
Dimitrov, who eventually won the thriller 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6 8-6, actually held the previous record for late starts. His match last year against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, began at 11.58pm, then the latest start to a contest in Australian Open history.
In a strange twist, that match followed Gavrilova and Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky onto the court.
The latest finish to a match played at the Australian Open, or any grand slam, was in 2008 when Lleyton Hewitt and Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis played a five-set match that finished at 4.33am.
Once on court, Gavrilova let slip a golden opportunity to move into the third round, collapsing in a heartbreaking 7-5, 6-3 loss after holding a 5-0 first-set lead with a controversial blow-up with the umpire marring the second set.
Gavrilova got off to a flyer, breaking Mertens twice and the world No23 had four set points at 5-0 but was unable to convert and then missed another four opportunities as the Hobart champion edged her way back.
Gavrilova wasn’t aware of how many set points she had blown until the post-match press conference. “That sucks,” she said. “I can’t believe it got away from me but it just happened and it happened quickly.
“I’ve seen players lose before from 5-0 up and thought, surely they could have just hit a winner but clearly I couldn’t so it’s a new experience.”
The 23-year-old served 10 double faults for the match, while her unforced errors went through the roof with a total of 40.
The Australian was rocked in the second set when, trailing 4-2, she tried to challenge an incorrect ruling but umpire Aurelie Tourte said she was too late and had looked to her box first.
“I raised my hand straight away,” Gavrilova said, with Toute replying: “No, you were waiting”. Commentators described it as a “horrendous call”.
Post-match Gavrilova said she had raised her hand within seconds although admitted her coach Jarryd Maher did signal.
“She said my coach told me to but he did go like that [pointed upwards with her finger] but that could have meant anything.”
Mertens went on to secure the double break and although Gavrilova broke back, she was visibly upset and continued the argument with the umpire post-match.
Gavrilova has enjoyed a stellar Open run, making the fourth round in the past two years, while this was Mertens’ Melbourne Park debut. The Belgian will face Alize Cornet of France in round three.
(GUARDIAN)
