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Pegula/Draper (1) beat Andreeva/Medvedev 4-1 4-1
Errani/Vavassori aside, these have been the best pair so far, but Swiatek/Ruud, whom the meet in the semis, were also impressive.
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A quick net pum-pum-pum, then Andreeva then clouts a backhand winner down the line for 0-30; Draper then battles Medvedev from the back, before Pegula interjects at the net to make 30-all. And have a look! From the back, he pastes a backhand winner inside-out into the corner, and that’s more match points!
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A double from Andreeva hands over 15-all, then Draper climbs into her second serve and catches it too early for her to respond. Pegula, though, goes long for 30-all, but at 30-40 her team have match point … saved with a decent first serve. From there, Andreeva closes out the hold, so Draper will now serve for the match.
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Updated at 17.49 EDT
At 15-30, Pegula needs to find something and does, a first serve that allows Draper to intercept Andreeva’s return at net; thee two look a cohesive unit and, as I type, Pegula slices an approach and Draper again cuts out the riposte with a overhead. The no 1 seeds are a game away at 4-0 3-0. On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead Townsend/Shelton 4-1 1-1.
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Now then: Medvedev dumps an overhead to cede deuce then, at the end of a long rally, Draper rams one at Andreeva, who defends well, but drops just long when he goes again. The no 1 seeds lead 4-1 2-0, and are nearing a semi-final meeting with Swiatek/Ruud.
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Medvedev curls a lovely forehand winner down the line to put Draper under a bit of pressure at 30-40; my SkyGo then kicks me out, so long has been my session, and returns to let me know he’s seen it out. On Armstrong, Collins serves out a 4-1 set, then Shelton races through a defiant hold.
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We’re still on serve on Armstrong, Collins/Harrison up 2-1. I’m not sure who’s doing it, but the co-commentary on that match is really technical and insightful; there were signs of improvement at Wimbledon, but tennis has a long way to go to catch up with other sports in terms of depth of analysis. Anyroad, Townsend is broken and the alternates lead 3-1; they’re having a decent day.
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It’s quickly 0-40 and when Medvedev hoists from the back, he misses the baseline! This set is disappearing quickly, but Draper botches the first chance to make it official by netting a volley then, at 40-30, he and Pegula go for the same ball at the net after good work from both their opponents. At deuce, though, a really fun rally ends when Medvedev goes long, Draper and Pegula both at the back, and they take the first set 4-1.
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Draper looks like he could become a really good doubles player – obviously he’s got the serve, but his net-play and coverage is also really good. Pegula consolidates the break and that’s 3-1.
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Pegula/Draper make 15-40 and the latter gets a look at Andreeva’s second serve. She goes body, pretty effectively, and Medvedev ends a rally the two of them dominated, before a terrific get from Andreeva, after a fine return from Draper, allows him to spank an overhead winner … no it’s wide!; the no 1 seeds lead 2-1, with a break. On Armstrong, Harrison holds, and Shelton looks poised to at 40-0 … and does.
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Updated at 17.25 EDT
Off we go on Armstrong, Harrison to serve. Both courts looks pretty well populated now, which makes sense given school holidays and free entry.
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Draper finds himself under a bitta pressha at 30-all, so service-winners his way out of it, then Andreeeva swats a return wide and we’re at 1-1.
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Andreeva slaps one at Pegula and does she suppress a grin after raising a hand? I can’t be sure, but I can see why she might. It makes 40-0, and the love-hold is quickly secured.
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We’re away on Ashe, Medvedev serving.
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On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison return, with Townsend/Shelton following them. Two lefties present a very different challenge to Bencic/Zverev, and Shelton was close to his bouncing best in the first match; if he hits that level, his team’ll be hard to beat.
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Updated at 17.14 EDT
We should at this point remind ourselves, just before we tuck into some delicious and, I guess, surprise sport, that with the exception of the holders, Errani/Vavassori, the best doubles teams in the world were excluded from this event. I wonder if, next term, they increase the size of this competition to get more of them in; that’d be my guess.
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We’re ready to rumble again on Ashe, Andreeva/Medvedev returning with Pegula/Draper right behind them. Both were excellent in their first match, and this is going to be a lot of fun, especially for 22.08 on a Tuesday night. The winners play Swiatek/Ruud in the semis.
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Collins says she and Harrison have known each other since they were 14, so know each other’s games really well; his dad has been her coach for 20 years. Harrison says Collins’ singles ranking got them in, and now she’s got them through the first match.
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Harrison/Collins beat Bencic/Zverev 4-0 5-3
A brilliant win for the alternates. Harrison was particularly good there; it’s almost as if he’s played a lot of doubles. Next for them: Townsend/Shelton.
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Wow! Harrison leans back and loops a ridiculous forehand into the corner and Bencic can’t get it! That makes 15-40 and two match points…
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On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead 4-0 4-3, Bencic serving for she and Zverev to stay in the competition.
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Updated at 16.58 EDT
Andreeva/Medvedev beat Danilovc/Djokovic 4-2 5-3
Danilovic will be feeling those consecutive doubles she served at deuce for a long, long time. Next for the winners: Pegula/Draper, about 10 minutes from now.
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A longer rally, Djokovc looking likeliest to end it … then he nets a volley above his head. That’s 40-0 and three match points…
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Seven points on the spin for Andreeva/Medvedev, the latter holding to love. They lead 1-0 3-4-3, momentum having switched in the last five or so minutes and, as I type, Djokovic nets with his opponents charging about in chaos for 0-30. A fine Medvedev return then secures 0-40, before he runs up to the net, of all the things, to pat away a volley. Andreeva will shortly serve for the match while, on Armstrong, it’s 3-3 in the second, the first to Harrison/Collins.
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Updated at 16.55 EDT
On Armstrong, Collins/Harrison lead Bencic/Zverev 4-0 3-2; Zverev will now serve to keep his team in the match.
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Andreeva/Medvedev get to 30-all, but then the latter overhits a forehand down the line with plenty at which to aim; it hands over set point, only for Danilovic to double. Here comes another … and she doubles again! Ach, you feel for her, the break handed back at 2-4 3-2.
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Djokovic does well at the net to make 0-30, then Andreeva dumps one and must now defend three break points+1. And she cannot, a body-return from Danilovic’s too much, thereby converting the first. She’ll now serve for the second set at 3-1.
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Updated at 16.48 EDT
Back on Ashe, Djokovic holds; he and Danilovic lead 2-1 in the second having lost the first. I’d not be surprised if this becomes our first match to go all the way.
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My eyes were elsewhere when Zverev was broken, but it’s hard to believe it happened in this context; there aren’t many better servers in the world. He goes again at 0-4 0-1 and holds to love; he and Bencic are on the board.
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Andreeva, who plays doubles at slams, strokes a backhand return down the line for a winner and 15-all, but from there Danilovic serves out for a 1-0 second-set lead.
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Medvedev holds easily enough, so he and Andreeva take the first set 4-2. This is a close encounter, though … unlike the one on Armstrong, Harrison dominating the court such that he and Collins lead Bencic/Zverev 4-0. For them, I guess, this is a really big deal – a chance to do something special, not a fun and lucrative warmup for the main event.
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Andreeva/Medvedev make 30-40 on the Djokovic delivery; a second-serve ace down the T averts the immediate danger, but then Medvedev pings a forehand down the middle and between his two opponents to secure the break and a 3-2 lead. The set is on his racket.
Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 16.37 EDT
Another swift hold on Ashe, Danilovic/Djokovic now up 2-1, whereupon the latter pastes a forehand winner down the line for 0-15. Then, after missing a backhand, the latter does really well at net to make 15-30, and at 30-all, Djokovic lobs Medvedev twice in a row before punishing a further forehand winner down the line for break point. Andfreeva saves it, which takes us to deuce, and from there, Medvedev secures the hold for 2-2. On Armstrong, it’s a good start for the new entrants, Collins/Harrison breaking Bencic/Zverev for 2-0; Harrison, a dubs specialist, is showing what that entails.
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“Not sure where the Djokovic mixed stat came from,” alerts Alex Hughes. “He withdrew injured before the mixed doubles bronze medal match in Tokyo…”
I guess they may have said at a grand slam and I missed it, watching my other screen.
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Updated at 16.19 EDT
