On the commentary, Jamie Murray says (slightly unconvincingly) that he’s going for Gauff today. Tim Henman is opting for Svitolina in three. I think I’d rather sit on a very rusty, uncomfortable fence than call this.
Looking at the head-to-head, Svitolina has beaten Gauff before at the Australian Open, but that was in 2021, when Gauff was only 16 and hadn’t yet graduated to the status of double grand slam champion. Gauff has defeated Svitolina in the two matches they have played since, but they did both go to three sets. And I wouldn’t be surprised if this match goes the distance too. Svitolina is in supreme form, having won all nine of her matches in 2026.
Gauff and Svitolina have made their entrance, with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed. That’s always the case for the night session walk-outs, but we’re not sure yet if the the heat rule is in place which would mean the roof stays on for the match. It’s still 42C (!!!) at 7pm in the evening. Zverev placed his match under the roof earlier, the doubles matches are taking place under the roof on Margaret Court and the start of the wheelchair events have been postponed until tomorrow.
Those results mean there’s still the possibility, in this tournament of few shocks, that the four top seeds reach the semi-finals in both the men’s and women’s singles. It’s already the first time in the open era that the top six seeds have made the quarter-finals in both draws.
