Eurosport
January 25, 2025

12:17 Rod Laver Arena: DOUBLE MATCH POINT HEWITT... he goes for the ACE and misses, second serve out wide... Nadal scrambles back... the Spainard in control now as it's on his forehand wing... Hewitt forehand winner GAME SET MATCH 7-6 7-6 6-2... Nadal can hold his head with pride... both at the head, Hewitt offers some kind words... we've seen the future! Two hour 29 minute match

12:13 Rod Laver Arena: TRIPLE BREAK POINT HEWITT... forehand mistake by Nadal, his enthuisiasm waning... HEWITT 5-2... for all bar the past two games, the 17-year-old Spaniard has proved a top 15 player...

12:12 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal not done yet, Hewitt survives three deuces to serve out for 4-2... the pace of the match unbelievable...

12:06 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds for the loss of one point, his groundstrokes and determination still there... 2-3

12:04 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds serve, while Nadal question two line calls... one looked rightly in... HEWITT pumped on and closing in on a fourth round berth 3-1

11:59 Rod Laver Arena: BREAK POINT HEWITT... the former world number one fires a return down the line off a short serve and screams his delight... Nadal with no hope... HEWITT 2-1!

11:55 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds serve routinely, Nadal with little chance of making things interesting that time 1-1

11:51 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds for the loss of one point in the first game of the third set 1-0

11:46 Rod Laver Arena: TIE-BREAK - HEWITT 4-6... Nadal ACE 5-6... Hewitt to serve, backhand kicker... Nadal doesn't return... HEWITT SECOND SET 7-6(5)... Nadal could have won, but clamed up... one hour and two minutes of excellence

11:47 Rod Laver Arena: TIE-BREAK - NADAL 3-2; the Spaniard to serve, Hewitt hits a forehand winner... level as they change 3-3; Nadal to serve, takes his time, shanks a forehand out 3-4; Hewitt to serve, short rally ended by Nadal dumping a backhand into the net 5-3; Hewitt to serve, ACE 6-3; TRIPLE SET POINT... Nadal to serve ACE 4-6; two more chances for Lleyton...

11:39 Rod Laver Arena: TIE-BREAK - Hewitt to serve, Nadal forehand winner... against the head 0-1; Nadal to serve, forehand winner off the Hewitt return 2-0; Nadal running round his backhand, eventually making the error... 2-1; Hewitt to serve, inside-out forehand winner 2-2; Hewitt to serve, first effort out, Nadal forehand winner as Hewitt drags four yards behind the baseline... NADAL 3-2;

11:39 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal hits three forehand winners and earns the applause of the capacity stadium with an ACE for 6-6! TIE-BREAK time

11:36 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holding a tight service game for 6-5, another tie-break appears in prospect... as a Mexican wave circles the arena

11:33 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds serve for 5-5, getting out of jail with two backhand winners... Hewitt extremely annoyed now, but realising his 17-year-old opponent demands respect... therefore he has quietened down...

11:30 Rod Laver Arena: SECOND SET POINT for HEWITT... Nadal holds firm with a blistering forehand down the line... DEUCE

11:30 Rod Laver Arena: The Australian crowd realising the importance of the match, and showing respect to Nadal in between his points...

11:28 Rod Laver Arena: SET POINT HEWITT... Nadal lapsing into errors on his forehand side again... the Spainrd takes his time to deliver the first serve, it goes into the net... Hewitt shanks a return, the chance gone for now... DEUCE!

11:24 Rod Laver Arena: 15th seed Hewitt forced to serve big against Nadal who's standing three yards behind the baseline... the Spaniard creating problems, but Hewitt holds for 5-4

11:21 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds for the loss of two points, serve-volleying on one occasion... 4-4

11:18 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds serve, but he's having to play to have full capabilities... Nadal is silencing the Australian support with his technically adept game... he's something special... HEWITT 4-3

11:13 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal proving the tennis experts right, staying into tow with Hewitt, srving out for the loss of one point for 3-3

11:07 Rod Laver Arena: NADAL DOUBLE BREAK POINT... Hewitt places his serve and Nadal frames... the 17-year-old breaks with a forehand down the line... NADAL 2-3

10:59 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal having extra strapping added to his right leg at the changeover

10:57 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt still pumped up, serves out for 2-1... Nadal sorting his groundstrokes out and not afraid to come to the net on the back of the short ball...

10:53 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds for 1-1...

10:49 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds for the first game of the second set 1-0

10:44 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt forehand winner 5-2; Nadal not impressed by the call, about to serve... Nadal-Hewitt scramble, with the 15th seed putting a forehand away for FOUR SET POINTS... forehand down the line, winner HEWITT FIRST SET 7-6(2)... a buzz goes round the arena... superb 57 minutes of tennis... Nadal not disgraced... he'll have to sort out the forehand though if he is to get any luck here...

10:43 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal service winner for 1-0; Hewitt to serve, into the net, Nadal forehand winner 0-2; Hewitt to serve again, terrific scrap rally... Nadal forehand out down the line... 1-2; Nadal to serve at 2-1, ACE... no, called out, Rafael inscensed... second serve... forehand out of court 2-2; shanked forehand from Nadal 2-3; Hewitt to serve... another forehand error by the Spaniard, at the change HEWITT 4-2

10:37 Rod Laver Arena: HEWITT NOT FIRING... BREAK POINT NADAL... first serve Hewitt footfault... Nadal breaks back for 6-6 TIe-BREAK... Hewitt nets a forehand

10:35 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holding firm as the Hewitt serve goes to DEUCE number five... Nadal forehand winner down the line... BREAK POINT NADAL... Hewitt wide serve, Nadal nets return DEUCE SIX...

10:31 Rod Laver Arena: SET POINT HEWITT... Nadal trys his luck and fires a backhand down the line... DEUCE... Nadal overcooks a forehand just wide of the tramline... SECOND SET POINT... Hewitt nets after a huge rally... DEUCE number two

10:25 Rod Laver Arena: DOUBLE BREAK POINT HEWITT... Nadal first serve into the net, second deep kicker, that Hewitt hits out on the backhand wing... 30-40; one more chance... Hewitt forehand winner for a 6-5 lead... "C'mon Lleyton" his war cry at the change...

10:23 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt gets a two-point cushion, the Rock cries out in delight, the crowd react, Nadal rocking... Rafael comes to the net after a very long rally and put a volley away... 15-30... he reacts with his own "C'mon"

10:22 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds for the loss of one point at 5-5

10:19 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal remains focused and serves out for 5-4! Hewitt firing two forehand long and getting annoyed!

10:16 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt changing his shoes 0-30 down on the Nadal serve... tactic, gamesmanship or simply he needs to change his shoes... the press in the box aren't too sure

. 10:15 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds to the sound of "Aussie Aussie Aussie" for 4-4... Nadal hitting his backhand well

10:12 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt not returning well and starts cursing himself... Nadal remains focused, realising he has to block out the Australian crowd... he holds NADAL 4-3

10:08 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal hitting the Hewitt serve with interest and in contention to break, but snatches slightly at the ball... HEWITT HOLDS for 3-3

10:04 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal holds serve for 3-2, hitting an ACE and two forehand winners... with an ability to get from side to side fast, a good battle is expected

10:01 Rod Laver Arena: Silence in between points while Hewitt serves... the former world number one ACES down the centre line... Nadal with strapping on his right leg... HEWITT 2-2

09:57 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt testing the Nadal backhand, but the Spaniard holds serve comfortably for 2-1

09:54 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt holds amongst the songs of the Australian support... he'll have to have a Davis Cup atmosphere to win well against Nadal... everyone here knows that... 1-1

09:49 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal starts positively holding for the loss of two points... 1-0 09:47 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal to pen up this third round match, play! 09:45 Rod Laver Arena: Nadal and Hewitt practising their serves

09:40 Rod Laver Arena: Both players into their knock-up in front of a packed centre court... how nervous will Nadal be? Time will only tell...

09:35 Rod Laver Arena: Hewitt and Nadal out on to the Centre Court, the Australian focused, this is a big match, against an up-and-coming Spaniard, who can play on all surfaces

09:22 Rod Laver Arena: 15th seed and former world number one Lleyton Hewitt expected out on court in 15 minutes against Spanish 17-year-old Rafael Nadal...