Day six of the Australian Open went ahead without fans after Victoria's snap lockdown.
The new Covid restrictions created a bizarre scene at Novak Djokovic's match last night when supporters were asked to leave Rod Laver Arena midway through the match.
In the early matches of the day, 2020 USOpen finalist Daniil Medvedev was pushed all the way in a five-set thriller to advance to the fourth round, while World No. 6 Karolína Pliskova was sent home in a shock upset.
6.45pm: Medvedev survives scare
Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev achieved a career first as he advanced to the fourth round, finally winning a match that went to five sets.
Medvedev was 0-6 in five-setters before his drought-breaking 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0 win over No. 28-seeded Filip Krajinovic, who had a 4-1 record previously in Grand Slam matches that went the full five sets.
The win stretched Medvedev's winning streak to 17 matches, a stretch that includes the title at the 2020 season-ending ATP Finals.
Medvedev, the U.S. Open finalist last year, will next play Mackenzie McDonald, the unseeded American who beat Lloyd Harris in straight sets to equal his best Grand Slam result by reaching the round of 16 at the Australian Open.
3.10pm: World No. 6 Pliskova knocked out
Karolina Pliskova. Photo / AP
World No. 6 Karolína Pliskova has been knocked out of the Australian Open in straight sets 7-5, 7-5 by Czech rival Karolína Muchova.
Pliskova hit 40 unforced errors with only 23 winners, and it has now been two years since Pliskova reached the quarterfinal of a grand slam.
The 24-year-old Muchova will face either Belinda Bencic or Elise Mertens in the fourth round.
2.30pm: Svitolina cruises into round of 16
Elina Svitolina has a wide open quarter of the draw and continues to surge towards a potential semi-final showdown against Ash Barty.
The Ukrainian fifth seed was the first winner on day six, defeating 28th seed Yulia Putintseva 6-4 6-0.
The early exit of defending champion Sofia Kenin has opened up Svitolina's path to the final four and she'll next face the winner of Kristina Mladenovic's match with Jessica Pegula.
2pm: Bizarre scenes as Open fans evicted
Novak Djokovic receives treatment during his third round match against Talyor Fritz. Photo / AP
Bizarre scenes have struck the Australian Open as Novak Djokovic's epic war against American Taylor Fritz was briefly suspended while fans were forced out midway through the fourth set.
It was already a strange sight to see Djokovic struggling on Rod Laver Arena — but at 11.30pm fans were booted from the venue as part of Tennis Australia's compliance with the five-day Victorian lockdown which began at 11.59pm (AEDT) on Friday night.
The lockdown announcement triggered a day of chaos at Melbourne Park with anti-lockdown protesters flooding the venue to take a stand against metropolitan Melbourne's third hard lockdown.
The crowds have been vocal at the Australian Open throughout the first week of the tournament but the Covid cluster linked to the Victorian hotel quarantine system has seen the city locked up again.
As part of the lockdown, spectators have been locked out of the tennis for at least the next five days.
Under the restrictions announced Friday public gatherings are not permitted.
The bizarre scenes were triggered as Djokovic was being pushed to breaking point by Fritz after he had earlier taken a medical time out to be treated on a side strain.
With the world No. 1 struggling to move around the court and Fritz rolling with all the momentum, the 11.30 deadline ticked over with the epic battle very much in the balance and a potential boil over looming.
Fritz took the third set 6-3 and had broken Djokovic before play was suspended while the fans were escorted out of the venue.
There was a loud chorus of boos when the chair umpire announced that all non-essential personnel must leave the arena with the fourth set at 3-2.
Those fans missed the moment Fritz served out the fourth set to send it to a decider.
In an epic fifth set that was played out in the eerie, cavernous silence of Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic showed his champion fighting spirit to weather the storm and eventually emerge with a 7-6 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-2 victory after 3.5 hours on court.
The clock had ticked over to 12.20am when he sealed the win. He roared a deep, guttural scream that sounded truly bizarre inside the deserted stadium.
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic and compatriot Karolina Pliskova play in an empty Rod Laver Arena. Photo / AP
He let his emotions show after surviving the scare which had left his hunt for a record ninth Australian Open crown hanging by a thread.
He said he understood why the match had to be stopped to kick the spectators out.
"With the bad news today that we got, everybody knew that midnight is going to be the deadline where we go into lockdown for five days so in a way it's unfortunate for the crowd that we didn't finish the match with them seeing the end," he said.
"They were enjoying it certainly."
Earlier, the players were also asked to leave the court as fans vented their frustrations about being kicked out of the stadium.
Confusion had been sewn as a rumour began circulating on social media that the fans in the stadium would be allowed to stay with their tickets the exemption to stay out beyond 11.30pm.
It came at a fascinating point of the game after Djokovic ran out to a two sets to love lead but a slip saw the No. 1 seed do the splits and require medical attention.
The Australian Open released a statement on Friday afternoon saying: "Tennis Australia continues to work with the government to ensure the healthy and safety of everyone.
"We are notifying ticketholders, players and staff that there will be no fans onsite at the AO for five days, commencing from Saturday 13 February.
"Full refunds will be available for anyone who has tickets for these sessions and they will be advised on how to apply as soon as possible."
Tennis great Martina Navratilova, Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim and sportscaster Steve Weissman were previewing Kyrgios' game against Dominic Thiem and discussing his newfound maturity.
Navratilova, who won 18 grand slams, was speaking about the extra time it can take a tennis player to find themself.
"You get thrust into the adult life very early on before you are really ready for it emotionally," she said.
"The emotional growth comes in bits and pieces really and it is delayed really. I think give him (Kyrgios) a chance to catch up to that and as he said he feels grounded, put down some roots and figure out who you are, that can only be good for his tennis."
Wertheim followed up by encouraging the public to find a middle ground with the Aussie.
"He does some things that are indisputably wrong, that are indefensible. He does other things that are indisputably right and admirable," he said.
"His fondness for his home town is one of many. He has been a voice of reason.
"He does other things you can't condone. It is what it is. People are complex and inconsistent. If you're looking for one pole you're not going to find it with this guy."
"I don't know if he is a good bad guy or a bad good guy but he's both," Navratilova replied. "You so want to like him and then he does something."
Kyrgios replied to a clip of the conversation emphatically at 12.57am. "YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME," he declared.
