Right, that’s all the matches done on day four and all from me on this blog. Thanks for reading, and here is some more for you if you are catching up. Bye!

Jovic will play Paolini in the third round. What a tantalising match that is – the pair met at the US Open a few months ago with Paolini winning in straight sets. But Jovic was asked about that defeat and says she is “much improved” since August.

Given her ranking and her record, Paolini will be the favourite but it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the US prodigy come through against the Italian.

Jovic speaks! She certainly looks like a teenager but has the poise of someone a lot older.

It was incredible. I totally didn’t expect to play on this court but you guys made it special. I feel like I played solid tennis, thankfully it was enough today.

It was surreal to be on this court. It was a dream of mine.

Monica Seles was a hero of mine, she has a similar background to me. Novak Djokovic also, it’s cool to play in the same tournament as him. Hopefully I get to catch up with him.

Jovic signs the camera: “First time on Laver!”

With that whippy forehand, Tiafoe is close now. The American serves to love – including a second serve ace – and is now just one game away from the third round. Comesana looks helpless.

Tiafoe breaks in the fourth set! A remarkable shot to do so, as Comesana does everything right in forcing the American back into the backhand corner. But Tiafoe runs it down and somehow scoops a return low down the line – Comesana, at the net, can’t quite get down to it. Tiafoe now leads 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 4-2.

Paolini will face the winner of Jovic v Hon in the third round.

After a dominant first set for the American, Hon is showing some real steel on Rod Laver in the second set, particularly with her serve. She breaks Jovic but cedes the next service game. At 2-2, Hon aces out wide to move to 40-0 up, but Jovic battles back, powering a forehand down the line, clipping the outside of the line, to get back to deuce.

From deuce, there is only one winner. Jovic secures another crucial break. She is relentless, consistently hitting a very flat ball and on the rise.

Paolini speaks after her victory. It’s nearly midnight, local time.

It was better here [on indoor John Cain Arena] without the wind. [Frech] was a really tough opponent.

I need to rest. The goal is always to stay focused on the next match. I always feel the love of the Italian community in Melbourne. Thank you for staying here to cheer for me, it’s late. Grazie!

Paolini signs the TV camera with ‘Finally, we finished!’ as she walks off.

Wow! An OUTRAGEOUS backhand down the line from Paolini secures the crucial break of serve over Frech. That was a monstrous shot from the 30-year-old, who was travelling to her right but contorted to her left and somehow picks up the ball from her laces. Paolini leads 6-2, 5-3 and will serve for the match.

Paolini has recovered against Frech in the second set, and things are back on serve with Frech 3-4 down and the ball in hand. Despite her improvement, Paolini seems to be in a foul mood and she curses and gestures to her corner – in a way that only Italians can – after missing a simple volley at the net.

It has taken just 27 minutes but Jovic has sealed the first set over Hon with an ace. Rod Laver was raucous at the start of this match in supporting Brisbane native Hon, but it’s all gone a bit quiet. Ruthless stuff from Jovic, who looks completely at ease as she moves towards the third round.

I have to admit this is the first time I have had a proper look at Jovic. Her balance and poise is remarkable, particularly on her returns. She looks like a great all-rounder, too, with both shot-making and consistency – Jovic made just four unforced errors in that set to Hon’s 15. The American made 98% of her forehands in that first set.

Back on Margaret Court, Comesana is two sets down but now serving for the third set, 5-4 up. At 30-30, the Argentinian completely misjudges a drop shot but saves deuce with a mis-hit winner, as Tiafoe looks to the heavens in disbelief. After a eight-minute game, Comesana finally prevails to send us into a fourth set, smashing a deep forehand winner past the American!

Jovic is all business and roars straight into a 3-0 lead over Hon. This is frightening stuff from the 18-year-old American.

Thanks Daniel, decent stint, that.

Straight into the action and. After cruising to the first set 6-2, No 7 seed Jasmine Paolini has been broken early in the second by Magdalena Frech. The Italian, twice a grand-slam finalist, won’t want this set to get away from here. Frech is very capable, though, reaching the fourth round here a couple of years ago.

Righto, I’ve been at this since 7.30 so i’m off for a break; here’s Michael Butler to coax you through the next bit.

Jovic holds in game one, while Frech and Paolini have moved from Kia to Cain and are just about to resume, the Italian up 6-2 15-40, and on Court, Tiafoe leads Comesana 6-4 6-3 3-3.

And really, check this out.

It’s no more than she deserves for her round-one sportsmanship…

On Laver, our final match of the day is almost under way. Iva Jovic, just 18 but already top-30, looks a superstar in the making and I can’t wait to see how she handles the occasion against an Aussie making her debut on the country’s biggest court.

I wonder how much of Medjedovic’s capitulation was mental; De Minaur just doesn’t give you any breather, and playing your best point every point is extremely demanding, so it’s not surprise to see someone on the other end of it wilt. Ultimately, he just couldn’t cope when his level dropped below the best he can muster, frustration and resignation taking over.

Now to Demon who, during Medjedovic’s first-set onslaught, told himself to stay patient against an opponent playing incredible tennis – serving great, hitting it big from the baseline, “and not really allowing me to do much.”

But a five-set match is a long match, so he knew there’d be lots of chances, he took them and is happy. He’s happy with where his level’s at, he’s up for the challenge as things get harder, and he’ll go out there to give it his all.

Zverev credits Muller, who played a 7-6 in the fifth against Popyrin, for contributing to a high-level match. He’s one of the fittest guys on tour and is really happy with the match.

Cain is his favourite court in Melbourne, “the atmosphere is always insane and the crowd is very wild,” and asked about his injury, says he was scared as it was his achilles and there’ve been a lot of achilles injuries on tour recently, but he took a painkiller, was fine thereafter, and isn’t expecting any trouble tomorrow.

Back to our earlier point about Zverev, his serve and backhand are two of the best shots in the game and, though his forehand and volleying isn’t of the same level, both are much improved. Or, in other words, the principal barrier to his winning a major might be between the ears – though it may also be the case that now, Sincaraz are just too good and his chance has gone.

Another long rally, but Muller can’t quite get above and behind an overhead, backpeddling but knocking it wide when perhaps he shouldn’t; that’s 30-0, and a backhand winner, inside-out and wrongfooting, raises three match points.

We’ll do his interview shortly, but first, Zverev is serving for the match against Muller at 5-4 in the fourth.

…and the first is saved through a fantastic rally, a net cord forcing Zverev to the net but he can’t stretch to play his second volley, then a lob falls long and to deuce we go. Back on Laver, Medjedovic holds through deuce, meaning De Minaur will now serve for the match at 2-1 5-1 and within seconds, it’s 40-0.

Zverev makes 15-40 on the Muller serve, meaning two match points…

De Minaur breaks Medjedovic again to lead 4-0 and, while i’m trying to force the words into my fingers, rushes through as fast a hold as you can imagine; he leads 5-0 in the fourth and is nearly home. On Kia, though, it’s rain stopped play, with Paolini up 6-2 but down 15-40 against Frech, and on cain, an ace means Zverev leads Muller 2-1 5-3, a game away from a third-round meeting with Cameron Norrie.

On Court, meantime, Tiafoe clinches the second set against Comesaña to lead 6-4 6-3.

We’re close to the end on Laver, De Minaur breaking Medjedovic at the first time of asking and endorsing. He leads 6-7 6-2 6-2 3-0, and will be better for a workout that’s not become too tiring.

Paolini loses her serve but then breaks Frech to seal a 6-2 set while Zverev, up 2-1 3-2 with a break, calls out the doctor for medication. It was at this tournament last year he became fully acquainted with his grand slam problem, the ease with which Sinner dismissed him crushing his spirit. He does still have the ability to win a major, but he needs to find a way of attacking – he was far too tentative in the match, effectively waiting to be beaten.

…who i’ve just realised I earlier called Adele, not Alycia.

Back with Muchova, she has her fourth match point against Parks…

What on earth must that be like, watching a mate compete at this level? Anyone who knows, feel free to email in.

In the club in Ibiza, I got chatting to a lad who’s best mates with Fabian Schär, the Newcastle defender, and he’d been at Wembley for the League Cup final in which they beat Liverpool. He said that at the whistle, he totally lost his mind and was crying his eyes out, which makes perfect sense.

Norrie is delighted. He says the atmosphere was unreal, thanking the crowd for sticking with it despite the rain delay, so they respond by singing for him; “Everyone’s had a few drinks, so fun,” he surmises.

He just wanted to enjoy the match, so hasn’t looked ahead, but the support really helped him and he credits Nava for playing and serving well with the crowd against him. After the rain, he was a bit tight on the groundstrokes when he came back, but it was a great feeling to get over the line with a couple of mates in the crowd.

Talking of whom, Zverev has the trainer out, looking at his left ankle. He leads 2-1 2-1, with a break, so ought really to get off court in the next 20 minutes.

Nava saves the first two on serve, but Norrie has another go on his own delivery…

And a double, the second of the game, hands over the set. De Minaur leads Medjedovic 2-1 while, on 7, Norrie nails two big serves to lead Nava 6-3 in their fourth-set breaker, meaning he holds three match points.

Paolini breaks Frech for a 5-1 first-set lead; at 5-2 15-40, De Minaur has two set points for a 2-1 lead against Medjedovic.

Meantime, Zverev breaks Muller at the start of set four and a hold apiece on Laver means Medjedovic must now serve to stay in set three down 2-5. On Court 7, Nava and Norrie are knocking up.

Our players are back on the outside courts, not yet ready to resume, but not far off.

Ha! Lol @ me! After losing eight games in a row, Medjedovic wallops a forehand winner down the line to break De Minaur and, though the set might be gone, he’ll feel like he’s back in the match. No tanking here!

Not, though, hard enough. A netted forehand means Zverev holds, securing a 6-3 third set and a2-1 lead.

On Court, Tiiafoe has taken the first set off Comesana, 6-4, while on Cain, Zverev is serving for 2-1 at 5-3; Muller, though, is fighting hard.

Medjedovic actually had break point at 2-2 in the second, couldn’t convert and hasn’t won a game since. But just as a hold looks likely, De Mianur forces a way to deuce and breaks him again, ridiculous retrieval eventually forcing the error. He leads 4-0 in the second and my best guess is we a see a tank now in the hope of a fourth-set rebound.

Zverev rattles through a hold for 1-1 5-2 and De Minaur for 1-1 3-0, class taking over in both cases. Obviously the best players have higher top levels than most, but the difference here is the ability to sustain a good level through a long match – De Minaur isn’t playing loads better than he was at the start, Medjedovic is just playing worse.

We’re back under way on all our roofed courts, with the rest not too far behind.

Yeah, I fear Medjedovic is gone. From 15-40, he makes deuce, but goes for too much on second serve thereafter then, during an incredible break point, he somehow blocks back an overhead, oly to net a lazy backhand slice. Demon leads 1-1 2-0.

Off we go on Laver, De Minaur serving in the first game of set three, and he quickly records a love hold. Medjedovic might’ve benefitted from the break because the match, though level, was getting away from him, but having now lost five games on the trot, he badly needs to serve out this next one.

On Laver, our players are back out and warming up, roof deployed. That’s not the case elsewhere, but it won’t be long.

My aged C crashes – there’s one for the Great Expectations firm – but we’re back now and not too far away from a resumption.

The clean-up operation is under way, which tells us the rain has stopped. I guess we’ll be under way again in around 15 minutes, confirmation to come when I get it.

Zverev has broken Muller in set three to lead 1-1 4-2; Paolini leads Frech 4-1; Tiafoe and Comesana are level at 2-2; and Muchova leads Parks 4-2 in the third.

They don’t think it’ll be a long delay, but it is coming down heavily for the now, so let’s go around the courts.

Back with Norrie, he and Nava are palying a fourth-set tiebreak, during which I fully expect him to dial in again. He secures a mini-break for 4-3, but no sooner has he punched the air, three points from victory, then the rain starts hammering down.

I wonder how Demon’s feeling in himself. His interview after losing to Musetti at the ATP finals was hard to watch, and a perfect encapsulation of the agony of being brilliant but not brilliant enough.

But then he beat Taylor Fritz, granting himself perspective.

Only to lose to Sinner, as he always does. I remember Andy Murray saying that after losing the 2012 Wimbledon final to Roger Federer, he had to process the prospect of never winning a major, not easily done. In the event, he then won Olympic gold and the US Open, but that route doesn’t look open for De Minaur, who doesn’t have the weapons to beat the more powerful men on the biggest stages.

De Minaur endorses his break then races to 0-40 and three set points, caressing a glorious return down the line from way outside the tramlines. Again, though, Medjedovic’s serve gets him out of some trouble, but at 30-40, he hooks a forehand wide and we’re level at a set apiece.

Moving around the courts, Zverev has just broken Muller to lead 1-1 3-1; Paolini leads Frech 2-1 on serve; Norrie leads Nava 6-1 7-6 4-6 5-4, on serve; Muchova leads Parks 3-1 in the third; and Comesana has won the first game against Tiafoe.

De Minaur raises a further break point, but Medjedovic’s forehand is a shot, and he unleashes it to restore deuce … only to net one when next down advantage. The crowd goes wild and he leads 7-6 2-4, but is this the beginning of the end?

De Minaur hasn’t had much in the way of opportunity so far, but Medjedovic gets involved in aggro with his box notching breaking opportunity of his own, serving in the next game, a double takes him down 0-40. So he responds with a second-serve ace, then a second-serve service-winner, then a huge serve and clean-up volley. That’s outstanding behaviour, but Demon restores deuce in what might be a pivotal game: if Medjedovic sees it out, he’s here for the long haul, but if he doesn’t, it might be a turning point.

Terrific hitting from Muller, serving at 3-6 5-4, saves break-back point, and from there he closes out the set! That’s six games out of seven, and the no 3 seed is in a match.

Muchova has got herself going, coming back from behind to force a decider against Parks, and she leads 2-0 in the third, while Norrie has just spurned a breaking opportunity – and he’s had a few this set – up 2-1 3-3 against Nava,

Next on Laver: Francis Tiafoe (29) v Francisco Comesana. I’m not, though, going to watch that one; I’m moving Medjedovic 7-6 1-2 De Minaur to my main screen, taking Zverev back from phone to laptop, replacing it with Frech v Paolini.

i said earlier that Zverev had taken over against Muller, up a set and a break. Well, Muller now leads 5-3 i the second, the match done changed.

Andreeva is happy. When she saw the draw, she though “Wow!”, two really good and aggressive players, but it helps that she didn’t have time to ease into the tournament and had to be focused from the start.

She likes the pressure of having won Adelaide and though conditions are windier in Melbourne, she’s in match rhythm, which is good.

Her relationship with Conchita Martinez, her coach, is so much fun – Martinez knows she’s got a gem, and seems to be doing a really good job of balancing elite-sport seriousness with teenage frivolity.

Andreeva makes it to 40-30, and here comes match point…

Back on Laver, Andreeva shows her mettle, forcing a break, and well though Sakkari has contested the second set, she must now break at 0-6 4-5 to stay in the tournament.

And have a look! A serve out wide, then a viciously top-spinning forehand into the opposite corner and, as we flagged at the start, Medjedovic is a nasty opponent. He leads De Minaur 7-6(5), the no 6 seed in a proper match.

A double, though – his first of the set, on set point, and the first sign of pressure – botches the first, then a long backhand the second. It’s very serious out there, all the more so when a return down the line but wide leaves him with one more go, on serve.

Medjedovic races to a 4-2 lead against De Minaur … and it’s soon 5-2, then a return looped long means four set points.

Norrie puts him under pressure, but Nava serves out to take the third set; the Brit leads 6-1 7-6 4-6. Elsewhere, Muchova has taken over on 1573, her command of angles meaning she’s up 5-2 and within a game of forcing a decider against Parks. And on Court, we’ve got ourselves a ball-game, Sakkari springing into life after losing the first set 6-0; it’s 4-3 to her, on serve, in the second.

Demon has to plough through deuce, noising up the crowd when he makes advantage and celebrating like he’s won the whole thing, but he gets to 6-6 and a first-set breaker; I can’t wait to watch this because it’s seriously intense out there. So much so that Zverev v Muller os getting lozzed from laptop to phone, with this contest moving in the opposite direction. What an honour! Such validation!

Norrie holds for 4-5 in the third, forcing Nava to serve for the set, while Zverev has taken total control against Muller, up 6-3 2-0, On Laver, Medjedovic is playing really nicely, his ability to vary spin and pace causing Demon all sorts of grief; he leads 6-5 in the first.

Now then! Suddenly Sakkari is hitting it, wellying from the back in dominant style to break Andreeva back, and to love. Suddenly, her feet are moving, she’s getting to the ball early, and belatedly we might be getting the match for which he’d hoped.

Painful cheers in the crowd as Sakkari holds against Andreeva; at 0-6 1-2, she’s on the board, but that metaphorical pat on the head will be stinging something fierce.

Zverev breaks Muller a second time to secure a 6-3 first set; Medjedovic leads De Minaur 5-4; Andreeva consolidates for 6-0 2-0; Norrie’s focus has again slipped, so he leads Nava 2-0 but trails 2-4; Bublik leads Fucsovics 2-0 but rtrails 5-2; Muchova has just broken Parks to trail 4-6 2-1; and Linette leads Li 6-3 4-0.

Sure enough, Andreeva breaks in game one of set two, Sakkari’s fight now to escape the indignity of a double bagel – or beigel.

Andreeva is having her way with Sakkari, serving out for a bagel set. Sakkari is capable of much better than this, but it’ll take something significant for her to reverse or even slow her opponent’s momentum.

Elsewhere, there were straightforward progressions for Sabalenka, Gauff, Alcaraz and Rublev, likewise Svitolina and Medvedev, while in young tyro news, Mboko and Baptiste both moved on, Tien too, but Fery lost in three to Etcheverry.

Muller bangs a forehand line, and it’s long, meaning two break points to Zverev … and he takes the first, loping in to respond to a drop and sending a backhand down the line and into the corner. He leads 4-3 in the first while, back on Court 7, we’re on serve at 2-1 in the third, Norrie up on Nava by two sets to love.

Sakkari just can’t get anything going, broken a third time for 0-5. Andreeva has her ditzy, teenage persona, but make no mistake: she’s a ruthless, remorseless killer, in the best possible way.

On Laver – and I know Demon is Aussie, but Andreeva v Sakkari surely belongs on the main court – he and Medjedovic are 2-2 in set one, while Muller leads Zverev 3-2 on serve and Andreeva holds through a long game for 4-0 against Sakkari. Oh, and Parks has taken the first set off Muchova, 6-4, likewise Linette against Li, 6-3.

Bublik is all business these days – only the big two won more titles than him last season – and he now leads Fucsovics 7-5 6-4, despite coming dressed as Mendieta-era Middlesbrough.

Quiz question: where is this game?

Andreeva is all over Sakkari, uo 3-0 having seized a second break. Her first-round match with Vekic, a far better player than a no 8 seed would reasonably expect to face in round one, has got her nicely grooved, though it revealed forehand weakness – that flank was targeted by her wily opponent – and the first set will soon be hers.

Norrie is doing his thing again, upping it when he needs to for another mini-break and 6-2. I wonder if it’s a cognitive thing, because it’s not like he wasn’t trying his best when struggling earlier in the set, so it’s not an effort thing, but I guess focusing for hours at a time is hard if not impossible and there’s a kind of locked-in version that intensifies as the match does … and, as I type, he serves out to lead Nava 6-1 7-6(3) having saved two set points not that long ago.

Obviously Zverev finds an ace to restore deuce – he may be resigned to his fate of never winning a slam, but his serve remains one of the best shots in the game, and from there, he ends a long hold. And back with the breaker, Norrie has a mini-break and a 3-2 lead.

Meantime, Andreeva breaks Sakkari immediately for 1-0 in the first; Muchova and Parks are 3-3 in the first; Bublik leads Fucsovics 7-5 3-4 on serve; Muller leads Zverev 1-0 and has break point in game two; and Medjedovic is serving in the first game against De Minaur.

At 6-1 5-6, Norrie finds himself serving down set point, and a protracted rally doth ensue, featuring fearsome hitting from the back, until a backhand unloaded down the line is good enough for deuce. Then, on advantage, Norrie punishes down an ace, and we’ll now play a tiebreak.

Maria Sakkari has previously been as high as no 3 in the world. And though she’s also one of those players whose ranking you could never quite believe – see Kournikova, A – she’s made the semis of two majors and now, aged 30, properly knows her way around a tennis court

We’re almost ready to go on Laver and Court, so time to decide what to watch. I’m going to start with Sakari v Andreeva alongside Norrie on my main screen, then I’ll put Demon on another and Zverev v Muller on the fourth.

Again, Norrie raises break point … and this time he converts. He leads 6-1 4-5, and again, as looked the case in round one against Bonzi, it may get close, but he’s got enough class to do whatever the necessary turns out to be.

Now Nava saves two break points before holding for 1-6 5-2, but I don’t suppose it’s surprising seeing Norrie struggle given he’s come to work in his little pyjama suit.

Nava has just broken Norrie to trail 1-6 4-2, while Bublik has taken the first set against Fucsovics, leading 7-5 -1 on serve.