Maddison Inglis leaves Melbourne Park with a lot, including the high-end toaster she’s always wanted. There is pride, having reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, but also disappointment. In the biggest match of the local qualifier’s career, the world No 2 Iga Swiatek proved too polished, securing a 6-0, 6-3 victory on Monday night.

The result leaves no more local players in the women’s singles draw. In the men’s singles, there is only Alex de Minaur, who plays top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening.

Against Swiatek, Inglis was up against a top 10 player for only the second time. The first set delivered a bagel, so she set out to prove she was worthy of her place, that she can handle the heat. In the kitchen of Rod Laver Arena, she broke the Pole at the start of the second set and celebrated – part show, part sincere – by jumping along the baseline, arms aloft.

Otherwise, that’s it for today – join us again tomorrow for some absolute bangers.

Sure enough, Shelton begins his interview noting that “atmosphere is everything” and tanking the crowd for staying late, especially as he knows they really wanted to see Djokovic.

He’s rowdy on the court so likes rowdy crowds, and from his first experience playing on Cain he fell in love with the tournament, one of his favourites and marked up on the calendar every ear.

Since that first experience, he’s made some mental leaps – he’s a lot more focused, a lot more locked in to the type of player he is and what he does well and less well. He’s honest with himself but confident and is going to keep improving.

Last year, he lost to Sinner in the semis, but these matches are what you look forward to most. He wants to improve on things he didn’t do that well last year, and he’ll be ready to go in two days’ time.

Finally, he accepts that Djokovic has the most swagger walking about, but when Jim Courier cites him and Musetti next, Shelton cites Alcaraz, then Tommy Paul’s “quiet swag”, adding that if Learner Tien keeps at it, he’ll be another on the list, and Coco Gauff also belongs in that company.

Ruud’s wife is due, so he’s got some good stuff coming; he played pretty well tonight, he just faced an opponent with a bigger game and big-time temperament.

A serve-volley point makes 15-0, then a swinging body-serve kicks up on Ruud, too good to return. A service-winner timed at 141mph then takes us to 40-0 and three match points…

A double then a forehand whipped cross-court brings Shelton back from 0-30 to 30-all, but from there, Ruud pushes through to hold, meaning that, after change of ends, the American will serve for the match at 5-4 in the fourth. Nothing we’ve seen in the last hour suggests he won’t manage that, but pressure does funny things to even the coolest dudes.

A forehand to the tootsies then a slam-dunk overhead retrieves 0-15, a big serve and clean-up forehand put Shelton ahead in the game, and he’s flying now. The break is endorsed, he leads 5-3 in the fourth, and is one away from a quarter-final meeting with Jannik Sinner, his success rate at the net now an insane 97%.

A double at 0-15 and Ruud is again in trouble; every hold is a fight for him now. And though he halves his arrears, a forehand into the tape leaps wide, and these two break points feel like match points. Ruud, though, hangs in there, Shelton working hard to haul himself into the rally only to overhit a backhand; that’s five breaking opportunities spurned, but there’s one to come, Ruud goes long, and Shelton is two holds away from the last eight! He’s dominated this match the last 20 minutes, and if he can keep calm it’s hard to see him failing to close it out from 3-6 6-4 6-3 4-3.

OK, Ruud lands a pair of useful returns and makes 15-30, pressure suddenly on Shelton. And when the Norwegian forces his way to the net next point, he’s got a sniff, but a merely adequate volley then allows a forehand pass which levels the game, and from there, the hold is quickly secured for 2-1 3-3.

Ridiculous work from the back, Shelton plating a decent return then switching momentum in the rally with a nails forehand on the run; his power, athleticism, creativity and ball-striking are dominating now, and another fine return allows a winner for 15-40. Ruud, though, saves both break points, rushes through deuce, and he’s stopping in this match well – for now. He leads 3-2 in the third but trails 1-2.

A love hold for Shelton and after the stress of fighting through his last hold, Ruud is back serving again in double-quick time at 2-2 in the fourth; in the time it takes me to type that, he’s down 0-15, and even if nothing comes of it, the sense is that the match is being confiscated.

The problem Shelton has is his backhand – it used to be the case that if you made him play one the first shot of the rally, he only won the point 15% or so of the time. I’m not sure where it’s at now and, at 23, he’s got time to improve – he also needs to get to the net more – BUT HAVE A LOOK! He holds for 1-1 then, out of nowhere, leans out of court to schlep a ludicrous forehand winner cross for 0-15; his athleticism is an outrage. We wind up at 30-all, Shelton given the chance to play a lob when really the point ought to have been over, before putting away a volley in response to Ruud’s tweener and, at 30-all, this feels like it could be the beginning of the end. Oh, and a netted forehand means break point, Shelton gets into it with a good return of a useful serve, then opens shoulders to attack a backhand … which he swipes wide. Gosh, but a double gifts another chance – again – and again, Shelton’s old man exhorts patience, presumably feeling he rushed it with that backhand last go. Ruud, though, nails a forehand to restore deuce once more, and from there closes it out. He trails 1-2 but leads 2-1.

When chatting about matches like this one, we inevitably find ourselves wondering if either of them has a serious chance of winning a major. I think we can say with certainty that Ruud will not, but Shelton might just have the x-factor that means he hits a flow at the right time. The problem he has, though – the problem everyone has, though – is the mighty Sincaraz. When will there next be a slam final that doesn’t feature the big two? I can’t see Sinner losing to either of these this time, nor to Djokovic or Musetti, just as seems really unlikely that any of Demon, Zverev and Tien are ready to beat Alcaraz. Meantie, Ruud holds easily, for a 1-2 1-0 deficit.

Superb hitting from Shelton, who holds to 15 and seals the third set to lead 3-6 6-4 6-3. He loves the big stage and it’s hard to see him losing from here.

A fine forehand, hooked on the run and on to the baseline, means that at 40-30, Ruud faces a bit of pressure, and Shelton nails a backhand winner, taken early and dematerialised cross court; deuce. Not a good time for a double, but that’s what follows – eeeesh – and when Shelton leans out wide to direct a decent return, he’s into the point, and eventually a long forehand secures the break! You could see that brewing in the previous couple of games, the American leads 1-1 5-3, and it won’t have escaped his attention that Ruud’s error came playing his best shot. Shelton feels inevitable now.

A netted volley means no love hold, but when Ruud pays a poor approach, he’s promptly passed, and Shelton leads 4-3 in the third. I’d expect him to attack in the next game.

Ruud nets a backhand for 40-30; an ace down the T secures the hold for 3-3 in the third. This is a really close and entertaining tussle, both men playing pretty well, and I’ve not a clue which of them is going to win. I appreciate, though, that that’s not helpful for people not watching an able to make up their own minds, so I’m going to go for Shelton, whose bigger game looks the more dangerous.

Ruud plays an excellent first rally for 0-15; Shelton spanks down an ace. But at 30-15, an overhit backhand levels the game, then an overhit forehand, following a decent second-serve return, means it’s now Ruud with a chance to break … quickly extinguished via violent ace down the T. A 19-shot rally follows, won by Shelton via forehand, then a big serve secures the hold, and the American leads 1-1 3-2, the contest on a rolling boil.

Again, Shelton holds easily, then Ruud shanks a backhand for 15-all, the kind of thing that wasn’t happening earlier in the match. A double follows, but a much better serve restores parity at 30-all, then a fine backhand whipped to the corner raises game point; “Patience,” advises Bryan, Ben’s old fella, and when Ruud nets a ground smash, we move to deuce. Shelton then does well to stay in the next point, asks his opponent to play a volley, and when it goes long he has the set’s first breaking opportunity. Ruud, though, restores deuce, a tremendous forehand makes advantage, and from there, the hold is secured for 2-2 in the third.

Ruud responds to going down 0-15 with an ace out wide, the hardest serve in the book when hit into the advantage court – you need some serious strength to nail that. But he can’t pass Shelton at the net when a slice invites him in, and that makes 30-all, only for a wild forehand to donate game point, quickly taken for 1-1 1-1.

Has momentum switched? Shelton holds easily, Ruud unable to make an impression on his serve, and he leads 1-1 1-0.

Right, decent get from Shelton and Ruud nets his forehand volley for 0-15 … but then plays a decent rally for 15-all. And he takes control of the next with a wrongfooting forehand, but has to adjust at the net when playing a ball directed at the body … only for Shelton to net with most of the court at which to aim. We reach 30-all, and pressure … which tells when Ruud goes long from the back, the kind of error he’s barely made at all in the match, and then, down set point, he frames a forehand! At the crucial moment, the shot which has defined this match so far lets him down, and Shelton takes the second set 6-4 to level the match at one apiece. We’ve not had any epics in this round, but this feels like it could become one.

Another love hold for Shelton – I think he’s only lost two points on serve this set – and now he’s got a bit of scoreboard pressure in his favour, Ruud forced to serve at 4-5 to stay in it.

A forehand error offers Shelton a sniff at 40-30, but further forehands take it away from him immediately, and he leads 6-3 4-4. He’s sticking some proper top on those balls – much more than Shelton, we’re advised – and this is boiling nicely.

Again, Shelton rushes through a hold, and if this set proceeds to a tiebreaker, ordinarily I’d back the man with the bigger serve and game. But the way Ruud’s playing, it’s no longer as clear which of the two that is, and his consistency on the forehand makes me lean his way.

Another swift Shelton hold, another swift Ruud hold. I don’t think the American expected to have his hitting matched and the tremendous forehand with makes 40-0, the ball sent hurtling form centre to corner, underlines the point. Ruud leads 6-3 3-3 and remains the better player.

Now then: having had 40-15, when Ruud overhits a forehand which brings us to deuce, Shelton has a chance. But then he nails decent lengths until Shelton hooks one wide, a service winner follows, and that dicey situation was quickly and competently averted. Ruud leads 6-2 3-3.

Another shout from Shelton when a shot that looks a lot like a table tennis smash whips by Ruud for a winner that secures another hold. He trails 0-1 but leads 2-1 in the second, and is settled into his rhythm now; can he force a breaking opportunity?

Shelton hollers to psyche himself up when he holds in game one of set two. He knows the elan which makes him special hasn’t quite been there today and it feels like he’s trying to summon it. Thing is, Ruud’s looked almost impregnable on serve so far, an ace down the T confirming a hold to 15 and a 6-3 1-1 lead.

…but very quickly, it’s 30-15; big point coming up. And Shelton, having been told by his dad to be smoother on the backhand, overhits one, handing over two set points … the first seized via service winner. Impressive behaviour from Ruud, who leads 6-3.

So far, we’ve only had one fourth-round match, men and women, that wasn’t won in straights, but I’d be surprised if that happens here – there’s not enough between these two for a conclusive doing. Shelton holds for 3-5 then, with Ruud serving for the set, makes 0-15…

Another hold for Ruud makes it 5-2 and this is really good stuff from him. Shelton, though, loves a contest and loves the big occasion, and also has the power and creativity to hit a seam, so even if he goes behind, he’s got the game to and mentality to fight his way back.

Ruud consolidates comfortably for 4-1 and, so far, he’s maintaining the form of the previous rounds. This is some of the best tennis I’ve seen him play on a hard court – he’s added pace to his forehand and is doing a good job of getting it into the match.

Ruud holds to 15, and these two look really well matched, both of them whacking the cover off it. The Norwegian is working his forehand into the match and, at 15-30, he finds an amazing angle to lash a winner which breaks the sideline, raising two break points. Shelton, though, responds with a big second serve and an inside-out forehand winner; in comms, Henman notes that he tends to open up when behind, when really he should play like that all the time. Problem being he then serves a double, and Ruud leads 3-1 in the first.

Shelton’s vest somehow looks itchy, like it’s a woollen tank top. But he seems comfy out there, though a long forehands gives Ruud a sniff at 40-30 … and a double takes us to deuce. We then learn that he’s only beaten one top-20 player on a har court at a major – Mario Berrettini – which isn’t that surprising, as he doesn’t quite have the weapons. A point emphasised when a second-serve ace gives Shelton advantage, after which he closes out the hold for 1-1 in the first.

Big hitting followed by a deft drop earns Shelton a second break point in game one, but he misses with a forehand down the line, having opened up the space and connected nicely. Ruud, though, responds well, securing the hold, and he’s hitting it harder these days – a necessary improvement given the game’s direction of travel.

I said earlier that the top six seeds are into the last eight of the women’s competition; well, that’s also the case in the men’s. We’ve never had that happen in the open era, and it does feel like the best players are now pretty well established – though the talent pool is deeper than ever before.

I watched Ruud in round one and he was superb against a difficult opponent. I didn’t catch his matches with Munar and Cilic, but dispatching those for the loss of just one set is impressive. Anyway, off we go…

So how will this match go? Shelton has the bigger game and is really good on the big occasion; if it’s firing, his forehand will decide this match, but if it’s off, Ruud’s consistency in the longer rallies will make the difference.

Shelton and Ruud are making their way on to Laver.

Next on Laver: Ben Shelton (8) v Casper Ruud (12).

Now on to Iga, she says she felt confident from the beginning. The pace of the ball was different ot he last round so she had to adjust the position of her legs.

Otherwise, she doesn’t know what she’ll do tomorrow but knows it’s going to be 42 degrees – Jelena Dokic corrects her, it’s 44 – and that’s pretty much it. I’m not sure why we didn’t get a proper interview, perhaps they want the next match on as soon as possible.

Sinner says he and Darderi are good friends off the court, which adds an extra layer to things. He missed his chances to break in set three, then got “very very tight”, so he’s happy to close the match in three.

Told he’s just broken his own record, set last week, for aces in a match, and asked if that’s work in the off-season, he laughs that he wishes it was as easy as that. They did change the motion and it’s a bit more stable, but there’s other stuff to get better at, principally coming to the net and being more unpredictable – or even less predictable. Today that went well.

He knows Ruud and Shelton well, but they’ve worked a lot and everyone is improving. He’ll check some of the match, but the main thing is to recover and he’s very happy to be in the last eight again.

We’ll do his interview shortly; first, let’s focus on Swiatek, serving for the match against Inglis at 6-0 5-3. If she sees it out, it’ll be the first time since 1998 that the top six seeds have reached the last eight of a women’s slam. That echoes what we’ve been discussing since the summer: after some iffy years when all sorts were winning all sorts, the level and depth at the top of the game now is obscene.

Seconds later, it’s 6-2, meaning Sinner has four match points, and this is big dog behaviour par excellence.

Swiatek holds through deuce for 6-0 5-2, moving a game away, while three points in a row for Sinner, upping his level because he’s been asked to, means he’s suddenly in command of the breaker at 4-2.

Up 2-0, Darderi tosses and a baby cries, then again; can he keep focus? He can, but Sinner does really well to keep in a long rally, eventually finishing it with an overhead. We’re back on serve at 2-1, but this is a different match now … so of course, as soon as I say that, the champ annihilates his first ace in three games for 2-2.

A love hold and Darderi has his breaker, an immediate mini-break making things interesting.

I’m starting to think about the next round now. Swiatek is seeking a career grand slam, and it’s possible the pressure, along with her intensity, gets to her when facing Rybakina’s freewheeling thwacking. Forehand to forehand will be key to that match, I think, and I fancy the Kazakh, who ended last year in terrific form and has carried it on this. Back on court, though, Swiatek leads 6-0 4-2.

Swiatek breaks Inglis for 3-1, holds for 4-1, and she’s nearly home; Sinner holds too, leading 2-0 6-5 and Darderi must once again serve to stay in the match. So let’s hope he does, because this set deserves a breaker.

Hold tight Luciano Darderi! More excellent serving secures the hold, and he trails 2-0 5-5. Sinner doesn’t look that fresh, perhaps still affected by his cramps of the previous round; he’ll be desperate to get this done in three.

…which Darderi saves, but a double means he now faces another … saved with a big serve and clean-up forehand. Well played, old mate, well played.

Serving to stay in the match, Darderi is forced to deuce while Swiatek holds comfortably; she’s even making her second serve work for her, while doing a decent job of hiding her forehand, her other weakness – relatively speaking. Oh, and a fantastic backhand return from Sinner, deep on to the baseline, takes him to match point…

Back on Laver, Inglis has a point for 0-6 2-0, but is broken back for 1-1 and Swiatek, having had her chin checked, is back looking good, nailing a forehand winner at the start of the next game.

Darderi makes advantage as suddenly, Sinner looks fatigued. And when he picks the next serve, he has a chance, but thwacks a return long; no matter. He’s starting to win the longer rallies, gets to advantage again, and though he’s again hauled back, the hold eventually secured, this is a contest, at least for now. Sinner leads 6-1 6-3 5-4, and it’d be just like him to break for the match when they return after change of ends.

Darderi and Inglis force two break points each at the same time and Inglis is millimetres away from converting her first, straying long, before stepping to receive a second serve. And when Swiatek nets, she’s raising her arms to salute the crowd, no longer in fear of a double bagel at 0-6 1-0; Sinner, meanwhile, fights back to deuce.

I’m really excited to see how Jovic goes against Sabalenka and what Tien does with Zverev – we’re going to be seeing a lot of those guys over the next decade or so, but will they be week two staples or serious contenders? Tomorrow might offer a clue.

On which point, get a load of tomorrow!

Swiatek hammers a backhand return, confirming a bagel first set. Inglis is doing her best and taking various games, including that last one, to deuce, but there’s not much she can do about this. We can start looking forward to Swiatek v Rybakina on Wednesday.

And now Sinner silently holds to love, Darderi having to fight for everything he’s getting – or mainly not getting – while for the champ, it’s all coming naturally. He leads 2-0 4-3.

Swiatek is playing nicely, it must be said, and it’s soon 5-0 while, on Court, Darderi is sort of enjoying himself now, a succession of big forehands helping him hold for 0-2 3-3 amid a lot of noise.

A fine backhand to the corner has the home crowd ahhing, but Swiatek retrieves well if a little floatily, Inglis hammers into the net, and at 4-0, that’s the double break. I’m afraid this isn’t close nor is it showing signs of becoming so.

Down break point at 0-2 1-2, Darderi locates an ace, but he must soon handle another, Sinner dashing in to put away a volley having cracked a forehand to the corner. But a netted return restores deuce and from there he closes out the game before celebrating by petulantly throwing down a towel next to his coach. Meantime, Swiatek is doing all she can to prevent Inglis getting on the board, an overhead dispatched with prejudice saving game point at 3-0.

Swiatek breaks Inglis immediately for 2-0 and though, as she seeks to consolidate, she’s taken to deuce, she eventually prevails. She can play a lot better than this – and if she wins, against Rybakina, she’ll have to.

Otherwise, Musetti, now firmly established at the top of the game, whacked Fritz while, in the men’s doubles, the champs are out, Henry Patten and Harri Heloivaara beaten by Patrik Rikl and Petr Nouza 6 and 6, spurning five break points without facing any. Regular reader will know Patten is coached by Calvin Betton, a great friend of the blog who’s been furnishing us with pro angles and insights for years now; well, Luke Johnson, Calv’s other charge, is still in, with his partner Jan Zielinski, and they’re looking very good.

To recap what went down overnight, the champ is out of the women’s competition, Our Maddy losing in straights to her good mate, Jess Pegula, who’ll now meet Amanda Anisimova in an enticing quarter-final – the others are tasty too, Gauff meeting Svitolina, Sabalenka facing the surging Jovic and Rybakina the winner of Swiatek v Inglis.

They’re away now, Swiatek holding, while on Court, Sinner breaks again to lead a ticking Darderi 6-1 6-3.

Inglis, passed over for a wildcard, saved a match point in the first round of qualifying, then played a decider in the last, and this is an amazing occasion for her: an Australia Day headline slot against a great in the making. Having struggled on tour for years, she now receives £243,000 – great stuff, though she did get lucky with Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal. I can’t say I wasn’t looking forward to seeing her against Swiatek, but Inglis changing her life is a pleasant consolation.

A quick, er, comfort break, and our players are out on Laver.

At Wimbledon, Sinner looked like losing to Dimitrov, flummoxed by him at two sets down, then poor old Griggzy hurt his pec and had to quit; in the last round here, he was craping at 1-1 and a break down to Elliot Spizzirri, only for the officials to call a heat break which allowed him to recover. Which is to say that, like the best sportsfolk, he has a goldfish memory, able to accept and absorb fortune, ill or good, and move on remorselessly. He leads 6-1 3-1.

Sinner leads Darderi 6-1 1-1, though there was minor controversy earlier: yesterday, Carlos Alcaraz was ordered to take off a health tracker worn around his wrist, so today, the champ tried hiding it under his sweatband – to no avail. he too was told to get it off, but so far appears to be surviving. And as I type, Darderi misses a forehand to be broken, at 1-6 1-2 so leathers a ball into the crowd, receiving a code violation for his trouble, and also hammers his racket into the surface. That’ll learn it.