Day 8 of Australian Open 2019, and the round of sixteen. Final day session match on Melbourne Arena was:
Borna Coric (11) (CRO) v Lucas Pouille (28) (FRA)
Pouille served first.
One break point was saved, but not the second with a repeat unforced forehand error the problem. 1-0 Coric. A love game, complete with two aces and Coric led 2-0. Pouille was on the board thanks to winners from both sides and an ace. 1-2.
Coric saved one break point, but Pouille hit a backhand winner to create a second break chance. He forced a Coric backhand error and achieved the break back 2-2.
From 30-30 on the next Pouille serve, forehand errors from Coric allowed the Frenchman to take the lead 3-2.
Coric levelled at 3-3, two aces included. Pouille held to love, winners from either wing the basis. 4-3. Coric held in an error filled game 4-4.
A second straight love game from Pouille, finished with a duet of aces.
Coric served at 4-5. Double fault, then volley winner, then backhand unforced error from Pouille, then ace. Two game points. One saved, but the next used to hold serve. 5-5.
Pouille held to 15, including an ace. 6-5. A Coric love game sent the set to a tie break.
Pouille led 3-2 with a point each going against serve. On serve until 4-4. Pouille serving and he delivered an unforced error. Coric led 5-4 with two serves to come. Another French unforced error and two set points for Coric.
The Croatian won it with an ace. 7-6(4).
Coric saved a break point with an ace in the opening game of set two to lead 1-0. A love game from Pouille, an ace and three winners. 1-1
Coric saved a break point and negotiated three deuces, before holding serve with a service winner. 2-1. An ace and two winners assisted Pouille to hold for 2-2. Coric held comfortably for 3-2, a service winner sealing it. A love game sealed with an ace for Pouille. 3-3.
Coric was broken to love and trailed 3-4. Pouille dropped just a single point in consolidating the break, leading 5-3.
Coric held with a love game, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Pouille from serving out an excellent set of tennis 6-4.
88% first serves in play. 20 of 24 points won on his serve. 15 winners.
No break points for the first six games of set three.
Serving at 3-3, Coric saved two break points before holding and he led 4-3. Pouille survived a double fault and held for 4-4. Coric held, a forehand winner the final point. 5-4. An ace clinched the game for Pouille which tied things at 5-5.
Down 0-40, Coric saved two break points, but a French forehand winner on the third presented the break to Pouille who led 6-5.
Pouille served an ace on the second of two set points to take it 7-5.
In the opening game of set four, Coric saved a break point but couldn’t avoid a second. He committed three successive unforced errors to end the game, dropping serve, and trailing 0-1. Pouille produced a love game with an ace as the exclamation mark. 2-0.
No more break points faced for the next four games and Pouille led 4-2.
Aces to close out a love game for Coric and 3-4.
Down 0-40, Pouille saved all break points, the third with an ace.
A fourth break point arrived, and Coric used it with a backhand winner to break and level at 4-4.
A tie break was ultimately needed.
An early mini break for Pouille and he held it until 5-2.
Two backhand errors on the Coric serve, and the match was over.
Lucas Pouille won 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 7-6(2) and booked a quarter final spot against Milos Raonic.
In his five previous main draw appearances at Melbourne Park, Pouille had failed to make it past the first round, so 2019 has been ground breaking.
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