"Will be taught in history classes" - Day 5 of Australian Open 2024, ft. Elena Rybakina, Holger Rune upsets & Iga Swiatek's narrow escape, stuns fans

Elena Rybakina and Holger Rune suffering shocking upsets and Iga Swiatek narrowly escaped the same fate on Day 5 of the 2024 Australian Open, leaving tennis fans astonished at the turn of events.

Thursday, January 18 at the Australian Open was a day filled with drama and memorable moments as the second-round matches delivered immense entertainment value.

Iga Swiatek set the tone for the excitement on the women's side. The World No. 1 fought back from the brink of defeat, mounting a comeback from two breaks down in the third set to claim a thrilling 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Danielle Collins.

Subsequently, Sloane Stephens knocked out 14th seed Daria Kasatkina in a riveting encounter, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, fifth seed Jessica Pegula suffered a shock upset at the hands of Clara Burel, losing in straight sets.

The highlight of the day, however, was third seed and last year's runner-up Elena Rybakina's intense clash with Anna Blinkova. After winning a set each, the duo engaged in a closely contested battle in the deciding set.

The third set went to a tiebreaker, which lasted over 30 minutes, and featured 42 points, setting the record for the longest tiebreak in Grand Slam history. Blinkova fended off six match points in the tiebreak and converted her 10th match point to secure a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6[20] victory in two hours and 46 minutes.

On the men's side, eighth seed Holger Rune suffered a shock defeat to Arthur Cazaux, who claimed a 7-6(4), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory. Meanwhile, seeded players Cameron Norrie, Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, Hubert Hurkacz, and Daniil Medvedev all encountered tough challenges as well, requiring five sets each to progress to the third round of the Major.

Between Iga Swiatek's hard-fought win, Elena Rybakina's heartbreaking loss, and the numerous upsets, tennis fans couldn't contain their shock at how Day 5 of the Australian Open unfolded.

"Day 5 of Australian Open 2024 will be taught in history classes 100 years from now on," a fan posted.

"Now seriously: Is this the CRAZIEST day in tennis history?" another fan chimed in.

One fan provided a comprehensive account of the dramatic action that took place at the Melbourne Slam and described it as an "epic" day of tennis.

"YES. Iga escape from 1-4* third set. Elena Blinkova 22-20 TB. Ruud & Zverev survive in a final set TB AT THE SAME TIME. Norrie and Meddy won from 2 sets down. Rune upset. Alcaraz Sonego fantastic four sets. Hubi wins from 1-2 down. Jess Pegula upset. Everything about day 5 was EPIC," the fan commented.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

Iga Swiatek to take on Linda Noskova in Australian Open 3R

Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek faced a challenging path to reaching the third round of the Australian Open, overcoming a near-defeat against Danielle Collins. The Pole admitted that she had nearly accepted her loss before mounting her comeback.

"Oh my God, I don't even know [how I turned the match around]. Honestly, like I was at the airport already," Iga Swiatek said during her on-court interview.

The four-time Grand Slam champion expressed pride in herself for fighting to the end of the match and pulling off the win.

"No, but I went to fight till the end. I knew that she played just perfectly but it would be hard for anybody to keep that level. So I wanted to be ready when more mistakes are going to come from the other side and I just wanted to push then and I did that at the end and I'm really proud of myself because it wasn't easy," she added.

Iga Swiatek will continue her quest for her maiden Australian Open title against Linda Noskova in the third round. The World No. 1 enjoys a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head record, having won their sole previous encounter at the 2023 Poland Open in straight sets.