MELBOURNE — Here are five thoughts on Day Nine of the Australian Open, which saw American Danielle Collins continue her Cinderella run and a dominant Rafael Nadal give young American Frances Tiafoe a lesson.
• Last night we saw Serena Williams, in her first tournament since the 2018 U.S. Open, offering a master class. Tonight it was Rafael Nadal. In his first tournament since last year’s U.S. Open, he gave the tennis equivalent of a TED talk. Yet to drop a set this tournament, Nadal ran roughshod over Maryland’s Frances Tiafoe, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. It was a great event for Tiafoe, but this was one-way traffic, as the Aussies say.