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Hi, Rusty!
Yes, Novak did win!
I have consulted Google.....
That is good.
He now plays Frances Tiafoe....an unusual spelling of the first name, when used for a man.
He is an American, but not someone of whom I know very much.
I found today's puzzle somewhat difficult in parts.
"Festal" is a new word for me, too, but very easy to arrive at , wasn't it ?
The ones that I still cannot do are
5a: ?B?O?M ;
21a: T?O?H?E
24a: R? - E?T?A?T
I have struggled enough...I am willing to be helped here, please?

Hello, Elle!
I thought Novak would win!
I wonder if it is the heat in Melbourne that's the reason for all these midnight matches?
5a is "Abloom", meaning "out",
AB for sailor, "ladies" is "loo" (a strange word!) and "m" for maiden.
21, I have "trochee" which may or may not be a "foot" in verse or poetry. I have not parsed it, but "twisting right/rt" is "tr", a sportsman's line is an "oche" in darts, and "E" for "European" seems to get it.
24, I have "re-entrant".
"Landlord's due" is "rent", with "e" for energy, apparently, inside "rent". And "rant" is to "hold forth".
I think "he's tried before" could be the definition?
How's that?

Update, Elle!
Just had a glimpse of more racket abuse from Osaka.
I have gone off her!

Hi, Rusty!
Thank you...that is good on all counts!
They all make perfect sense when explained to me.......
Yes, "trochee" is ringing a faint bell now, as being a poetic foot.......and I think your interpretation of "re- entrant" = "he's tried before" as the definition sounds fine.
Oh dear.....now why couldn't I do these?!
Right, that is Naomi Osaka crossed off your list.... and what about Sloane since seeing the video of her swearing on court?
She is definitely off my list! I do not like bad language.
It is a beautiful afternoon......but unusually I haven't been further than the garden.
I wonder if all the lakes in the park are still frozen?
The Canada geese were waddling gingerly on the ice this morning!
I have earmarked 4.45 to watch the tennis highlights on BBC 2.......and have set the recorder just in case my daughter is ringing me at that time!
It coincides with her journey home and her usual phone call.

Hello, Elle!
I thought you would know "trochee" as you have an interest in poetry?
I did not think you would know "oche", though?
Now, it is several times in the last three days I have seen Osaka's bad behaviour.
In Stephen's defence I have only seen it happen once.
And as someone who spent all my working life hearing curses it did not bother me, but I must say I do not like folk swearing, at all.
It does not impress me in the slightest.
If I may misquote, "Let he who has never sinned, throw the first stone", and as I am far from perfection, that would not be me.
You should get the highlights of the tennis round about teatime each weekday night.
Saturday and Sunday are different, afternoons, I think.
Now, back to my book.

Hi, Rusty!
Now I shall surprise you here......I do know "oche".
Isn't it the line behind which darts players stand, when throwing?
It was as well that I set the recorder for the tennis highlights!
My daughter and I have only just stopped chatting!
I shall catch up with the tennis later this evening.
What book are you reading?
I have just started "The Crowded Street" by Winifred Holtby.
This is Vera Brittain's friend, who also wrote "South Riding" for which she is probably more well known.
Right ...... I am now going to organise dinner......it is a bit early, but we didn't have any lunch!

Good evening, Elle!
Well done on "oche"!
Hope you like the tennis!
The EuroSport coverage is less than perfect.
It shows live matches on both channels, but sometimes shows bits of matches from the day before.
This confuses me!
I am re-reading an old favourite of mine,
"Hamish's Mountain Walk", by Hamish Brown.
It was written forty years ago.
We have ice forecast for overnight.
Not so good!

Hi, Rusty!
I have just watched the tennis highlights.
The programme was disappointing in that it only featured Serena's match with Simona Halep.
As you know, Serena is no favourite of mine.
She played very well...and on that form is likely to win the championship, I would think?
But didn't she look terrible in that green outfit?
I had hoped, perhaps, to see Novak playing.
Other results were given , but that was it.
I have yet to watch "Eggheads"........but I am now in need of a coffee, first!
Btw, I have checked our local forecast, and we, too, are heading for ice tomorrow.
We have a Yellow warning!

Elle and Rusty

Yes 4d was clever, but I think I heard some groaning from the Malone Direction. Actually I think the clue works better if IT is information technology rather than the intended.

Hello, Elle!
A pity about the highlights, not very good at all, by BBC!
But, remember, everything is on YouTube!
Here are the highlights from Novak's match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esBnC3kGv6E
Yes, Serena's outfit was awful!
I only saw a few minutes of her match, too.
If, when watching the tennis, you are wondering about the "1573" signs around the courts, that is a logo of a Chinese distillery.
"Yellow warning" here for ice, too!