Mirra Andreeva continues to thank herself, Priscilla Hon's selfless act and Alexandra Eala mania hits Australian Open

Our Daily Dose of Social Media continues with some of the highlights from the latest day of action at the Australian Open including Mirra Andreeva continuing to thank herself.

As well as Priscilla Hon's selfless act, Alexandra Eala mania has hit the Australian Open and finally Casper Ruud reveals how a sudden walk in to the office of the tournament director led to the Roger Federer practice.

Holger Rune has continued his rehab, week 13 of it in fact. He will be out for most of 2026 with an achilles injury and he is on track currently for his return.

"Entering week 13 after surgery, phase 3 progressing as planned (seems like a very long time in this phase) . I am putting in lots and lots of effort every day to come back and hopefully within some weeks I will be able to enter next phase. Tennis feels so good being able to move just a little bit. Keeping spirit high at every step. I am deeply grateful for all the support and help I get from my family, team, fans and many more. You all mean more to me than you know," he wrote on Instagram.

Once again Mirra Andreeva was in the mood to wind her team and mostly Conchita Martinez up by only giving herself credit.

Andreeva spoke after her win over Donna Vekic and has become famous for thanking herself Snoop Dogg style even having a jacket from Nike saying I'd like to thank myself - Mirra and she did it again to the hilarity of her and her team.

"I think today, once again.. I did everything. I don’t know what my team is doing sitting in the corner doing nothing. Honestly I’m very happy with how I came back in this match. How I didn’t lose my focus. How I still tried to go for my shots. Ok maybe Conchita gave me advice once or twice here and there.. but overall, just all me again”

Casper Ruud lost in a tie-break to Roger Federer and practiced with him but he had the brilliant story of how it happened in the first place.

Ruud stopped by the tournament director's office and was offered the chance suddenly and with it being the legend, he stepped up. So it very much wasn't planned.

He explains it below.

Priscilla Hon or as she is known friend to most of the WTA tour showed why she is revered so much around the sport when she took a selfless act to help her stricken opponent after her win.

Hon saw off Marina Stakusic who had to leave the court in a wheelchair in a pretty awful scene to watch but instead of being a bystander, the Australian helped lift her leg for her as she exited the court.

Hon had been about to serve for the match but rushed over after Stakusic lowered herself to the ground and she was taken away. Hon reflected afterwards and said she was just happy she is through and was relieved amid a pretty awful situation.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously, I didn't want to win like that," Hon said. "I do feel very relieved that I'm through to the second round.

"I mean, I really hope she does feel better. That was quite a scene out there. I had quite a few people come up to me and be, like, 'Wow, that was so dramatic.' Yeah, I'm just happy to get through to the second round."

"You're trying to put the ball in but then she's obviously going to go for more because she can't run," Hon explained. "So you are, like, you can't be hitting it too soft.

"It is really hard when it is a situation like that, but I was just, like, just put balls in the court. Then I started drop-shotting a little bit to, I guess, kind of test if she is moving or not. Yeah, but the thing is if I hit a bad drop shot, she can probably run up and smash that away.

"So it messes with your head a little bit, but yeah, she struggled towards the end."

One of the leading scenes also came in so-called Alexandra Eala mania with the Filipino having a line as long as the eye can see to get into her match on Court 6.

The tournament themselves in a reply on social media admitted they would learn from this next year albeit it is often a scene in general where names that perhaps have bigger fan bases than most get relegated to smaller courts.

This sure whips up a frenzy but also empties other courts as the Filipino population of Melbourne all wanted to support Eala.

She did lose though to Alycia Parks so perhaps it was all in vein but still. "It was so heart-warming. That's one of the things that makes a loss like today a little bit harder is I know a lot of people were rooting for me," she said.

"But then again Alycia played really well. And, you know, I just hope that the support continues with the losses along with the wins. I think that would really touch me.

"But then again, the fact that everyone came out and really squeezed into that cozy court, I really appreciate it. I felt so loved. Even when I was 5-2 down in the third, you know, I still felt the love. So I'm really appreciative and super thankful."

She also spoke about her soaring popularity with her pre tournament presser being viewed more than most top names.

"I'm nowhere near the leagues of, of course, the greats, [Novak] Djokovic, and then now Sabalenka and Alcaraz and all of these people. I have so much respect for them. I think everyone does.

"But yeah, I like to think that I have a following for a reason. I like to think that the impact that I've had and the platform that I've built has a positive effect on a certain demographic and my demographic.

"I guess this is one of the moments that I can reflect on what this means for Philippine tennis. I'm the only Filipina in the draw this year. I'm the only Filipina that's ever been in the draw, I think. So there are positives to take away. Like I said, so much gratitude and super thankful."