Key posts
Key matches
Here is a look at today’s key matches.
Sinner sets up dream semi-final after straight-sets win over Rublev
By Marc McGowan
Jannik Sinner will face off with Novak Djokovic in a dream Australian Open semi-final after the red-hot Italian won his late-night baseline brawl with Andrey Rublev in straight sets.
Sinner and Rublev did not walk onto Rod Laver Arena until 10.34pm, following Coco Gauff and Djokovic taking almost seven hours between them reaching the women’s and men’s final four, respectively, before Aryna Sabalenka hurried through her quarter-final against Barbora Krejcikova.
For once, Djokovic can’t catch a break. But he wins anyway
By Greg Baum
Riffing again a couple of days ago on what keeps him going, Novak Djokovic talked of how tennis was his passion, but also his profession and livelihood, of how he needed to make the most of the long absences from his family that he has grown to loathe, of how his inner competitor still raged and of how no motivation was needed for major championships.
But he distilled it to this: “I love the thrill of facing a break point or having a break point. Just those kind of emotions are still awakening something that is very deep. I try to not take these moments for granted because I don’t know how long it’s going to last.”
Novak Djokovic breathes a sigh of relief after winning his way into the semi-finals with his defeat of Taylor Fritz.Credit: AP
In other words, at tennis’s pointy end, what mattered most were break points.
So it was very nearly poignant last night when it was Djokovic’s sudden powerlessness to convert a break point for more than two sets that stalled him into his most testing and torrid match yet in his pursuit of another Australian Open crown.
Squaring up to big-serving American Taylor Fritz, Djokovic squandered the first 16 break points he created and made good just four of 21 he had on the night. This dearth is all the more mystifying as Djokovic is arguably the best return-of-serve the game has known.
Late matches ignite debate on schedule, sexism
A sexism debate has broken out between tennis legends and commentators Tim Henman and John McEnroe as the scheduling chaos at the Australian Open continues to make headlines.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who yesterday defeated Czech Barbora Krejcikova to progress to the semi-finals, had to wait two hours after the scheduled 7pm start for their quarter-finals clash on Rod Laver Arena, as the Marta Kostyuk – Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic – Taylor Fritz day-session matches ran over time.
Aryna Sabalenka is through to the semi-finals.Credit: Eddie Jim
Australian Open organisers then asked Sabalenka if she was prepared to move to a smaller court, but Sabalenka and Krejcikova declined the offer to move from Rod Laver Arena, which seats 15,000 people, to the 7500-seat Margaret Court Arena.
As British newspaper the Telegraph is reporting, Henman asked his fellow commentator, tennis legend John McEnroe:
“Why are they asking the women to move, when they’re not the last match? They’re alright, they’re going to play and are going to be a bit late, but it’s the last match of the day – [Andrey] Rublev and [Jannik] Sinner – they’re going to be behind the eight ball.”
According to the report, McEnroe replied: “I’ll tell you why they asked the women, because if it went 6-0, 6-1 in one hour then they [the fans] would all be up in arms … they stay on Rod Laver and let’s say they move the guys and Sabalenka wins easily, then everyone’s upset.”
Sabalenka made light work of Krejcikova on Tuesday night, sealing her victory in 71 minutes.
But Jannik Sinner and Andrey Rublev only walked onto the court at 10.42pm, finishing at 1.25am.
Sabalenka later explained Open organisers spoke to her and Krejcikova as the Djokovic – Fritz match was in the third set, 2½ hours in.
“They ask our opinions, what do we think, and if we want to be moved right now.
We just told them, ‘Let’s see how this match goes. If it’s going to be really long, then yes, maybe it’s a good idea to be moved, so they’re not going to finish like [Daniil] Medvedev [whose second-round match concluded at 3.39am onn Thursday] the other night.’ But yes, Novak won that set 6-2, and it still was quite early, and we decided to wait for this match.”
Sabalenka said she believed that Sinner and Rublev had also been asked whether they wanted to shift their match to Margaret Court Arena.
This kind of change would have potentially required partial refunds to fans, as the terms and conditions of night-session tickets state at least two matches will be provided.
Key matches
Here is a look at today’s key matches.
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of day 11 quarter-finals action at the Australian Open.
Tennis fans are waking bleary-eyed after yet another late finish, as quarter-finals match scheduling is raising eyebrows.
Today, all eyes will be on Rod Laver Arena, where Czech Linda Noskova takes on Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska. Next up, Hubert Hurkacz of Poland will do battle with Daniil Medvedev.
And in the night session, Russian Anna Kalinskaya will play in-form Qinwen Zheng, of China. To round off the quarter-finals action, world No. 6 Alexander Zverev will face Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz.
I’m Caroline Schelle, and I’ll bring you all the action from Melbourne Park and beyond. Let’s get into it.
