Key posts
Matches to watch for
Getting to business end of Sabalenka and Bencic’s first set
It’s going down to the wire as to who will take the first set: Sabalenka or Bencic.
It’s five games each.
Bencic lead early in the set but Sabalenka soon adjusted to her opponent’s style and increased the intensity.
Sabalenka trails Bencic
Bencic is leading Sabalenka four games to three in the first set.
Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles Japanese pair Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara lead Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova four games to two.
And in the men’s doubles, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupsju lead Nikola Cacic and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi five games to four.
Sabalenka v Bencic 4-3
One all in the first set for Sabalenka and Bencic
Sabalenka and Bencic are going toe to toe on Rod Laver Arena.
It’s one game each.
Lots of colour on court
If you’re tuning in and out on the live broadcast, and aren’t a tennis nuff, it might be handy to know Belinda Bencic is the one in a visor.
Aryna Sabalenka and Bencic in the same colourful dress.
(Which is fair, it’s a good kit).
Play is under way!
We’re off for day 8 with play beginning across the courts.
The big question for this morning: can Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic continue the run of upsets in the women’s singles or will Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka take her straight set run into the quarterfinals?
The battle begins on Rod Laver Arena.
Play to commence at 11am
Starting the day on Rod Laver Arena fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka is meeting twelfth seed Belinda Bencic.
Sabalenka is in grand slam-winning form as she charges into the fourth round off the back of winning the Adelaide International 1. She is yet to drop a set this year.
However, Bencic provides a bit more of a challenge for her as her first match against a seeded player this tournament. And all with a quarterfinal spot on the line.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after defeating Elise Mertens of Belgium in their third round match.Credit:AP
While on John Cain Arena, Elena Rybakina, who defeated world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the women’s singles round four match yesterday, is back on court for the women’s doubles with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. They take on Japanese pair Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara.
And in the men’s doubles, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupsju face Nikola Cacic and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi on Kia Arena.
Kyrgios heads into surgery for knee injury
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is heading into surgery this morning for the knee injury that caused his withdrawal from the Australian Open.
“It’s time,” Kyrgios posted to his Instagram story.
The video showed Kyrgios in a hospital bed and then panned to his knee, his feet in disposable blue coverings.
His long-time physiotherapist, Will Maher, divulged earlier this month that a parameniscal cyst growing in his left meniscus, which is the result of a small tear in his lateral meniscus, meant Kyrgios couldn’t compete at the highest level.
The surgery will clean up his lateral meniscus and remove the parameniscal cyst.
Why I love de Minaur: Hewitt’s tribute to star ahead of Djokovic showdown
By Michael Chammas
Alex de Minaur comes across as a shy kid. He’ll even tell you that himself. But those who know him as well as Lleyton Hewitt will tell you that there’s an internal confidence that he oozes.
Anyone who was in Darling Harbour in Sydney for the Davis Cup dinner ahead of the tie against Slovakia in 2016 will know that.
Alex de Minaur entertains the Slovakian and Australian teams at a Davis Cup dinner back in 2016.Credit:@DavisCup (Twitter)
They got to see a different side to him when he performed that unforgettable dance routine wearing a leotard as part of his Davis Cup initiation as Orange boy.
De Minaur, who takes on Novak Djokovic in the fourth round on Monday night, has drawn plenty of comparisons to Hewitt throughout his career. His grit and tenacity are the same qualities Hewitt built his career on.
“A lot of people have long told me that they see some of my characteristics in the way he goes about his tennis,” Hewitt told the Herald and The Age.
“I can definitely see that. That never-say-die attitude was something I prided myself on. That desire to want to leave it all out on the court and get every last bit out of yourself … he’s in the same mould when it comes to that.”
Grand Slam Daily – Former champion rises amidst falling stars
Neroli Meadows and Mark Petchey pick up the pieces after the women’s draw was blown wide open with multiple upsets on day seven.
Tsitsipas and Sinner play out another AO epic. Plus a look ahead to the game everyone’s been waiting for De Minaur v Djokovic.
Flying the flag: De Minaur shapes up for Djokovic showdown
By Marc McGowan
Lleyton Hewitt was one of Novak Djokovic’s seven victims in the former world No.1’s charge to the 2012 Australian Open title, the third of nine times he conquered Melbourne Park.
That was Hewitt’s last deep run – a fourth-round appearance – at the tournament he extraordinarily and famously qualified for at age 15 in 1997, and made the final at eight years later.
Alex de Minaur faces up to Novak Djokovic in an eagerly anticipated fourth-round showdown.Credit:Eddie Jim
Until Alex de Minaur walks onto Rod Laver Arena on Monday night to lock horns with Djokovic in another fourth-round encounter, Hewitt is the sole Australian to face the 21-time grand slam champion at their home grand slam.
More than a decade on, Hewitt will try to mastermind Djokovic’s downfall as part of Team de Minaur.
