Key posts
Key matches
Here is a look at today’s key matches:
Kecmanovic can beat Alcaraz: Djoker
By Selma Milovanovic
World No. 1 and 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic knows a thing or two about winning.
Fresh from his double-bagel, three-set demolition of Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the fourth round, which could have easily been a triple, the Serbian superstar spoke of his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic’s chances against world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz.
The pair will do battle on Rod Laver Arena tonight.
Miomir Kecmanovic.Credit: AP
Djoker’s prediction? Kecmanovic can win.
“In a way I’m not surprised that he’s having great results. He’d said that this would be his year and I agree with that. I think this will be his season and that he’ll perhaps mark it with his greatest victory so far, that against Alcaraz,” Djokovic said at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic said Kecmanovic, world No.6, knew Alcaraz’s game well.
“I think he’ll analyse him well. I think he’ll be physically ready and that’s very important as there will be a lot of draining long points in the match that could last for three, four, five, hours … I absolutely think he has a chance in that match,” Djokovic said.
Demon consoled by girlfriend after loss
Alex de Minaur was consoled by his partner Katie Boulter, a British tennis player, after his loss yesterday.
Watch the moment below:
Cruz Hewitt back in action in doubles
By Marc McGowan
Ahead of playing junior boy doubles this afternoon, Cruz Hewitt made his dad Lleyton proud after making his junior singles debut at the Australian Open.
Hewitt’s Australian Open boys’ singles debut ended in a straight-sets defeat yesterday, but not before displaying some uncanny resemblances to his former world No.1 dad.
The 15-year-old wildcard – one of the country’s most promising young players – lost 6-2, 6-3 to sixth-seeded American Alexander Razeghi in a contest lasting just short of 1½ hours on a packed court 3 full of fans keen to see Lleyton Hewitt’s son in action.
Lleyton was front and centre in Cruz’s player box, along with wife Bec, the teenager’s coach Peter Luczak, Jaymon Crabb and Jordan Thompson, while John Millman arrived mid-match and instantly became a source of support.
Continue reading about the father and son’s similarities here.
Plenty of positives for Mirra to reflect on as her Open ends
By Greg Baum
In case readers missed it, wunderkind Mirra Andreeva’s Australian Open is over, but her career is just starting.
The 16-year-old Russian won the first set against 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday night before succumbing in three.
Both players gained from the meeting.
For Andreeva, the take-away is confirmation that she can match it with the best in the world, if not beat them every time. Only a 16-year-old might think that, though Andreeva is not one to confuse ambition with presumption. For Krejcikova, it is a place in the quarter-finals against reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka, who she has beaten previously.
It also affirms her as one of an unlikely top trio in this tournament.
Catch up on the full story here.
Czech Barbora Krejcikova triumphs over talented young Russian Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round of the Australian Open.Credit: AP
Demon out, but future triumphs await
Alex de Minaur was wounded in the aftermath of his latest fourth-round exit from the Australian Open.
After failing to win a set in his previous two round-of-16 losses at Melbourne Park to Jannik Sinner then Novak Djokovic, this time was different – and not just because of the opponent.
De Minaur weathered big-hitting Russian Andrey Rublev’s early storm and absorbed extraordinarily high pressure and intensity to be within striking distance of the quarter-finals at two-sets-to-one up.
The 24-year-old will need to wait to join the Australian Open’s Last Eight Club, but the evidence is irrefutable that de Minaur’s upgraded, emboldened game has made him a force on the ATP Tour.
“I think night and day a different player,” de Minaur said of his evolution.
“Maybe a couple of years ago, or even last year, I would be sitting here, maybe even happy with the result, saying, ‘I probably shouldn’t have won, he’s higher ranked than I am, I took him to five sets, pretty decent effort’.
“But it’s completely changed, because now I’m sitting here, and I’m absolutely devastated because I saw it as a great opportunity and a match that I strongly believed I could have won, but it just slipped away.”
Find out more what’s in store for de Minaur as the season continues in this analysis by Marc McGowan.
Key matches
Here is a look at today’s key matches:
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of day 9 of the Australian Open.
If you’re waking up bleary-eyed after THAT De Minaur – Rublev match, we don’t blame you. Australia’s favourite Demon may be out of the tournament, but he sure put up a brave fight, and today we have lots more tennis action coming your way.
From noon, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, an Open champion in 2012 and 2014, takes on qualifier Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine. Portuguese surprise Nuno Borges will do battle with world No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, while Czech teen Linda Noskova takes on Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. And to round off the afternoon action, French showman, wildcard Arthur Cazaux, continues his quest to boot as many seeded players out of the Open as he can when he faces Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.
In the night session, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will play Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, while Alexander Zverev takes on Chris Norrie.
I’m Caroline Schelle and I’ll bring you all the news from Melbourne Park and beyond. Let’s get into it.
