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Australian Open (2020): Novak Djokovic beats Dominic Thiem to win 17th Grand Slam

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MenInG

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It may be the start of a new decade, but it doesn’t quite feel like it in the world of tennis.

We head into the first Grand Slam event of the ‘20s with Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams - both seven-time Australian Open winners - as favourites. Just like we did last year.

The question is whether now is the time for change. But we’re looking for different types of change on each side of the draw.

For the men, it’s the ever-present question of When Will The Kids Arrive? It’s starting to get a little bit like Milhouse asking when Itchy and Scratchy are going to get to the fireworks factory.

Of course, fans always enjoy when it’s some combination of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic in the final of a Slam, but the longer they hang on, the harder it’s going to get for tennis to recover when they retire.

Remarkably the last 12 Grand Slams have been won by one of the big three, the second-longest streak they’ve put together. The longest streak was 18, between the 2005 French Open and Wimbledon 2009 - it’s ridiculous that the two streaks have happened a decade apart.

It feels like the kids are getting closer. Dominic Thiem took a set off Nadal in the French Open final, and Daniil Medvedev took the Spaniard to a fifth in the US Open decider.

Since 13 of the last 14 Australian Opens have been won by either Federer, Nadal or Djokovic (Stan Wawrinka’s 2014 triumph being the exception), it’s hard to say this will be the time another man breaks through. But we’ll probably never expect it until it happens.

On the women’s side, Serena may be the favourite - and there would be some romanticism in her catching Margaret Court in Court’s home country - but at Melbourne Park there has been a veritable rollercoaster of results.

Six different women have won the last seven Australian Opens, with Williams the only player to repeat (2015 and 2017, the latter while pregnant), and 11 different players have made the final in that time (Williams with three appearances, Li Na making it in both 2013 and 2014).

So while Serena has dominated women’s tennis for the last decade, what we’ve seen in Melbourne is to expect the unexpected.

And of course for the hometown fans, there’s one predominant storyline to track; whether world No.1 Ash Barty can break the 42-year drought for a local winning the singles title at this event.

With that all said, here’s everything you need to know about the 2020 Australian Open.

AO under serious smoke threatAO under serious smoke threat1:20
WHEN IS THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?

The 2020 Australian Open is being held a little bit later this year - from January 20 to February 2.

The exact order of play for each day will be announced in the afternoon of the previous day.

The draw for the Men’s and Women’s Singles was conducted on Thursday January 16. See what happened and our analysis here.

The bottom half of the men’s singles draw (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Stefanos Tsitsipas) and the top half of the women’s singles draw (Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams) will play on Monday.

The top half of the men’s singles draw (Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios, Daniil Medvedev) and the bottom half of the women’s singles draw (Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina) will play on Tuesday.

They will then alternate, with the players from Monday playing on Wednesday/Friday/Sunday etc, and the players from Tuesday playing on Thursday/Saturday etc.


WHAT IS THE PRIZE MONEY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?

The total prize money for the 2020 Australian Open is $71 million, up 13.6 per cent on last year.

For the Men’s and Women’s Singles, the prize money is:

Winner - $4,120,000

Runner-up - $2,065,000

Semi-final - $1,040,000

Quarter-final - $525,000

Round 4 - $300,000

Round 3 - $180,000

Round 2 - $128,000

Round 1 - $90,000

Tomic out of Aussie OpenTomic out of Aussie Open1:11
WHAT IS THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?

The early forecasts for the opening days of the 2020 Australian Open aren’t too hot.

Showers are currently possible for the opening Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the mid-20s.

The main weather concern though is the smoke haze that has been plaguing Melbourne periodically during the ongoing bushfires in the east of the state.

The Australian Open will monitor air quality and in the opening stages of qualifying delayed matches to avoid the worst parts of the day.


MEN’S SINGLES PREVIEW

How can anyone go past the Djoker right now?

The lead-up to the Australian Open had a different look this year, with almost all of the top men’s players participating in the new teams event, the ATP Cup.

As it turned out, having one of the big three was a good way to do well at the event. Serbia and Spain met in the final, with Novak Djokovic defeating Rafael Nadal on route to victory.

Nadal has not beaten Djokovic on a hard court since the 2013 US Open final; that’s nine straight wins on the surface for the Serb. Given overall, the rivalry is 29-26 Djokovic’s way, it’s a clear indicator of who should be favoured at Melbourne Park.

After all, Nadal is the world No.1 and has looked dominant against almost all other players on the ATP tour; but hasn’t looked like being able to beat Djokovic.

Roger Federer is an unknown. He hasn’t played a competitive match since the ATP Finals last November, opting out of the ATP Cup to rest after featuring in a number of exhibitions.

At the tour finals - played on hard courts - Federer beat Djokovic but then lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi finals. He also lost to Tsitsipas (fourth round) at the Australian Open last year, and in the quarterfinals at the US Open (to Grigor Dimitrov).

At his best, the Swiss ace can certainly contend for the crown in Melbourne. We just don’t know if he’s at that level.

Of the next gen contenders, the leader is Russia’s Daniil Medvedev after his fascinating run to the US Open final which included turning from villain to hero, and taking Nadal to five sets.

The ATP Cup helped him enormously because it raised his ranking from No.5 to No.4; it means he can avoid playing two of the big three before the semi finals at Melbourne Park.

WOMEN’S SINGLES PREVIEW (via AFP)

Serena Williams can make history at the Australian Open as she pursues a 24th Grand Slam singles title, which would equal Margaret Court’s all-time record.

But there are numerous threats to the American, especially from the new generation headed by Australia’s world number one Ashleigh Barty and defending champion Naomi Osaka.

AFP Sport picks out five women to watch in Melbourne.

- Serena Williams -

Will this be the moment when the American great finally makes it a 24th Grand Slam title?

The 38-year-old Williams, now a mother, has been stuck on 23 major triumphs since winning the Australian Open in 2017 when she beat her sister Venus.

Incredibly, Williams has lost her last four Slam finals, and each time failed to even win a set. Nevertheless, she is still a formidable presence and the woman to beat in Melbourne.

Now in her fourth decade on the WTA Tour, Williams started the season well when she won in Auckland last week -- her 73rd tour victory, and her first since the 2017 Australian Open.

- Naomi Osaka -

The 22-year-old hit the highs and the lows in 2019.

When Osaka triumphed at last year’s Australian Open for her second Grand Slam title, she looked set to reign over the women’s game.

But the Japanese then endured a slump, exiting in the first round of Wimbledon and seeing her US Open defence fall flat.

With her father standing in as her coach, Osaka roared back to the form that made her number one with back-to-back titles in Japan and China.

In December she hired Belgian Wim Fissette as her coach -- her fourth in less than a year.

- Ashleigh Barty -

Australia’s world number one will enjoy strong backing from the home crowd in Melbourne, but whether she thrives or shrinks in the spotlight will be key to her chances.

The 23-year-old, who once had a break from tennis and played professional cricket, won her maiden Grand Slam at the French Open in 2019.

Barty surged to the top of the rankings in June and has stayed there ever since, and sealed a breakthrough year with victory at the season-ending WTA Finals.

However, she lost to American qualifier Jennifer Brady in Brisbane last week in her first match of the year and the pressure to deliver for Australian fans will be immense.

- Simona Halep -

The 28-year-old Halep will have to dispel lingering doubts about her troublesome back.

She is a former number one and two-time Grand Slam champion -- at Roland Garros in 2018 and then last year at Wimbledon, where she convincingly defeated Williams in the final, 6-2, 6-2.

But Halep struggled towards the end of the year with her back, which has troubled her for several years. In December was voted WTA Fan Favorite for the third time in a row.

- Coco Gauff -

Just 15, the American ploughed through qualifying and then stunned five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round at Wimbledon last year, before going out in the fourth round to eventual champion Halep.

It was no fluke. Gauff went on to make the US Open third round and won her maiden title in Linz in her next tournament.

At the end of 2018 she was ranked 686th in the world, but 12 months later had rocketed up to 68th. Expectations are high for this star in the making.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis...s/news-story/80bcae2ba1cef9fd9a7f063b1c05749f
 
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Come on Rafa.
Easier semi but a dog's dinner of a draw. Potentially Kyrgios in round of 16 won't be fun.
 
Serena Williams underlined why she is the Australian Open favourite with a rapid first-round win, while defending champion Naomi Osaka also advanced.

Williams, chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, took the first set in 19 minutes in a 6-0 6-3 victory over Russia's Anastasia Potapova.

Third seed Osaka started slowly against Marie Bouzkova before winning 6-2 6-4.

World number one Ashleigh Barty and Britain's Johanna Konta are also in action on Monday.

Osaka, who broke the net with one of her serves against Czech Bouzkova, will play China's Saisai Zheng in the second round in Melbourne.

Williams, who won her first WTA title in three years in the run-up to the opening Grand Slam of the year, will play Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek next.

The 38-year-old American was made to work harder in the second set by 18-year-old Potapova, who broke in the third game of the second set after a double-fault by Williams.

But Williams immediately broke back and completed a convincing victory with 58 minutes on the clock.

Former champion Caroline Wozniacki got her final tournament before retirement off to a good start with a 6-1 6-3 victory over American Kristie Ahn.

Other winners on day one were Croatian 13th seed Petra Martic, who beat American Christina McHale 6-3 6-0 to set up an encounter with 2018 Wimbledon semi-finalist Julia Goerges of Germany, and 14th seed Sofia Kenin.

But last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist Barbora Strycova was beaten 6-2 7-6 (7-5) by Romania's Sorana Cirstea.

The tournament went ahead as scheduled on Monday after air quality improved in Melbourne.

Last week's qualifying event had been disrupted by delays because of the air pollution caused by widespread bushfires.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51171591
 
American 15-year-old Coco Gauff proved last year's victory over Venus Williams was no fluke when she beat the seven-time Grand Slam champion once again to reach the Australian Open second round.

Gauff announced her arrival last July with victory over her "idol" Williams, 39, in the Wimbledon first round.

And just like last time, she did it in straight sets, winning 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

Gauff's celebrations were slightly delayed because she did not realise the final point had been given her way.

"That was really difficult. She played really well and I was really nervous for today's match - I was a bit shocked when I saw the draw, but glad I was able to get through it," said Gauff, who was making her Australian Open debut.

"I am feeling great. I really like this court and really like this crowd."

Gauff will play Romanian world number 74 Sorana Cirstea next.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51171957
 
After 21 consecutive appearances at the Australian Open, Roger Federer is familiar with every inch of Rod Laver Arena. The third-seeded Swiss brought the level of comfort that dozens of matches on a court can provide to his opening-round clash with Steve Johnson, sweeping aside the American 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a breathtaking display.

Federer said in his pre-tournament press conference that his expectations for this fortnight were low, but the six-time champion may want to raise them after his latest performance. He broke the American five times and remains unbeaten in first round matches in Melbourne (21-0). Federer hasn't lost his opening match at a Grand Slam since 2003.

”I think I became a better player. Thirty-two seeds helped, to keep more of these better-ranked players away. When I came up on Tour, there were only 16 seeds,” Federer said of his early-round success at Grand Slams. “I guess I created a game which allowed me to manage all kinds of opponents.

”I’m happy that I was able to manage those first rounds. As we know, they can always be very tricky. That’s why [ATP] Masters 1000 [tournaments] are tough sometimes. You can play a Top 20 player in the first round and that’s when it gets tough.”

Johnson arrived with confidence after winning an ATP Challenger Tour event last week in Bendigo. But his off-pace slice backhands and chip forehand returns played into Federer’s strengths, allowing the Swiss to attack with his forehand and move forward. A forehand volley winner gave Federer an immediate break in Johnson's opening service game and he led 4-1 after 18 minutes.

Rain briefly brought both players off the court so the roof could be closed, but it did little to disrupt Federer’s momentum. He continued to coast in his service games and grabbed the early advantage.

The second set was one-way traffic for Federer, who won 16 of the first 18 points and sprinted to a 4-0 lead. Even when Johnson made the correct play, he was often reduced to a spectator as he watched Federer whip winners past him. Federer landed 80 per cent of his first serves (16/20), consistently setting himself up for one-two punches to end points. A forehand winner from the Swiss, his 26th of the match, gave him a commanding two-sets lead.

Federer opened the third set by once again jumping out in front with an early break. He comfortably served out the match on his first try to wrap up play after just 85 minutes. Federer improved to 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head with Johnson and has yet to drop a set against the American.

Next up for Federer is Serbian Filip Krajinovic or French qualifier Quentin Halys.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/federer-johnson-hurkacz-novak-australian-open-2020-monday
 
British number one Johanna Konta made her earliest exit from the Australian Open by losing to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the first round.
Konta, seeded 12th, was beaten 6-4 6-2 by the tricky world number 78 at Melbourne Park.

The 28-year-old was playing only her second match in almost five months because of a knee injury.

Compatriot Kyle Edmund was also knocked out with a 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) loss to Serbia's 24th seed Dusan Lajovic.

Konta struggled to settle as Jabeur knocked out Britain's highest-ranked player.

"It's important to recognise the season is long," Konta told BBC Sport.

"I'm not going to rush or sprint towards suddenly packing it all in. Things will come with time and putting the right work in."

Four other Britons play later on Tuesday, which features a packed schedule with 96 first-round matches needing to be completed after the opening day was washed out by heavy rain.

Katie Boulter, Heather Watson, Harriet Dart and Cameron Norrie should also play as planned with a much-improved weather forecast.

Konta, a 2016 semi-finalist at Melbourne Park, went into this year's opening Grand Slam having played only one match since September's US Open.

A tendonitis-like inflammation of the knee, which she suffered in the latter stages of last season, has had to be carefully managed.

Although she did not look troubled by the problem against Jabeur, Konta did show signs of rust and was unable to take her game to the levels that took her to the French Open semi-finals, along with the Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finals, last year.

Konta, who said afterwards she was "pleased" with how her knee felt, hit 19 unforced errors, while Jabeur also punished her with 19 winners.

The Briton's serve came under immediate pressure from Jabeur, who is able to unsettle opponents with her variety, and she had to save a break point in the opening game.

After steadying herself, an erratic game where she struggled on her first serve enabled Jabeur to strike and take the opening set.

Konta, backed by a healthy number of British fans, came out for the second set with renewed purpose, playing more aggressively to break in the opening game.

However, she was unable to back that up with a hold and from that point Jabeur took control to win in just one hour and two minutes.

Like Konta, Edmund is also a former semi-finalist at Melbourne Park and his run to the last four in 2018 continues to be an anomaly here.

This was Edmund's fourth first-round exit in six appearances, with the other being a second-round defeat in 2017.

The 25-year-old Yorkshireman was leading 5-2 in the opening set on Monday before the match was postponed following the deluge of rain which decimated the day's play.

Edmund paid the price for the enforced interruption.

Passive play from the world number 65 allowed Lajovic to instantly fight back to 5-5 when they resumed in bright sunshine at Tuesday lunchtime.

The Serbian player, backed by a raucous support which attempted to unsettle Edmund, edged a tight opener in a tie-break where a net cord worked heavily in his favour when the Briton was a mini-break up.

From that point Edmund struggled to cope with Lajovic's physicality in the rallies, the Serb hitting 39 winners and drawing plenty of errors from his opponent's racquet.

Once Edmund fell two sets behind, history suggested a comeback - like his compatriot Dan Evans managed on Monday - was unlikely.

Edmund had never won a match after falling two sets behind - nor even claimed a set back - and suffered another straight-set defeat when Lajovic took the third-set tie-break.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51185071
 
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Maria Sharapova is not sure if she will be at the Australian Open next year, with a first-round exit meaning she is set to drop out of the world's top 350.

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who won at Melbourne Park in 2008, lost 6-3 6-4 to Croatian 19th seed Donna Vekic.

It was only the Russian's second competitive outing since September's US Open because of a shoulder injury.

Asked whether this might be her last appearance at the tournament, she said: "I don't know. I don't know."

The 32-year-old, who was given a wildcard, added: "I was fortunate to get myself to be here and thanks to [the organisers for] allowing me to be part of this event.

"It's tough for me to tell what's going to happen in 12 months' time."

This was the former world number one's earliest exit at the Australian Open since 2010 and she has now gone out in the first round in her past three Grand Slams.

"I put myself out there. As tough as it was, I finished the match and it wasn't the way that I wanted," she said.

World number two Karolina Pliskova raced through the first set before having to work hard in the second as she beat Kristina Mladenovic to reach the second round.

The Czech took the opener in just 25 minutes on her way to a 6-1 7-5 win.

It was a tricky draw for the second seed, with Mladenovic a former top-10 player who helped France win the Fed Cup in November.

Pliskova is unbeaten in 2020, winning the Brisbane International this month.

"We had some good matches in the past and it was tough mentally in the second set," said Pliskova, who had shared a 2-2 record against Mladenovic before this match.

In the next round, the 27-year-old will play German world number 72 Laura Siegemund or American wild card Coco Vandeweghe, who is a former world number nine.

There are 96 singles matches taking place at Melbourne Park on Tuesday after rain disrupted the opening day's play.

Pliskova, chasing a first Grand Slam title, is joined in the second round by Swiss sixth seed Belinda Bencic, American 10th seed Madison Keys and Greek 22nd seed Maria Sakkari, but British 12th seed Johanna Konta was knocked out.

Britain's Harriet Dart, Katie Boulter and Heather Watson are among the women in action, with Wimbledon champion Simona Halep also playing.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51185079
 
Britain's Heather Watson showed tremendous fight to reach the Australian Open second round before Dan Evans missed out on the chance of a potential meeting with Novak Djokovic.

Watson, ranked 75th, won 4-6 6-3 6-1 in blustery conditions against Czech Kristyna Pliskova.

British number one Evans, seeded 30th, lost 6-4 6-3 6-4 to Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in his second-round match.

Watson and Harriet Dart are the only remaining Britons in the singles draws.

Watson will meet Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens for the second time in a week after winning their Hobart International quarter-final last Thursday.

After beating Pliskova, Watson said having played in similar conditions in Hobart last week - and growing up in windy Guernsey - had stood her in good stead.

"It was super windy today but I felt prepared because it was like that in Hobart a lot of the days," the 27-year-old said.

"But being a first-round match and being postponed I felt a bit nervous in that first set and a bit tense.

"I managed to loosen up, relax and enjoy the match."

Mertens beat Montenegro's Danka Kovinic later on Wednesday as, like Watson, she had to come back a day later as a consequence of the backlog of matches caused by Monday's rain washout.

Watson has not enjoyed many victories in the Grand Slams recently, showing her pleasure at digging in and beating 65th-ranked Pliskova with a wide smile and tight clenched fist towards her box.

The Briton had won only one match in her last six appearances in the main draw in Melbourne but had come here in good form after her Hobart performances.

In difficult conditions in which both players struggled at times with their ball toss, Watson eventually dealt with them better as Pliskova - twin sister of second seed Karolina - began to show her frustration.

Watson's service game improved as the match wore on and she continued to hit a steady stream of winners to to clinch an impressive victory.

"I don't mind the wind and with the way I play - a lot of slice, drops shots, change-of-pace balls - I think it works well. And I'm patient," she said.

British number one Evans needed to fight back from two sets down in his opening match against American Mackenzie McDonald, but there was no sign of another memorable comeback against an inspired Nishioka.

Evans, 29, said he did not "feel good at all" going into Monday's match, possibly the effects of his heroics for Great Britain at the ATP Cup.

Two days later he again looked out-of-sorts and this time he was unable to put any pressure on his opponent.

Evans, who was competing in his first Grand Slam as a seeded player, could not force a single break point as 71st-ranked Nishioka eased into a two-set lead.

The Briton looked to be struggling physically as he sat in his chair at the end of the second set, although he recovered to push Nishioka, who made only two unforced errors in the previous set, closer in the third.

However, he was broken in his penultimate service game as a tie-break loomed, unable to land a first serve before hitting a forehand wide of the line on Nishioka's first match point.

The 24-year-old Japanese fell to his knees on the court and looked up to the sky in celebration as contemplated his achievement of reaching the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Evans was the third and final Briton to fall in the men's singles after Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie lost their opening matches on Tuesday.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51202064
 
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Serena Williams laid down another statement to her Australian Open rivals as she powered past Slovenian Tamara Zidansek to reach the third round.

The 38-year-old American, bidding for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, needed just over an hour to win 6-2 6-3.

The eighth seed has dropped eight games in her opening two matches.

Next she will face China's 27th seed Wang Qiang, who was thrashed by Williams at September's US Open.

Wang froze as she lost in 44 minutes on her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final appearance and will be hoping to put up a better fight in Melbourne on Friday.

Williams again looks in menacing form, however. Victory over 22-year-old Zidansek was a seventh straight win for Williams, who claimed the Auckland title earlier this month.

Williams, a seven-time champion at Melbourne Park, started sharply with a break in the opening game and, after staving off an opportunity for 22-year-old Zidansek in the fourth, pulled away to take the first set in 31 minutes.

Zidansek raised her level to make the second set more of a contest as errors started to creep into Williams's game.

The American had to dig deep to fight off four break points before eventually holding for 3-3 - and that sucked the life out of 70th-ranked Zidansek.

Williams, whose roars after each point were becoming increasingly loud, almost inevitably pinched her opponent's serve to love in the next game.

From that point it was relatively comfortable, Williams winning eight of the final 11 points to seal victory.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51204596
 
Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev reached the third round of the Australian Open with a straight-set win over Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez.

The 23-year-old, beaten in September's US Open final, had a nosebleed in the second set but won 7-5 6-1 6-3 in just over two hours on Margaret Court Arena.

The Russian served 19 aces as he took control against 22-year-old Martinez, playing in only his second Grand Slam.

He will face Jaume Munar or Alexei Popyrin in the last 32.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51217275
 
Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza's Australian Open 2020 campaign came to an early end after she retired from her women's doubles opening match on Thursday.

Sania Mirza, who partnered with Nadiia Kichenok, was trailing in the 2nd set before she was forced to retire with a calf injury.

The Chinese pairing of Xinyun Han and Lin Zhu were leading 6-2, 1-0 in the 1st-round match against the Indo-Ukrainian pair before Mirza decided to stop the match owing to her injury.

Her right calf strapped heavily, Sania struggled to move freely on the court. It also affected her serve.

Kichenok was also struggling at the net, often missing easy put-away volleys.

Serving at 2-4, Sania was broken by the Chinese and they served out the set easily.

The Indian took a medial timeout after the first set. Soon after, the Indo-Ukrainian pair was broken in the first game of the second set and Sania found it difficult to continue.

Sania Mirza had earlier withdrawn from the mixed doubles event before the draw was announced on Wednesday. She was set to partner with Rohan Bopanna but the calf injury forced her to focus only on the women's doubles campaign at the Australian Open.

"It's unfortunate that this niggling injury got aggravated in the Hobart final just as I was getting to the top of my game. It is a lot better now and I intend to give it my best shot in doubles. It's disappointing to miss out on the chance to partner Rohan in mixed," Mirza had said.

Notably, Sania Mirza had made a dream comeback on her return to competitive action after a 2-year-long maternity break. The former World No. 1 won the Hobart International title in January along with Nadiia Kichenok.


https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/te...st-round-match-calf-injury-1639371-2020-01-23
 
World number one Rafael Nadal reached the third round of the Australian Open with a straight-set win over Argentina's Federico Delbonis.

Nadal, bidding for a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title, swept aside 76th-ranked Delbonis 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.

The Spaniard will face compatriot and 27th seed Pablo Carreno Busta next.

There were battling five-set wins for seeds Dominic Thiem and Karen Khachanov on the fourth day in Melbourne, and an entertaining victory for Nick Kyrgios.

Nadal has not won the Australian Open since 2009 but he has entered this year's first Grand Slam as the top seed.

While he was made to work against Delbonis during the second set, the Spaniard had his chances to wrap up the match quicker, converting just three of 20 break points.

Nadal also kissed a ballgirl on the cheek and gave her a headband after he accidentally struck her during a rally.

"I was so scared for her - the ball was quick and straight on to her," Nadal said.

"She's a super brave girl."

Russian 16th seed Khachanov fought for four hours and 36 minutes to overcome Sweden's Mikael Ymer.

Khachanov collapsed to the floor - and then struggled to stand with cramp - after sealing a 6-2 2-6 6-4 3-6 7-6 (10-8) victory over his 78th-ranked opponent.

He will face Kyrgios next after the Australian's victory over Gilles Simon.

Fifth seed Thiem came through a five-set thriller of his own against Australian wildcard Alex Bolt.

Two-time French Open finalist Thiem overcame world number 140 Bolt 6-2 5-7 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-2.

Thiem, one of the fittest players on tour, ultimately outlasted his opponent in three hours and 26 minutes to set up a meeting with American Taylor Fritz.

"The crowd was very fair. Of course they were for Alex, he's an Aussie, that's completely obvious," Thiem said.

"But it's nice to play in front of a full crowd that's against you than an empty one."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51217275
 
Seven-time champion Serena Williams has been knocked out of the Australian Open, losing 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 to China's Wang Qiang in the third round.

The defeat means the 38-year-old American's quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on.

Wang served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but Williams broke her for the first time and then won a tie-break to level at one set all.

The 27th seed recovered and sealed victory on her third match point.

"After the second set I was a little bit confused, but my mind always said I had to focus on the court, on every point and trust myself," said Wang, who now faces Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the fourth round.

It is Williams' earliest exit at the Australian Open since 2006, when she lost at this stage to Daniela Hantuchova.

Opportunities to equal Margaret Court's record of Grand Slam singles titles are running out for Williams, who is in her 23rd year as a professional.

She has not won a Slam since the 2017 Australian Open, when she was eight weeks pregnant, but did secure the Auckland International earlier this month, which was her first tour title since Melbourne three years ago.

Williams had beaten 28-year-old Wang 6-1 6-0 in just 44 minutes at the US Open in September when the Chinese player won just 15 points.

However, the first few games of this second meeting suggested it would be much more competitive on Rod Laver Arena.

Wang Qiang celebrates beating Serena Williams at the Australoan Open
Wang Qiang had 12 break points overall, converting three of them
Wang grew in confidence after she saved three break points in the sixth game of the opening set. Her firm forehands began to trouble Williams, whose movement could not match her opponent's.

Wang - who defeated current world number one Ashleigh Barty at the US Open before losing to Williams - broke for a 5-4 lead and then served out to seal the first set.

Williams was struggling to gain the upper hand as the unforced errors totted up - they would eventually reach 56 - and she was broken again when Wang converted the second of her three break points with a deep forehand winner.

The Chinese player's form deserted her as she served for the match at 5-4, allowing Williams to break back with a superb forehand winner at the end of a 24-shot rally. The American saved two more break points at 5-5 before eventually levelling the match in a one-sided tie-break.

The final set went with serve until the 12th and final game. Wang had wasted two chances to seal victory on Williams' serve before she was presented with another, which was taken when the American netted a backhand.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51231895
 
American teenager Coco Gauff stunned defending champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The 15-year-old excelled in the Rod Laver Arena and won 6-3 6-4.

Osaka won the pair's only previous meeting at last year's US Open, but it was Gauff who was victorious in Melbourne, winning in 67 minutes.

Gauff will play either China's Zhang Shaui or American Sofia Kenin in the fourth round.
 
Six-time champion Roger Federer survived a huge scare to beat unseeded Australian John Millman 10-8 in a final-set tie-break and reach the Australian Open fourth round.

The Swiss world number three won 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 4-6 7-6 (10-8) in an epic that lasted four hours three minutes.

Federer, 38, trailed 8-4 in the deciding tie-break - but won six points in a row to progress.

He will face Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in the fourth round.

Gauff shines before getting on with homework, Federer squeezes through and Williams exits on epic day
Federer looked emotionally and physically drained after a contest which he eventually clinched at 00:50 local time in Melbourne.

Even his wife Mirka, who has witnessed plenty of emotional rollercoasters during her husband's illustrious career, could barely watch as high-pressure moments came and went in a pulsating encounter.

Like the 15,000 people watching on Rod Laver Arena, and millions around the world, her face became contorted with strain as the match looked to be slipping out of Federer's grasp.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner stared at defeat when he trailed 8-4 in the first-to-10 super tie-break which decides matches at the Australian Open.

But he dug in to seal an extraordinary win to cap a remarkable day five at the opening major of the year.

The win keeps alive Federer's hopes of extending his record total of 20 major titles - with Rafael Nadal chasing on 19 and Novak Djokovic close behind both of them on 16.

Follow reaction to Federer's thrilling victory
Live scores, schedule and results
Millman pushes Federer to the limit... again
John Millman
Millman has now beaten Federer just once in their four meetings - at the 2018 US Open
Millman earned the best win of his career when he beat the flustered Federer in the 2018 US Open fourth round, in a match that will live long in the memory.

This match surpassed even that in terms of intensity and drama.

Millman pushed Federer to the limit on that humid night in New York and managed to do the same in Melbourne, in much cooler temperatures which did not sap the 38-year-old of his physical strength this time.

Federer could never put clear daylight between himself and an opponent who refused to back down - with Millman winning the first set and losing the next two before recovering to take the fourth.

"He's just so tough from the baseline," Federer said.

"He's got good speed on the backhand and on the forehand. The way he hits makes me unsure if I should pull the trigger or I shouldn't.

"I was not returning poorly. I was just not getting into those neutral rallies, finding the ways to unlock him. That's his credit. He's a great player."

The Rod Laver Arena crowd usually gets fully behind Federer - but not this time, with the 15,000 fans in the stands split between the Swiss great and the Australian number three.

That division will unite almost wholly back in favour of Federer when he faces Hungary's world number 67 Fucsovics on Sunday, where his biggest problem might be how he quickly recovers - mentally and physically - from this bruising battle.

'If you understand tennis you will know' - Millman not beating himself up about loss
Millman, a charismatic 30-year-old from Queensland, always seems to enjoy his moments in the spotlight, unsurprising after a long route to the big time following serious shoulder and groin injuries which left him close to quitting.

The Australian thrives against Federer, who was powerless to stop some unnerving winners - typified by two crackerjacks in the match tie-break - and could not cope with his second serve.

But only a second victory against a top-10 player in 16 attempts - the other also against Federer - was snatched from his grasp.

"What a match. John deserves half of this. He made it so difficult for me," said Federer.

"He deserves all the support, he is a great story and a great fighter."

Millman looked emotionally drained as he spoke to the media less than half an hour after the match ended, disappointed with the manner of his defeat but content he had "left it all out there".

"Roger made it tough, that's what all the best players do," he said.

"If you're engaged in 10, 20-ball exchanges, you ticked a few boxes. It is not as if it was double faults or first ball errors.

"I will cop it about that [letting the 8-4 lead slip] but if you understand tennis, you will know there was not a whole lot wrong. But it still hurts. I'd rather lose 10-5 or something."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51239482
 
Damn could have done with Roger going out!!
Now I have to support Novak to ensure fed doesn't win it!!
And djoko will then beat Nadal in final:(
( If Nadal makes it that far)
 
Gael Monfils reached the Australian Open fourth round by beating Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis in straight sets.

The 10th seed won 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-3 in Melbourne.

Monfils converted five of his nine break points and was much more controlled than Gulbis, who committed 52 unforced errors compared to the Frenchman's 22.

He will play fifth seed Dominic Thiem or Taylor Fritz in the last 16.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51247314
 
Top seed Rafael Nadal cruised past Spanish compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets to reach the Australian Open fourth round.

Nadal, 33, was sharp on serve as he raced into a two-set lead, allowing Carreno Busta just five return points.

Carreno Busta, seeded 27th, fared little better in the third as Nadal wrapped up a 6-1 6-2 6-4 win.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion could face Australian Nick Kyrgios in the last 16.

Where does Melbourne exit leave Williams' chase for another Grand Slam?
Kyrgios, 24, plays his third-round match against Russian 16th seed Karen Khachanov later on Saturday at Melbourne Park.

With Nadal and 23rd-seed Kyrgios not seeing eye-to-eye in recent years, the prospect of another meeting between the pair is a tantalising one.

Kyrgios cheekily mocked Nadal's superstitious service routine, as did opponent Gilles Simon, in his second-round win over the Frenchman.

"It was my best match of the tournament without a doubt," said Nadal, who hit 42 winners and made just seven unforced errors.

"When the conditions are warmer the ball bounces higher and flies through the air. That helps my game.

"I did very well with my serves and started to hit some forehands down the line. That is key for me."

Nadal, who has only won the Australian Open once, in 2009, set up the potential blockbuster against Kyrgios with a clinical win over his friend Carreno Busta, with whom he helped Spain win the Davis Cup in November.

Nadal set the tone by breaking in the second game of the match, pinching Carreno Busta's serve another four times on a sun-soaked Rod Laver Arena.

Victory also continued Nadal's dominance over his compatriots. The Majorcan left-hander has now won his past 18 matches against Spanish opposition, stretching back to a 2016 Australian Open first-round defeat by Fernando Verdasco.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51246891
 
Nick Kyrgios will face top seed Rafael Nadal in the last 16 at the Australian Open after an "insane" five-set win over Karen Khachanov.

Kyrgios, who missed match points in the third and fourth sets, won 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (6-8) 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (10-8).

The Australian, 24, needed nearly four-and-a-half hours to win a tense third-round match against the Russian - having led by two sets and a break.

But he came through in a final-set tie-break at a boisterous Melbourne Arena.

"It was definitely one of the craziest matches I've ever been a part of," Kyrgios said.

Kyrgios leads 2-1 in his head-to-head record on hard courts against Nadal, with whom he has rarely seen eye-to-eye, although the 19-time Grand Slam champion leads 4-3 on all surfaces.

The pair, who will meet at Melbourne Park on Monday, last faced each other on grass at Wimbledon in July when Nadal won in four sets.

Second seed Pliskova knocked out
Monfils beats Gulbis to reach last 16
Where does Melbourne exit leave Williams' chase for another Grand Slam?
The Spanish top seed, 33, cruised past compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta 6-1 6-2 6-4 in his third-round match earlier on Saturday.

The world number one wrapped up a straightforward win almost seven hours earlier than Kyrgios, whose brutal contest against Khachanov lasted for four hours and 26 minutes.

"I'm not thinking about that [playing Nadal] - I'm just thinking about my legs and getting them into an ice bath," Kyrgios said.

Kyrgios fights way into last 16
Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios also had to overcome a thigh injury which he described as "feeling something sharp" and needed a medical timeout in the first set
The prospect of another meeting between Kyrgios and Nadal has been a tantalising one since the Australian Open draw was made nine days ago.

Kyrgios has previously described Nadal as "super salty", while Nadal has been visibly irritated by the Australian's erratic on-court behaviour in the past.

To add further spice to a highly-anticipated blockbuster, Kyrgios cheekily mocked Nadal's superstitious service routine in his second-round win over France's Gilles Simon.

And, after Nadal thrashed Carreno Busta in his "best match of the tournament", Kyrgios ensured it would happen by seeing off 16th seed Khachanov.

"Whatever happens between us, he [Nadal] is an amazing player. Arguably the greatest of all time," Kyrgios said.

"At the end of the day, we're two different tennis players. We go about it completely different."

After clinching victory over Khachanov, Kyrgios fell to the court in celebration and laid out on the baseline before rising to wearily take the acclaim of the crowd.

Few would have predicted the drama which followed after Kyrgios, with his generally more relaxed demeanour, bettered Khachanov in all the key areas during the first two sets.

Kyrgios had a higher first-serve percentage, won more first-serve points, hit more aces and cracked more winners, while throwing in several drop-shots to unsettle the Russian.

Khachanov's frustration at being outplayed - and some calling out from the crowd during play - was laid bare when he whacked a loose ball into the court's roof during the third set.

That anger seemed to spur him into finding a different level, clawing a set back when Kyrgios hit a wild forehand wide and then levelling after a fourth set where he made just two unforced errors.

Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios argued with the umpire after he was given a time violation while he tried to sort out a cut on his hand
Kyrgios led 3-0 in the deciding first-to-10 tie-break, used to settle matches that reach 6-6 in the fifth set at the Australian Open.

Roars greeted every winning point for the Australian number two, with anguished cries heard as Khachanov fought back in a gripping battle.

The pair were deadlocked at 6-6, then 7-7, before a Kyrgios forehand into the net post gave Khachanov an opportunity to serve out the match.

However, a pinpoint backhand down the line finished a tense rally, leaving Kyrgios grinning and the crowd on their feet as Khachanov missed his chance.

Khachanov then hit a backhand into the net for Kyrgios' third match point - one hour and 54 minutes after his first - and pushed another wide to cause pandemonium in the Melbourne Arena.

Kyrgios described the match as "insane" as he struggled to speak on court afterwards.

"At 8-7 down, I had all the thoughts. I thought I was going to lose. I was thinking about everything. I was thinking about the media if I lost, everything," he added.

Up next, the world number one
Nadal, 33, was sharp on serve as he raced into a two-set lead in his match, allowing 27th seed Carreno Busta just five return points.

Carreno Busta fared little better in the third as 2009 champion Nadal wrapped up a one-sided win over his friend, with whom he helped Spain win the Davis Cup in November in one hour and 38 minutes.

Nadal set the tone by breaking in the second game of the match, pinching Carreno Busta's serve another four times on a sun-soaked Rod Laver Arena.

"It was my best match of the tournament without a doubt," said Nadal, who hit 42 winners and made just seven unforced errors.

"When the conditions are warmer, the ball bounces higher and flies through the air. That helps my game.

"I did very well with my serves and started to hit some forehands down the line. That is key for me."

Victory also continued Nadal's dominance over his compatriots. The Majorcan left-hander has now won his past 18 matches against Spanish opposition, stretching back to a 2016 Australian Open first-round defeat by Fernando Verdasco.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51249559
 
Teenage phenomenon Coco Gauff missed out on her first Grand Slam quarter-final as fellow American Sofia Kenin fought back to win in the Australian Open fourth round.

Gauff, 15, lost 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 to the 14th seed in Melbourne.

She showed all her undoubted quality in the first set, but tired in the third as Kenin wore her down.

Kenin will face either Tunisia's Ons Jabeur or China's Wang Qiang in the last eight.

After a warm embrace at the net, both players broke out in tears following an intense battle on Melbourne Arena.

Kenin, 21, dropped her racquet and cupped her face with both hands after taking her second match point to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

An emotional Gauff received a standing ovation as she walked off the court, understandably disappointed at the manner of her defeat but with the likelihood of much better moments ahead of her.

"I was just fighting," Kenin said. "She played some good points at crucial moments but I just had to calm down and relax."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51253470
 
Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached his 11th Australian Open quarter-final with a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

The seven-time winner was frustrated with himself in the opening set but broke the 14th seed in the eighth game.

Schwartzman fought back after losing the first three games of the second set but could not halt the resurgent Serb.

Djokovic broke again in the fifth game of the third set en route to victory in Melbourne.

Despite the straight-set win, this display was not as impressive as the one produced against Yoshihito Nishioka in the previous round. The opening games of the first set were a struggle as Djokovic muttered to himself over his form.

He improved as the set wore on though, and looked at his best in the first few games of the second before Schwartzman broke his opponent for the only time.

However, the Serb regained control of the match and eventually sealed victory in just over two hours.

The world number two will have to raise his level against his next opponent, Milos Raonic, who secured a 6-4 6-3 7-5 over 2018 finalist Marin Cilic.

"This will be a different match-up to he one today," said Djokjovic. "Raonic is one of tallest and strongest players. He's also got one of biggest serves. I'm ready for missiles.

"One of key elements will be how well I'm returning. It's good to see Milos healthy. He's a great guy and good friend."

Canadian Raonic, seeded 32nd, dominated the Croat throughout with almost double the number of winners - 55 to 29 - and 35 aces compared to Cilic's five.

Unseeded Cilic did have two set points when leading 5-4 in the third set but Raonic saved them and then broke his opponent in the next game before serving out the win.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51253463
 
Six-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer came from behind to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne with victory over Marton Fucsovics.

The Swiss, 38, beat the Hungarian 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 and will play American Tennys Sandgren in the last eight.

After losing the first set, Federer breezed through the second and third, winning seven successive games.

He twice broke Fucsovics in the fourth set before serving out the win on his third match point.

Federer battled for more than four hours to see off John Millman in the third round and he looked unsure of the wind conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion found his footing and showed some fine touches at the net in the final two sets to reach the quarters.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51255592
 
Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal battled past rival Nick Kyrgios in a thrilling four-set match to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Nadal, 33, had not dropped a set this tournament before 23rd seed Kyrgios provided his biggest test so far.

Kyrgios, who wore a Kobe Bryant basketball shirt in the warm-up, battled hard but Nadal came through 6-3 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4).

Nadal will face Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the last eight.

Nadal and Kyrgios have not always seen eye to eye with the rivalry blowing up last year after a tempestuous meeting in Acapulco.

Afterwards the 19-time Grand Slam champion said Kyrgios' behaviour "lacked respect" before the Australian responded by calling him "super-salty".

Yet the appreciation for each other's ability, despite their wildly contrasting styles, has rarely been in doubt and was typified by their firm handshake at the net following a riveting contest on Rod Laver Arena.

"When Nick is playing like he did today with this positive attitude he brings a lot of things to our sport," said Nadal, who won his only Australian Open title in 2009.

"I encourage him to keep working like this because he is one of the biggest talents of our tour."

I've made progress as a human - Kyrgios
Reaction to Nadal v Kyrgios match
Wawrinka beats Medvedev in thriller
Halep beats Mertens to reach last eight
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Kyrgios overcomes subdued start to push Nadal
Nick Kyrgios
Kyrgios looked close to tears when he came into the Rod Laver Arena
Nadal came into the match having not dropped a set in the opening three rounds, sealing his place in the last 16 with his "best match so far" against fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.

Kyrgios' route was much more strenuous, having needed four-and-a-half hours to beat Russian 16th seed Karen Khachanov on Saturday night.

The effects of that gruelling match and, possibly, the death of his basketball hero Bryant seemed to contribute to a muted start from the soon-to-be Australian number one.

While Nadal was finding lines with blistering winners in the opening few games, Kyrgios' returning game was much looser and lacked fizz.

A wide backhand allowed Nadal to take his second break point for a 3-1 lead, proving pivotal as the Spaniard then breezed through the first set in 36 minutes.

As Kyrgios struggled to hold serve in the opening game of the second set it looked like Nadal could quickly run away with the match.

Kyrgios saved three break points - including one after playing a shot between his legs in a rally - before clinching a hold which proved pivotal.

In the next game he earned his first break point of the match, urging the home support to crank up the noise by punching his racquet in the air.

They responded and he responded too. A wonderful point - full of incisive forehands, punching backhands and teasing drop-shots - went Kyrgios' way with a winner which kissed the baseline.

Kyrgios celebrated by, almost poignantly, leaping into the air with a slam dunk-style basketball jump and carried the momentum throughout the set to level.

"Seems like in the beginning I was in control but you know against Nick you are never in control," Nadal said.

"If you make a mistake then it is difficult to break him."

Nadal keeps focus to see off Kyrgios revival
Nick Kyrgios
Kyrgios slammed his racquet into the ground as frustration got the better of him in the third set
When the pair met at Wimbledon six months ago they also shared the opening two sets 6-3 before Nadal edged the third in the tie-breaker and then took the fourth in similar fashion.

That pattern was repeated again before the match ended in almost exactly the same scoreline.

The crucial difference this time, however, was Kyrgios let his tennis do the talking in a performance which showcased his undoubted natural talent rather than the more dubious behaviour shown at the All England Club.

The quality continued to rise in a stunning third set at Melbourne Park dominated by brutal rallies and pierced by chopped returns from Kyrgios' racquet.

But his attempts to unsettle Nadal rarely worked.

Kyrgios himself had to dig deep to serve for 4-4, and again for 6-6, before a double fault at 5-5 in the tie-break left Kyrgios pointing to his head asking himself why he thumped down a 135mph second serve.

That gave Nadal a set point on his own serve, only for the usually-composed Spaniard to also cough up a double fault after he was distracted by a crying baby before serving.

However, he refocused and won the set when Kyrgios hit a backhand into the net.

Nick Kyrgios
Kyrgios' inspired fightback got the crowd firmly on his side
Kyrgios nuked his racquet on the way to losing the tie-break but, instead of unravelling like he has in the past, regained his composure in the fourth.

Nadal broke to love for 2-1, a slender lead which he continued to hold until he served for the match.

Kyrgios was not done yet, however.

Two break points came his way when Nadal produced another double fault, taking the second with a crushing forehand.

But, like Wimbledon and like the third set, Nadal zoned back in to nick the tie-break.

Another baseline drop-shot from Kyrgios floated into the net to give Nadal a crucial 5-3 advantage and he saw out victory to reach the Melbourne quarter-finals for a 12th time.

"Nick played a good game but I played a scary game at 5-4," Nadal said.

"But I tried to recover mentally and lift my level again."

Rafael Nadal
Nadal has now won five of the eight matches he has played against Kyrgios
Emotional Kyrgios pays tribute to Bryant
It had been billed as the latest instalment of a fiery rivalry between two players with polar opposite personalities.

But the match started in a more subdued atmosphere following the shock news of the death of American basketball great Bryant.

Kyrgios is a huge basketball fan and paid tribute by wearing an LA Lakers vest bearing Bryant's name on the back as he walked out on court.

The 24-year-old Australian, who looked close to tears, kept the jersey on during the warm-up.

Bryant was a keen tennis fan and performed the coin toss before Roger Federer's US Open match against Britain's Dan Evans last year.

Nadal had also paid his own tribute earlier in the day, posting an image of Bryant on his Instagram account and telling of his "shock" at the death of "one of the world's great sportsmen".

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51265741
 
This year has been especially tough for Federer so far. Earlier it was opposite. He used to cruise in the initial rounds only to falter in the latter stages...
 
Conditions and circumstances are ripe for Djokovic to smash Federer into pieces. I am looking forward and hopefully Djokovic's doesnt take his foot off the gas like he did in 2016.
 
Alexander Zverev is through to a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time after beating Stan Wawrinka in four sets at the Australian Open.

The German seventh seed beat the Swiss three-time Grand Slam champion 1-6 6-3 6-4 6-2, dropping a set for the first time in Melbourne this year.

He lost the first five games in only 16 minutes but bounced back to convert five out of 13 break points.

The 22-year-old will face Rafael Nadal or Dominic Thiem in the last four.

World number one Nadal takes on Austrian fifth seed Thiem on the Rod Laver Arena at 08:30 GMT on Wednesday.

Wawrinka, who won the Australian Open in 2014, has now been knocked out at the quarter-final stage in three of the past four Grand Slams.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51291122
 
Simona Halep brilliantly took apart Anett Kontaveit in just 53 minutes to race into the Australian Open semi-finals.

Estonian Kontaveit, 24, won the first game but was never in it from that point as Halep raced to a 6-1 6-1 win.

Wimbledon champion Halep won 11 games in a row before the 28th seed managed to hold serve in the penultimate game.

The Romanian, 28, will face Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, 26, in the last four in Melbourne.

Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion but unseeded here, beat Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3.

Fourth seed Halep is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament and was never in danger of doing so on Rod Laver Arena, totally dominating Kontaveit once she had the first break in the third game of the match.

"I felt great on court. I feel strong in my legs and I knew how to play against her. I was focused in every point I played," said Halep.

Kontaveit, playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, had beaten sixth seed Belinda Bencic in 49 minutes in the third round but was on the wrong side of a hammering in the quarter-finals.

Halep moved Kontaveit around the court throughout and was ruthless in knowing when to increase the pace and kill off points, sealing a superb victory with her fifth ace.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51290635
 
Wouldn't have mattered in the end but what a choke by Federer in the first set !!!! He plays big points vs Djokovic so poorly, and how many consecutive TBs does he intend to lose to the Serbian machine? Last year's Wimbledon final was the final chance to beat his tormentor in GS I guess.
 
Concerning that Djokovic's level has dropped so much in the last year. He's not picking Fed's serve anywhere near as well as he used to.
 
Dominic Thiem will meet defending champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's Australian Open final after digging deep to beat Alexander Zverev.

Thiem, 26, won 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) in a match briefly interrupted by rain and a lighting failure.

The Austrian fifth seed said "it was an unreal match" and he will now look to win his first Grand Slam, after losing the past two French Open finals.

Djokovic is favourite to win a record-extending eighth title and 17th major.

The 32-year-old has lost just three matches in the past 10 Australian Open tournaments.

German seventh seed Zverev, 22, was bidding to reach his first Grand Slam final but instead, it his good friend who will play for the title.

"To reach the Australian Open final is unreal," said Thiem, who will bid to become only the second Austrian player - after Thomas Muster at the 1995 French Open - to win a Grand Slam.

"Two tie-breaks, so tough and so close, it was almost impossible to break him."

Thiem produced a heroic effort, physically and mentally, to beat Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal in an epic quarter-final that lasted more than four hours on Wednesday.

As a result it looked as though the Austrian, who said he did not get to sleep until 5am following that win, was lacking energy against Zverev.

The crushing groundstrokes he produced against Nadal initially lacked fizz, largely down to being pinned back by the big-serving German.

"It is not easy because I played four hours and 10 minutes against Rafa, who is most intense man on tour," said Thiem, who is through to his first Australian Open final.

"I had some troubles in the first set, it was both of our first semi-finals here and it was not easy."

But Thiem fought back in the second set, hitting cleaner and helped by a horror of a service game from the German, to level.

The unforced error count crept up again in the third, seemingly as a sign of fatigue, but he recovered when it mattered most.

Starting the third-set tie-break with a deft pick-up at the net provided the momentum, following that with an ace, two service winners and pair of blistering winners off either wing to clinch the lead.

That was the fourth tie-break he had won in a row, following the three which saw him beat Nadal.

It also provided the confidence that took him through the fourth-set decider.

After two loose errors led to him being pegged back, Thiem was helped when Zverev whacked an overhead wide of the doubles court for a 4-2 lead.

The tension and drama increased when the umpire overruled a call that Zverev hit long at 4-3. The point was replayed with Thiem landing a ferocious forehand to win it.

Another winner brought up three match points for the Austrian and he took the second when he sprung forward to put away a forehand volley at the net.

Thiem broke out into a beaming smile before sharing a warm hug with his opponent, whom he has known since their junior days.

"In all of the tie-breaks I think I was 2-0, 3-0 up and it gives you confidence for the rest," he said.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51324128
 
American Sofia Kenin fulfilled her potential by winning a first Grand Slam title with victory over Spain's Garbine Muguruza at the Australian Open.

Kenin won 4-6 6-2 6-2 against two-time major winner Muguruza in Melbourne.

The 21-year-old was a child prodigy, who started making television appearances from the age of five and hitting with the stars soon after.

"My dream has officially come true," said Kenin, the eighth first-time women's champion in the past 12 Slams.

"Dreams come true. If you have a dream then go for it - it will come true.

"These two weeks have been the best two weeks of my life."

Kenin, who turned 21 in November, is the youngest Australian Open champion since Russian Maria Sharapova in 2008.

The American 14th seed was gifted victory when Muguruza produced a double fault on the second match point - the Spaniard's third of the game and eighth of the match.

Kenin dropped her racquet to the court and covered her face in shock, before going over to the opposite corner where her dad - and coach - Alex was sitting.

The pair warmly cupped hands before she returned to the court, spinning around and lifting her arms up towards him again in a gesture which summed up her shock.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51340294
 
Novak Djokovic will have to "go up another level" if he is to beat Dominic Thiem and win a record-extending eighth Australian Open men's singles title, says Pat Cash.

Serbia's Djokovic meets Austrian fifth seed Thiem at 08:30 GMT on Sunday.

Second seed Djokovic, 32, goes for his 17th Grand Slam title, while Thiem, 26, bids for a first.

"Thiem has a real chance," said Australian Cash, who won Wimbledon in 1987.

"He hits the ball as big, he can last forever, he is super quick.

"It is really going to come down to whether he has the energy to outlast Novak."

Djokovic has lost only three matches in the past 10 tournaments at Melbourne Park and has eased through this year's draw.

Thiem reached the final after what he called "super intense" victories over Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal in the last eight and Germany's seventh seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.

"Djokovic has cruised through so easily, he hasn't had a lot of tough competition," added Cash, who will analyse the match on BBC Radio 5 live.

"Certainly not in the style Thiem brings. That is the only question mark for me."

Thiem, who has lost the past two French Open finals to Nadal, has 24 hours less than Djokovic to prepare for his third Grand Slam final.

Djokovic played his semi-final against Roger Federer on Thursday night, with Thiem beating Zverev on Friday night.

The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam where both semi-finals are not played on the same day.

"There are disadvantages but also advantages," Thiem said.

"I think it's also a little bit of a challenge to have all the time one day off and all of a sudden two. Of course, I have less time to regenerate.

"But with all the adrenaline and everything, it's going to be fine."

Djokovic has won six of their previous 10 meetings, although Thiem has beaten him in each of their past two Grand Slam matches - at the French Open in 2017 and 2019.

Thiem also won when they last met on a hard court, a thrilling three-set win at the ATP Finals in November, which was widely recognised as one of 2019's finest matches on the men's tour.

"Novak is the favourite and coming in fresh is a big bonus," Cash said.

"I think he will get through but it won't be as easy as people think it will be."

After needing four sets to beat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff in a tricky opening match, Djokovic has not dropped another set on his way to the final.

A nervous start against old foe Roger Federer briefly threatened him in their semi-final, before Djokovic reasserted himself to ease through in three sets as the Swiss struggled with a groin injury.

Djokovic has dropped serve only three times since his first-round match and has won 82% of his first-serve points in the tournament.

"He is serving better and his second serve is like 180/190kph - he wasn't serving like that before," Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic told BBC Radio 5 live.

"I didn't tell him to serve 190kph second serve but I have made little changes with the ball toss.

"Now he is confident and believes he can serve harder."

Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon in 2001, linked up with the Serb last year on a part-time basis and works alongside his full-time coach Marian Vajda.

"It is tough to teach the guy who has been the best tennis player in the world over the past nine years but he still wants to improve every day," added Croat Ivanisevic.

"It is great as a coach to have a player like that who wants to listen, to learn and improve every single day."

Djokovic's victory over 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer in last year's epic Wimbledon final took him closer to the Swiss' tally than he has ever been.

Knocking Federer out of this tournament - plus Nadal's defeat by Thiem - has given Djokovic the chance of further reducing that gap.

Almost six years younger than Federer, Djokovic could add plenty more, barring a loss of form or fitness.

His pursuit of Federer and Nadal is made more remarkable by the fact he won his first major in 2008 - when Federer had claimed 13 and Nadal five - and only added a second three years later.

Djokovic will also return to the top of the world rankings, replacing Nadal, if he beats Thiem.

list of men's grand slam winners - Federer 20, Nadal 19, Djokovic 16, Sampras 14, Emerson 12
'I have to risk a lot' - what they say about each other
Djokovic on Thiem: "He is definitely one of the best players in the world. He deserves to be where he is.

"It seems like he's improved his game a lot on hard courts, because his game is more suitable to the slower surfaces. The clay of course being his favourite surface.

"But winning Indian Wells last year, beating Roger in the final, that probably gave him a lot of confidence that he can win big tournaments on other surfaces, as well.

"It's just a matter of one match here and there that can potentially give him a Grand Slam title, that he can actually get in the mix of top three in the world.

"He definitely has the game. He has the experience now. He has the strength. He has all the means to really be there."

Thiem on Djokovic: "For sure he's the favourite. I mean, he won seven titles here, never lost a final, going for his eighth one.

"It's his comfort zone here. He always plays his best tennis in Australia.

"I think I have to keep a good balance. Of course, I have to risk a lot. I have to go for many shots. At the same time, of course, not too much.

"That's a very thin line. In the last match against him, hit that line perfectly in London.

"Of course, I am going to take a look at that match, how I played, and try to repeat it. I mean, I'm feeling good on the court. I'm playing great tennis. So try to be at my absolutely best."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51342218
 
The contrast between the talent pool of American men's and women's tennis couldn't be starker. Well done Sofia Kenin.
 
Thiem is one guy who can beat Djokovic at his fortress. He isn't afraid of taking the fight to the Big 3 and has had success against the great Serbian in the last few matches, surface notwithstanding that should give him confidence. Having already made 2 GS finals before, I hope he isn't a total nervous wreck. He can play like Wawrinka, with immense power. Even though he has got 24 hours less rest his young body, time spent on court and supreme fitness should make up for any scheduling disadvantage.

I wasn't impressed by what I saw of Novak in the semi-final, if that version shows up Thiem should win in max 4. But Novak knows when to raise his level, and his serve/return combo right now is :aag. Love both these players, hope to have a blockbuster final like the last 2 grand slam finals of 2019. I beg to differ with the bookies, this is too close to call, Novak is the favourite but not by much.
 
Sofia was brilliant in the tournament and in the finals in the last 2 sets gerbine didn't stand a chance.She is definitely going to win a lot more grand slams.
 
Novak Djokovic v Dominic Thiem in men's singles final at Australian Open...
 
This match is a must see for Tennis lovers.

Two fierce competitors playing Quality Tennis. And I think quality will improve further in next sets. Watching this combination of high intensity and quality after a long time.

ATM, looks like a 5-Setter.
 
6-4, 4-6. As I expected.

Djokovic intentionally leaving the court open for Thiem to go for Back-Hander down the line, Thiem's weakest point.
 
4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Thiem.

2-1 to Thiems going into 4th set.

OTOH, Djokovic does love to channel his cornered tiger. He has done it, on purpose, throughout his career. I think, like many before him, Thiem is going to experience it now.
 
It was a Good Match.

6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Djokovic when he was way out after third set.
 
Novak Djokovic defended his Australian Open crown and won a 17th Grand Slam after digging deep into his physical and mental reserves to beat Dominic Thiem in a gripping five-set final.

The Serbian second seed won 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 for a record-extending eighth title at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic, 32, twice called the doctor while trailing before fighting back.

Austrian fifth seed Thiem, 26, still awaits his first major title after losing a third Grand Slam final.

Djokovic, who fluctuated from steely brilliance to being emotionally erratic and back again, took the first of two championship points when Thiem pulled a forehand wide.

With Thiem getting plenty of support throughout in the Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic celebrated by shushing some of the crowd with his finger on his lip and then pointing to his box.

Djokovic solemnly watched as he was lauded as the 'King of Melbourne' before an emotional winning speech where he talked about the "devastating" Australian bushfires, world conflicts and the death of American basketball great, and his "mentor", Kobe Bryant.

"I would like to say this is a reminder that we should stick together more than ever," Djokovic told the 15,000 crowd.

"Stay close to the people who love you. There are more important things in life."

His latest triumph moves him within three of Swiss Roger Federer's all-time leading tally of 20 men's singles titles, and only two behind Spain's Rafael Nadal, who is on 19.

The Serb's fightback ensured the wait continues for somebody to break the stranglehold of the old guard, with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer having won the past 13 Grand Slam titles.

No other player has won a men's major title since Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka won the US Open title in September 2016.

Djokovic will also return to the top of the world rankings, replacing Nadal, when they are published on Monday.

Reaction to Djokovic's victory over Thiem

After an opening Grand Slam of the 2020 season which had pretty much everything, it was fitting that the tournament finished with another thrilling match.

Starting negatively amid a backdrop of devastating bushfires across Australia and players complaining about poor air quality, the mood was lifted across the fortnight by shock wins, incredible fightbacks and another star emerging in the women's game.

When 21-year-old American Sofia Kenin beat Spain's Garbine Muguruza on Saturday she became the eighth woman to win their first Grand Slam in the past 12 majors.

Thiem, having been a fixture in the top 10 for a number of years and winning 16 ATP titles, is far from being a new kid on the block.

But such has been the dominance of the 'Big Three', the Austrian remains a relative novice in the biggest finals as the younger players struggle to end their impregnability at the Slams.

On this occasion, like when Nadal beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the US Open final in September, Djokovic was able to navigate the difficult moments and come through to earn another special triumph.

Djokovic is the first man to win a Grand Slam title in three different decades since the Open era began in 1968.

Now the task of the younger generation is to stop Nadal and Federer doing the same.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/51347187
 
Djokovic's mental toughness is out of this world. Congrats champ. Great tournament for Thiem, hope he goes one step further in French Open.
 
Swashbuckler said:
Djokovic's mental toughness is out of this world. Congrats champ. Great tournament for Thiem, hope he goes one step further in French Open.
Click to expand...

Towarda end of third set, he was being thrashed every game. Body language was as if he had given up. That was a clue telling he was channelling the cornered tiger. He has done it deliberately throughout his career. I guess his body is now accustomed to it and respond well when cornered. A rare phenomenon at top level sports.
 
Djokovic was dehydrated at the end of set 3. Once he got his fluids in and they had settled in, he started to turn the match slowly in his favour.
 
last_knight said:
It was a Good Match.
Click to expand...

In terms of drama yes, lots of drama. Lots of twists and turns and moments. But the quality was down. Djokovic's baseline game has seriously deteriorated, otherwise a Djokovic of old would have won this tournament at a canter.
 
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