MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Highlights of the ninth day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday:
* Barty breezes past Pegula into Australian Open semis
World number one Ash Barty nL1N2U50LL is within two victories of winning her home Grand Slam after another dominant display.
The 25-year-old reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the second time in three years after blitzing American Jessica Pegula 6-2 6-0 in just over an hour.
* Nadal survives Shapovalov scare to keep record bid intact
Rafa Nadal nL1N2U50FL moved within two wins of a record 21st Grand Slam title by clinching a five-set thriller against Denis Shapovalov to reach the Australian Open semi-finals for a seventh time.
On a steamy afternoon at Rod Laver Arena, Nadal suffered a huge scare as Shapovalov roared back from two sets down but the Spanish warrior found another gear in the decider to prevail 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3.
* Comeback kid Keys storms into Australian Open semi-finals
Madison Keys nL1N2U505Q booked her first Grand Slam semi-final spot in four years with a 6-3 6-2 upset of Barbora Krejcikova at the Australian Open.
Keys’ renaissance after a dismal 2021 season has lit up Melbourne Park this year and at a baking hot Rod Laver Arena fourth seed Krejcikova became another casualty of the American’s new-found confidence and traditional firepower.
* Berrettini survives Monfils comeback to set up semis date with Nadal
Seventh seed Matteo Berrettini nL1N2U5157 found a higher gear in the face of a heroic fightback from France’s Gael Monfils to script a 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-2 win on Tuesday and become the first Italian man to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
The match was a repeat of the quarter-final clash from the 2019 U.S. Open, which Berrettini won in a final-set tiebreak to reach his first major semi-final.
* ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’ shirts welcome at Australian Open
Fans are free to wear “Where is Peng Shuai nL1N2U50ER?” shirts at the Australian Open but they must not become “disruptive”, Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said amid criticism of the Grand Slam organisers’ earlier stance on the issue.
In response to a video posted on social media on Saturday of security officials instructing fans to remove shirts with the slogan on them, the governing body said the Melbourne Park tournament does not allow political statements.
(Compiled by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
