MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Highlights of the eighth day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday, all times local (GMT +11):
2158 ‘BEST MATCH THIS YEAR’, SAYS DJOKOVIC AFTER WIN OVER DE MINAUR
Novak Djokovic described his fourth-round victory over Alex de Minaur as his best match of the year so far, as the Serbian sealed a 13th quarter-final berth at the season-opening major.
“I really wanted to win in straight sets,” Djokovic said. “I thought the first four, five games was close. After breaking serve in the first set, I started feeling more free and more loose to hit through the ball and be more aggressive.
“I thought he (De Minaur) was a bit more nervous towards the end of the second (set) and the beginning of the third set. I thought that was my opportunity to capitalise on those chances.
“Tennis is a very quick and dynamic sport. Things can change in a matter of moments, matter of points. But I kept my focus all the way through and played the best match of the year so far.”
READ MORE
Flawless Djokovic dismantles De Minaur to storm into quarter-final
Sabalenka powers on, Garcia and teenager Fruhvirtova bow out
Linette embracing pressure as surprise Polish hope in Melbourne
Rublev edges wunderkind Rune with lucky net cord on match point
Biomechanics trainer helped improve my ‘disaster’ serve, says Sabalenka
Pliskova back in the Melbourne quarter-finals and feeling good
Shared Korda ‘tennis DNA’ helping coach Stepanek produce early results
Teenager Fruhvirtova knocks back Williams comparison
Vekic says she nearly called it quits twice after knee surgery
‘Disgrace’ if Djokovic not allowed to enter U.S. and compete, says Haas
Order of play on Tuesday
Thiem confirms rib injury, racing to be fit for Davis Cup
2138 DJOKOVIC DOWNS DE MINAUR
Djokovic remained on track for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title after beating home favourite De Minaur 6-2 6-1 6-2 in the fourth round.
The Serbian will next face fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia.
2125 PAUL REACHES MAIDEN GRAND SLAM QUARTER-FINAL
American Tommy Paul reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time after beating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-5. Paul will face Ben Shelton next in an all-American clash.
1855 SHELTON WINS ALL-AMERICAN CLASH IN FIVE SETS
American 20-year-old Shelton beat compatriot JJ Wolf 6-7(5) 6-2 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 6-2 in a fourth-round match that lasted nearly four hours.
“I thought I did a really good job of competing at the highest level in the fifth set. Always tough playing a friend. I’ve known JJ a while,” said Shelton, who did not have his serve broken.
“I was able to pace myself emotionally… Six months ago I wouldn’t have been able to finish this match.”
1845 RUBLEV SAVES MATCH POINTS TO BEAT RUNE
Fifth seed Rublev fought back from 5-2 down in the final set and saved two match points to beat Holger Rune 6-3 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(11-9) to move into the quarter-finals.
1610 WOMEN’S QUARTER-FINALS
Prefix denotes seeding
22-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) v 17-Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
3-Jessica Pegula (U.S.) v 24-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
30-Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) v Magda Linette (Poland)
5-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Donna Vekic (Croatia)
1605 ‘SABALENKA IS A BIG FAVOURITE’: PLISKOVA
Karolina Pliskova said Aryna Sabalenka is a favourite to win the Australian Open after several top seeds bowed out. The two players will meet in the semi-finals if they win their next match.
“I think Sabalenka is a big favourite of this half, especially getting the title. I feel like she’s playing quite good tennis lately. She’s always going to be tough because she has a big game,” Pliskova said.
“Then the rest, (Jessica) Pegula, I think she’s playing great tennis. I’m happy she’s in the other part of the draw.”
1454 LINETTE STUNS GARCIA
Poland’s Magda Linette reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 7-6(3) 6-4 upset of fourth seed Caroline Garcia in just under two hours at Rod Laver Arena.
Linette made only 14 unforced errors to Garcia’s 33 in a disciplined performance and will next face former world number one Karolina Pliskova.
1415 PLISKOVA ADVANCES IN 55 MINUTES
Former world number one Karolina Pliskova needed only 55 minutes to beat China’s Zhang Shuai 6-0 6-4 to move into the quarter-finals.
Pliskova fired 12 aces and 33 winners to set up a clash with Magda Linette.
1238 SABALENKA INTO QUARTER-FINALS FOR FIRST TIME
Sabalenka stormed into the Melbourne Park quarter-finals for the first time with a 7-5 6-2 victory over Swiss Bencic, setting up a meeting with teenager Linda Fruhvirtova or Donna Vekic.
Bencic drew first blood with a break in the third game but the Belarusian fifth seed cut down the unforced errors and upped the pace of her serve to run out a worthy winner in 87 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
1109 SABALENKA, BENCIC ON COURT FOR FOURTH-ROUND CLASH
Aryna Sabalenka and Belinda Bencic got their fourth-round clash underway as scheduled under sunny skies at Rod Laver Arena, kicking off day eight of the championships.
The temperature was 22 Celsius (71.6 Fahrenheit) with a high of 26 forecast.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney and Rohith Nair, Hritika Sharma and Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen Coates and Clarence Fernandez and Christian Radnedge)
