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Home , Simona Halep

18 Tuesday, January 22, 2019 Sports Serena sidelines top seed Halep; Djokovic battles past Medvedev  Raonic accounts for Zverev  Osaka beats Sevastova  Svitolina downs Keys  Pliskova goes past Muguruza

AFP/Reuters Court’s record 24, and it looked Melbourne like champion Halep would be another easy A fired-up I’m such a fighter, I never scalp after a first set rout. slugged past world number give up. It was an intense But the nuggety Romanian one Simona Halep on Monday match and there were isn’t world number one for as she inches ever closer to a nothing and she bounced back 24th title, while some incredible points to set up a huge power struggle survived a but I love playing that Williams finally won with battle to stay on course for and being out here and I a break in the 7th game of the a record seventh Australian third set. Open crown. love this court, it’s really “I really needed to elevate In a towering perfor- cool to be back. my game. She’s a great play- mance, the American great er,” said Williams. scored her biggest win since Serena Williams after Fourth seed , having a baby to grind down defeating Simona Halep meanwhile, was composed as the Romanian top seed 6-1, she beat crafty Latvian Ana- 4-6, 6-4 and move into a quar- stasija Sevastova, emerging ter-final against seventh seed results (ROUND 4) from an error-strewn first to Karolina Pliskova. win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Men’s singles Milos Raonic (CAN x16) bt (GER “I think the biggest thing x4) 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) for me is the belief. I think I Lucas Pouille (FRA x28) bt Borna Coric (CRO x11) believe in myself more this 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) year than I have last year,” It was definitely a Kei Nishikori (JPN x8) bt Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x23) 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) said the bubbly 21-year-old, physical battle. It was Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt who beat Williams in the US difficult to get through (RUS x15) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 Open final last year. She next faces ambitious him. In these kinds of WOMen’s singles Naomi Osaka (JPN x4) bt sixth seed , who matches you just have to (LAT x13) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 needed to dig deep to over- hang in there. Elina Svitolina (UKR x6) bt (USA x17) come 17th seeded Madison 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 Keys 6-2, 1-6, 6-1. Karolina Pliskova (CZE x7) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP Novak Djokovic on his match x18) 6-3, 6-1 Svitolina was a quarter- with Daniil Medvedev Serena Williams (USA x16) bt Simona Halep finalist at Melbourne Park last (ROM x1) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. year and has set her sights high after her breakthrough in win- Czech Pliskova is anoth- ning the WTA Finals Singa- er form player, winning the The World No. 1 will con- pore, targeting a Grand Slam warm-up Brisbane Interna- tinue his bid for a hat-trick of win and world number one. tional and easing past two- Grand Slam titles and a record Earlier on Rod Laver Arena, time Grand Slam winner Gar- Serena Williams of the US reacts after defeating Simona Halep of seventh at Melbourne Park Zverev self-destructed to slump bine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1 to set in their women’s singles fourth round match at the Austral- against eighth seed Nishikori. out at the hands of Raonic. up the Williams clash. ian Open in Melbourne on Monday. (EPA-EFE) “Since I guess my next op- The German has routinely “I’m such a fighter, I never ponent is watching, I’m feeling been anointed as the flag- give up,” declared Williams af- after a disputed call when get through him,” the Serbian fanstastic, never felt better in bearer for the next generation, ter the epic encounter. leading the final tiebreak 8-5 world number one said. “In my life,” 31-year-old Djokovic but again failed to live up to his “It was an intense match against Japan’s Kei Nishikori. these kinds of matches you joked in his on-court interview reputation and has now missed and there were some incred- He failed to win another just have to hang in there.” with Jim Courier. out on making the last eight of a ible points but I love playing point and was booed as he The night after Roger major 14 times in 15 attempts. tennis and being out here and stormed off Federer was stunned by Greek Elevate game So furious was he with his I love this court, it’s really cool Arena, angrily throwing his tyro , there Dominant Williams over- form, the 21-year-old had a ma- to be back.” kit bag after losing a 5hr 5min was another sniff of an up- shadowed them all and is jor temper tantrum in the sec- While Williams stayed marathon 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 set at Rod Laver Arena as overwhelming favourite to ond set, whacking his racquet calm, highly-rated German (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8). 22-year-old Medvedev rocked win an eighth Australian ti- into the ground eight times to fourth seed Alexander Zverev Nishikori will now play six- the Serb with a furious assault tle, with defending champion leave it a crumpled mess. lost the plot against Canadian time champion Djokovic, who of power hitting. and sec- “I just tried to stay com- Milos Raonic, crashing 6-1, 6-1, dropped a set for the second Yet the Russian wearied in ond seed posed and it worked out well 7-6 (7/5) and demolishing a match in a row before seeing the constant attrition, and top already out. for me today,” said cool 16th racquet in a massive meltdown. off 15th-seeded Daniil Medve- seed Djokovic ended up cruising She has been in ominous seed Raonic, who will now face And Spain’s Pablo Carreno Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates defeating Daniil Medvedev of dev 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3. to victory, having passed easily form at Melbourne Park as Frenchman Lucas Pouille after Busta also let the pressure get Russia in the men’s singles fourth round match at the Australian “It was definitely a physi- his biggest test at what had been she seeks one more major title he battled past Croat Borna to him, ranting at the umpire Open in Melbourne on Monday. (EPA-EFE) cal battle. It was difficult to a sweat-free tournament. to put her alongside Margaret Coric in four tough sets. Busta blood vessel! Spaniard sorry as tantrum mars Nishikori epic Stefanos Tsitsipas, a Greek AFP He was ahead 8-5 in the and was jeered loudly after tennis god in the making Melbourne first-to-10-point deciding game launching his kit and racquets when he became embroiled in towards the exit. AFP Pablo Carreno Busta apolo- a long argument with umpire It overshadowed marathon Athens gised after he stormed off Thomas Sweeney of Australia man Nishikori’s epic recovery court and angrily threw his kit after a wrong call of out. from two sets down to set up Conqueror of his idol bag after losing a five-hour, He completely lost it after a last eight clash against top- in the last 16 of five-set epic to Japan’s Kei Ni- the point was awarded, cor- ranked Novak Djokovic. the , the rise shikori at the Australian Open rectly, to Nishikori who had “Obviously I’m very sad, of Greek youngster Stefanos on Monday. played a winner despite the no, because after five hours Tsitsipas is one that appears The Spanish 23rd seed bad call, but Carreno Busta fighting, after five hours’ destined to carry him to the Rising high said he was “so sorry,” after thought the point should have match, the way that I leave top of the tennis world. being booed off when his emo- been replayed. from the court wasn’t cor- He made no secret of his Conqueror of his idol tions boiled over following a The incandescent Span- rect, and I’m so sorry, because immense respect for the Swiss Roger Federer, the rise disputed call in the dying mo- iard lost the next four points that’s not me,” Carreno Busta star, whose posters coated the of Greek youngster ments of the match. and the fourth-round match told reporters. walls of Tsitsipas’ bedroom as It was never-say-die Nishi- a child, but the 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas is kori’s third five-setter of the Athenian didn’t allow senti- one that appears tournament, the second time ment to stand in his way. he came from two sets down “He’s a legend of our destined to carry and his second triumph via a sport,” Tsitsipas said ahead him to the top of final set 10-point tie-break, of his clash with the 20-time the tennis world. newly introduced for this Grand Slam champion. year’s tournament. “If I thought about it now The 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 it’s insane I’m in this position (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) win took where I can actually play him. a draining 5hr 5min after an It’s really emotional.” Stefanos Tsitsipas during a practice session at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday. (EPA-EFE) opening set that alone lasted But Tsitsipas showed scant 76 minutes. regard for the world number timately led to a maiden title in his career. TsitsiFast “I don’t know what to say three – the double reigning at Stockholm in October, the “A very special connec- Stefanos, the eldest of four now. Very tough match. Very champion in Melbourne – on first-ever for a Greek player tion” links father and son siblings, first tasted success great match today,” Nishikori Sunday, playing the brand of on the ATP circuit. says Stefanos, for whom fam- in 2016 when he won the said. tennis that has propelled him “I always thought it would ily provides a welcome res- Wimbledon boys’ doubles ti- Nishikori had already to 15th in the rankings after take me longer to get there. pite from the rigours of pro- tle and rose to the top of the spent eight hours and 42 min- barely two seasons on tour. But I’ve worked hard and it’s fessional tennis. junior rankings. utes on court in his first three He will climb yet further not a surprise to me,” a confi- Armed with a formidable He is a young man seem- matches, including a second- following his best perfor- dent Tsitsipas said at the time. one-handed and a ingly without limits, per- round clash that went the full mance to date at a Grand powerful serve, the Greek’s sonified by the #TsitsiFast distance to a final set tiebreak Slam, and the Greek intends Sporting family trajectory has been care- hashtag – a favourite of the against Ivo Karlovic. to continue building on a It’s not just the physical fully overseen by his father, a Greek’s on social media. Nishikori warmed up for breakthrough year in 2018. prowess of the 1.93m (6ft 4in) coach at a club in a chic Ath- The angelic-looking Tsitsi- the Australian Open by winning His reward for felling Tsitsipas that sets him apart. ens suburb, but also by his pas also runs his own Youtube the title at Brisbane and has Federer is a quarter-final, he “Stefanos is in the process of mother, a former profession- channel, offering a glimpse into now reached the quarter-finals is the first Greek ever to reach acquiring a great mindset, al player in the Soviet Union. his life behind the scenes while for the fourth time. this stage of a Grand Slam, which is largely down to dif- Julia Salnikova is the also transporting his fans from In the first round he ad- on Tuesday against Roberto ficult wins he’s earned,” his daughter of an Olympic foot- tournament to tournament. vanced after qualifier Kamil Bautista Agut. father and coach Apostolos ball gold medallist, and she His fledgling “A Greek Majchrzak retired due Tsitsipas burst onto the Tsitsipas told AFP recently. too is fully integrated into the Abroad” podcast gives fur- to muscle cramping with scene by reaching his first tour- While he joined the sporting culture that perme- ther insight and Tsitsipas is the Japanese leading 3-6, level final at Barcelona last Mouratoglou Academy, a ates the Tsitsipas family. an aspiring photographer as 6-7(6/7), 6-0, 6-2, 3-0 after April, and then finishing run- renowned producer of elite The secret “is to gradually well. He documents his work also dropping the opening ner-up to at the players located on the Cote set goals and make the player as “Steve the Hawk” on Ins- two sets. He then beat Kar- Rogers Cup in Canada where d’Azur, in 2015, Apostolos aware of his responsibilities tagram, a username befitting lovic 6-3, 7-6 (7/6), 5-7, 5-7, he claimed four top-10 scalps. has stayed at his son’s side to make them progress” re- one soaring towards the sum- Kei Nishikori (left) of Japan is greeted by Pablo Carreno Busta of 7-6 (10/7) and Joao Sousa 7-6 Those impressive runs ul- and remains a pivotal figure peats Apostolos. mit of men’s tennis. Spain soon after their men’s singles fourth round match. (EPA-EFE) (7/1), 6-1, 6-2.