De Minaur Through to the Last Four

22 Friday, January 12, 2018 SPORTS Roger Federer makes his way into Margaret Court Arena (Picture courtesy: ausopen) Australian Open Federer to open Melbourne Zverev,against ranked Bedene oger Federer will open his Australian fourth, playing Venus to face Bencic Open title defence against Slovenian Italian Thomas AljazR Bedene next week, while top seed Fabbiano but with Rafa Nadal, the losing finalist last year, 2014 champion Stan in headline match was paired with Dominican Victor Wawrinka, returning Estrella Burgos at the draw yesterday. after a spell sidelines Melbourne Stephens and rising star Elina Women’s top seed Simona Halep of after surgery, in his section enus Williams will Svitolina are also in Venus’ Romania faces Australian wildcard of the draw. face Belinda Bencic quarter of the draw. Destanee Aiava in the first round, Six-times Melbourne Park in theV headline match of British Number One Jo with second seed Caroline Wozniacki champion Novak Djokovic, the Australian Open Konta will open her campaign starting out against Romanian Mihaela seeded 14th after missing following yesterday’s against Madison Brengle of Buzarnescu. the back end of last draw. Last year’s the USA and faces a tough Serena Williams will not defend the season with an elbow injury, beaten finalist could route to the final. And fellow women’s title having had her first child will take on American have asked for an easier Brit Heather Watson will need last year but 2008 champion Maria lefthander Donald Young draw than Hopman Cup to be firing on all cylinders Sharapova, who failed a drugs test at the with a potential tie against winner Bencic, while to get past likely second tournament in 2016, is back unseeded Wawrinka or Zverev in US Open Champions and third round opponents after a ban and will face Tatjana Maria. the quarter- Sloane Kristina Mladenovic and Men’s third seed Grigor Dimitrov final. Madison Keys. (eurosport) will face a qualifier with Alexander (Reuters) Venus Williams (file pic) Camila Giorgi (file pic) Sydney 6-4 6-4 to become the youngest male eenager Alex De Minaur semi-finalist at the event in nearly continued his sensational start 30 years. In the last four he will face toT the season by reaching his second France’s Benoit Paire, who knocked De Minaur consecutive ATP Tour semi-final at out defending champion Gilles the Sydney International. Muller by the same scoreline. Little known prior to his great run Fourth seed Fabio Fognini won in Brisbane last week, the 18-year- the closest match of the day, 6-7 old is fast pushing himself forward (4/7) 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 against Adrian through as Australia’s hottest teenage talent. Mannarino, and will take on young His latest victory came against Russian Daniil Medvedev, who Feliciano Lopez, a player twice De defeated Paolo Lorenzi 6-3 6-3. Minaur’s age who made his ATP The other semi-final will pit fifth Tour debut before the Sydney seed Roberto Bautista Agut, a 7-6 to the last youngster was even born. But De (7/1) 6-2 winner over Jiri Vesely, Minaur proved too steady, winning against Robin Haase. (PA Sport) Giorgi ousts four Radwanska Sydney over Dominika Cibulkova in the last talian qualifier Camila Giorgi eight. continued her impressive run at the Former world number one Kerber SydneyI International by racing past fell out of the top 20 last year but has Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 6-2 yesterday made a strong start to the year ahead to set up a last four clash with Angelique of next week’s Australian Open with Kerber. victories over Lucie Safarova and Venus Giorgi, belying her ranking of 100th Williams this week. in the world, beat US Open champion “I’m not looking back at 2017 any Sloane Stephens in the first round and more,” Kerber, who won the Australian then ousted twice Wimbledon and Open and the US Open titles in 2016, former Sydney champion Petra Kvitova. said. She is yet to drop a set over six “I’ve had a great off-season and I’m matches in qualifying or the main draw working hard. I’m trying to do my best and will next meet world number 22 on court and win as many matches Kerber who staged a 6-3 6-1 victory before going to Melbourne.” (Reuters) Alex De Minaur returns the ball (file pic).

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