Rise of Youngsters at the Open As Thiem Floors Nadal in Thriller Zverev Knocks out Wawrinka to Get Into Semis
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Rohit slams sixes to steer India to Super Over win over Kiwis PAGE 15 THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 Rise of youngsters at the Open as Thiem floors Nadal in thriller Zverev knocks out Wawrinka to get into semis AFP MELBOURNE Knocking on DOMINIC Thiem shocked top the door seed Rafael Nadal and Alex- ander Zverev ousted former Several young players champion Stan Wawrinka have been knocking on as tennis’s young pretenders the door of the Big stole a march on the old guard to reach the Australian Open Three of Rafael Nadal, semi-finals on Wednesday. Roger Federer and Austria’s Thiem, 26, Novak Djokovic, and Former tennis player John McEnroe conducts on-court interview with beat Nadal 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 Germany’s Alexander Zverev after his men’s singles quarter-final (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (8/6) – his either Dominic Thiem match against Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open first win in six attempts at or Alexander Zverev in Melbourne on Wednesday. 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. (AFP) Grand Slams, including two French Open finals – to end will get a chance to the 33-year-old’s bid to equal kick it open in Open Results Roger Federer’s record 20 Sunday’s final. Men’s Singles Quarter-finals Major titles. Alexander Zverev (GER x7) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x15) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (8/6) Women’s Singles Quarter-finals Simona Halep (ROM x4) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x28) 6-1, 6-1 Garbine Muguruza (ESP) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x30) 7-5, 6-3. it should happen,” he added. after her third Major title. Wimbledon champion “It’s just a feeling that you Simona Halep has also ben- don’t see this trophy as im- Earlier Zverev, 22, beat efited from a more relaxed possible anymore.” 2014 champion Wawrinka, Austria’s Dominic Thiem after his epic win over Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the men’s singles quarter-final match of the Australian Open in approach as she swept aside Halep’s semi-final is 34, to go into a semi-final Melbourne on Wednesday. Thiem won 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (8/6) in a battle that lasted over four hours. (AFP) Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 6-1 to against fellow two-time Slam- with Thiem, meaning that reach the semi-finals without winner Garbine Muguruza, one of them will reach Sun- the floor after falling to win est of all time. You need some from a set down to halt three- hard at the Majors. dropping a set. who continued her impres- day’s final against Roger one point and enjoying some luck to beat him.” time Major-winner Waw- “I was doing things in a The Romanian fourth sive return to form by beating Federer or Novak Djokovic, luck from the net cord to set Several young players rinka 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 and way too professional way. seed, who is spending time Russian 30th seed Anastasia who have won 12 of the last up the third and decisive have been knocking on the reach his first Grand Slam I was not talking to any- away from tennis between Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-3. 14 Australian Open titles. match point. door of the Big Three of Nad- semi-final. body. I wasn’t going out with matches, said she was finally “I’m excited to play my Thiem had Nadal’s meas- “I was lucky in the right al, Federer and Djokovic, and Big things have been friends. I wasn’t having din- feeling comfortable on the first semi-final here,” said ure in the first two sets and situation – the net cord was either Thiem or Zverev will tipped for Zverev since he ner. I was just really almost biggest stage. the unseeded former world he recovered from dropping really on my side,” Thiem get a chance to kick it open in burst into the top 10 in 2017, too focused.” “I just feel more confident number one, who won the the third to win the fourth- said. “But it’s necessary be- Sunday’s final. but he said that until now he “I changed that a little bit and I feel like I’m able to do 2016 French Open and 2017 set tie-breaker, getting off cause he is one of the great- Germany’s Zverev rallied has been pushing himself too this week... maybe this is how it,” said Halep, who is going Wimbledon. Barty time as home hero Federer and Djokovic bids to live up to hype AFP She is yet to drop a set in clash for 50th time MELBOURNE Melbourne as she chases a third Grand Slam title, hav- ASHLEIGH Barty is two victo- ing triumphed at Roland Gar- The two have had very different paths to their imminent semi-final at Australian Open ries away from becoming the ros in 2018 and defeated Ser- Australian Open’s first home- ena Williams 6-2, 6-2 to win DPA “To come back and save grown winner in 42 years, but Wimbledon last year. MELBOURNE seven match points at his age, the top seed must first tame “Perfection doesn’t exist, I mean, he’s still playing such aggressive American Sofia but I’m very happy with the ROGER Federer and Novak a great tennis and proving that Kenin on Thursday. way I played,” Halep said af- Djokovic will on Thursday he deserves to be up there. The other-semi final at ter disposing of 28th-seeded clash for the 50th time in their He’s a great fighter,” Djokovic the Australian Open in Mel- Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-1, careers - and 17th at a major - said of the performance. bourne, where temperatures 6-1 in her quarter-final on as they both seek to extend re- In Federer’s mind all are forecast to soar to nearly Wednesday. “I felt great on cords at the Australian Open. the close saves did was tak- 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahr- court, I was moving great, I World number two Djoko- ing pressure off: “With these enheit), tees up Wimbledon felt the ball really, really good.” vic is looking for an unprec- lucky escapes all of a sud- champion Simona Halep and But in Muguruza, Halep edented eighth title at Mel- den you might play without unseeded Garbine Muguruza. Ashleigh Barty is two wins away takes on a player with Grand bourne Park – Federer has expectations any more, be- The 23-year-old Barty is from becoming the Australian Slam pedigree whose confi- six – while with a 21th Grand cause you know you should the only Australian left in the Open’s first home-grown winner dence is also soaring. Slam title Federer would wid- actually already be skiing in men’s or women’s draw and since Chris O’Neil in 1978. Like Halep, Muguruza is a en the gap that separates him Switzerland actually, and not will be expected to beat Kenin, former world number one and from Rafael Nadal and Djoko- on the way there.” What is the 14th seed contesting her Women’s Singles Semis winner at Roland Garros and vic’s total tallies – 19 and 16 sure about this final is that first Grand Slam semi-final. Wimbledon. respectively. it won’t be Rafael Nadal’s Barty, into the semi-finals 1-Ashleigh Barty (AUS) vs 14-Sofia Kenin Unlike Halep, the 26-year- While the Swiss has won familiar face to wait on the at the Australian Open for the (US) at 6am Doha Time old Spaniard failed to kick on their latest head to head at the other side of the net after he first time, has defeated the 4-Simona Halep (ROM) vs Garbine after those two Grand Slam ATP finals, it was 32-years- was knocked off by an out- American in four of their five Muguruza (ESP) at 7.30am Doha Time triumphs. Muguruza ended a old Djokovic that came out on While the Swiss (left) has won their latest head to head at the ATP finals, standing Dominic Thiem late previous meetings. wretched 2019 ranked 36 in top in their most recent en- it was 32-years-old Djokovic that came out on top in their most recent on Wednesday. Excitement is growing that States as the only American the world – the first time since counter in a slam, winning an encounter in a slam, winning an epic four-hour-and-57-minute Wimble- It will be either the 26-year- Barty can become the first left at the Australian Open. 2014 that she finished the year epic four-hour-and-57-minute don final in a fifth-set tiebreak after saving two match points. Overall, the old Austrian or 22-year-old Al- Australian winner since Chris Born in Moscow but a outside the top 20. Wimbledon final in a fifth- Serbian has won 26 of their previous 49 encounters since 2006, and the exander Zverev, both in their O’Neil in 1978. But the world fiercely proud American – her She spent the off-season set tiebreak after saving two Swiss 38-year-old only won three of the last 10 and none at the slams first Melbourne semi-final and number one and reigning racquet is in the colours of the climbing Mount Kilimanjaro match points.