Novak Djokovic yesterday created a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round, but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four.
Play was suspended on the outside courts for a couple of hours in the early evening because of the wet weather.
Photo: Reuters
That led to the rescheduling of a women’s doubles match between wild-cards Tsao Chia-yi of Taiwan and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and 11th seeds Veronika Kudermetova of Russia and American-born Japanese Ena Shibahara.
They are tentatively set to play today, as is Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei, who aims to defend her Australian Open women’s double title.
Hsieh, who also won last year’s mixed doubles title, is seeded third with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko. They are to start their Australian Open campaign against Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and the UK’s Olivia Nicholls.
Photo: AFP
Playing under the roof on Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a row before defeating Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2.
It was Djokovic’s 430th singles match at a major to claim sole ownership of most ever played, men or women, in the Open Era ahead of Roger Federer (429) and Serena Williams (423).
The Serb is chasing a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and historic 25th Grand Slam crown.
“Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I’m just blessed to be making another record,” said Djokovic, 37, now coached by former rival Andy Murray.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped just five games in an ominous display to sprint into the third round, showing no mercy to Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 rout in 81 minutes.
“The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better,” said Alcaraz, who is yet to go beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
Olympic champion Zheng was sent packing 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 by world No. 97 Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the women’s draw at age 36.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis. I had nothing to lose so I just told myself to swing free,” the German said.
“It’s tennis. Nothing more,” said China’s Zheng, 22, who was given two time violations and lost her cool as her tilt at a maiden major crown evaporated in only the second round.
Sabalenka dropped her serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.
Additional reporting by staff writer
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
The horn sounded on Wednesday night to signal a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as the Florida Panthers celebrated merely by hopping over the boards and several heading over to congratulate goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It was a subdued celebration seemingly more befitting a regular-season win for the reigning Cup champs. “I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding: “It’s all business and we’ve got a bigger goal in mind.” The Panthers closed out the Carolina Hurricanes in five games, with a 5-3 victory in
STRONG CONNECTION: Although she has considered switching nationalities, Garland said that if it was not for Taiwan’s support throughout her career, she would not be in Paris British-Taiwanese player Joanna Garland on Tuesday became the first Taiwanese to clinch a victory in a main singles draw of the French Open since 2020 after she outlasted the US’ Katie Volynets in Paris. The world No. 175, Taiwan’s highest-ranked female player in singles, said she would rely on her self-belief as she prepares for her second-round match at the French Open after overcoming a serious injury to qualify for a maiden Grand Slam appearance. After navigating her way through the qualifiers last week, Garland secured her first win at the main draw of a Grand Slam by battling past world No.
RSS