Aryna Sabalenka yesterday overcame searing heat and one of the most exciting talents in tennis to power into the Australian Open semi-finals, with Alexander Zverev serving up a storm to join her.
World No. 1 Sabalenka tamed 18-year-old Iva Jovic of the US 6-3, 6-0 in 38°C temperatures, while last year’s runner-up Zverev sent down a barrage of 24 aces to crush another young US player, Learner Tien, in four sets.
That match was played under the Rod Laver Arena roof as temperatures peaked at 43°C outside.
Photo: AFP
Sabalenka is aiming to win a third Australian Open in four years and looks in ominous form, yet to drop a set.
“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds,” said Sabalenka, 27, who is on a 10-match winning streak after victory in Brisbane earlier this month. “It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. She played incredible tennis. Pushed me to one step better level and I’m super happy with the win.”
The match was played in fierce sun on Rod Laver Arena and afterwards the organizers closed the roof. The decision came after the tournament hit its maximum “heat stress” rating of five for the second time in four days.
The measure is designed to protect players, fans and officials.
Play on the outdoor courts, which were to host junior matches, was put on hold.
Temperatures reached 40°C on Saturday, with matches on outside courts paused for about five hours.
Defeat brought an end to a breakthrough tournament for Jovic, the youngest player in the women’s top 100 and seeded 29.
She stunned seventh seed and two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini and blitzed past experienced Yulia Putintseva for the loss of just one game to announce herself to the world, but Sabalenka was a bridge too far.
“Ultimately, I hope to be in many quarter-finals, so I don’t think that this win or loss today is going to make or break my career really,” the confident American teenager said.
Zverev is desperate to finally win a Grand Slam at age 28, having been well beaten in last year’s final by Jannik Sinner.
“Without my aces I probably would not have won today,” Zverev said after seeing off the spirited challenge of Tien. “Obviously, very happy with my serve.”
At 29 in the world, Californian Tien was the lowest-ranked player left in the men’s singles.
He was also the youngest at age 20 and was playing in the biggest match of his life, having never reached the last eight at a major before, but he had few answers to Zverev’s booming serve, the German making only one double fault in the match — and that was on one of his match points.
The reprieve was only very temporary for Tien, who will surely come again.
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