One break in each of the first two sets at the Rod Laver Arena was enough for the 20-year-old Alcaraz to prevail. In the third round there was a demonstration of power by the right-hander, who won the game after just 1:49 hours. Alcaraz had significantly less trouble than in the previous only direct duel between the two players in the Miami quarter-finals in 2022, which he was only able to win in the tiebreak of the third set.
“Almost everything worked well,” said Alcaraz in an interview on the pitch. As in Miami, both players ensured a good game. “I pushed him to the limit, chased him around the court and took advantage of my chances,” summed up the twelve-time ATP tournament winner. In 2021 he was eliminated from the Australian Open in the second round, in 2022 in round three, and he had to take a break from the last edition due to injury. “I feel better and more comfortable here now,” said the Wimbledon champion.
AP/Andy Wong Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his first trip to the quarterfinals in Melbourne
Zverev again successful in the match tiebreak
Zverev should also feel this on the pitch in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. The German had to put up with significantly more exertion, as he only defeated the British Norrie after a 7:5 3:6 6:3 4:6 in the tiebreak of the fifth set after 4:05 hours with 10/3. In the second round he only won against the Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein in the tiebreak of the fifth set.
Against Norrie, Zverev didn’t let himself be disturbed by a spectator protest in the middle of the third set. A woman had thrown leaflets onto the pitch from the stands behind the sixth-ranked team. The woman apparently wanted to use her action to draw attention to the Middle East conflict; the pieces of paper said “Free Palestine”. Two other spectators dragged the person out of the arena as no stewards intervened. The game could be continued after a few minutes.
APA/AFP/William West The protest action did not upset Alexander Zverev
Medvedev had to go over four sets in a 6:3 7:6 (7/4) 5:7 6:1 win against the Portuguese Nuno Borges. This means he still has the chance of making it to the final, as he did in 2021 and 2022. “I hoped it wouldn’t be five sets and I’m happy that it didn’t turn out that way,” said the world number three. Especially after a third sentence in which the Portuguese demanded everything from him. The next hurdle awaits Pole Hubert Hurkacz, seeded number nine, who defeated Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 7:6 (8/6) 7:6 (7/3) 6:4.
Final stop for three seeded players
Meanwhile, for the women, it was the day of the outsiders: Dajana Jastremska (UKR), Linda Noskova (CZE) and Anna Kalinskaja (RUS) advanced against seeded players. The Ukrainian qualifier Jastremska took the favored Viktoria Asarenka out of the competition with a score of 7:6 (8/6) 6:4. “It feels like my heart is jumping out of my body,” said Jastremska, completely overwhelmed.
In the fight for a place in the semi-finals, the 23-year-old will face Noskova. The Czech benefited from the injury-related retirement of Ukrainian Jelina Switolina, who, from her point of view, could not continue playing when the score was 3-0. Kalinskaja had surprisingly little trouble with the 26th ranked Italian Jasmine Paolini and won 6:4 6:2.
Australian Open in Melbourne
Final Table: Novak Djokovic (SRB/1) Adrian Mannarino (FRA/20) 6:0 6:0 6:3 Taylor Fritz (USA/12) Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/7) 7:6 (7/3) :7 6:3 6:3 Jannik Sinner (ITA/4) Karen Chatschanow (RUS/15) 6:4 7:5 6:3 Andrej Rublew (RUS/5) Alex de Minaur (AUS/10) 6:4 :7 (5/7) 6:7 (4/7) 6:3 6:0 Hubert Hurkacz (POL/9) Arthur Cazaux (FRA) 7:6 (8/6) 7:6 (7/3) :4 Daniel Medvedev (RUS/3) Nuno Borges (POR) 6:3 7:6 (7/4) 5:7 6:1 Alexander Zverev (GER/6) Cameron Norrie (GBR/19) 7:5 3:4. 6 6:3 4:6 7:6 (10/3) Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/2) Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6:4 6:4 6:0 19) 3:0 ret. Dajana Jastremska (UKR) Victoria Asarenka (BLR/18) 7:6 (8/6) 6:4 Anna Kalinskaja (RUS) Jasmine Paolini (ITA/26) 6:4 6:2 Zheng Qinwen (CHN/12) Oceane Dodin (FRA) 6:0 6:3 Marta Kostjuk (UKR) Maria Timofejewa (RUS) 6:2 6:1 Coco Gauff (USA/4) Magdalena Frech (POL) 6:1 6:2 Barbora Krejcikova (CZE/9) Mirra Andrejewa (RUS) 4:6 6:3 6:2 Arina Sabalenka (BLR/2) Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6:3 6:2
