World number three Dominic Thiem was ejected from the Australian Open tennis in the round of 16 in three sets on Sunday February 14 in Melbourne. Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams held the shock, but both fell apart.
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Dominic Thiem released by Dimitrov
To absent subscribers: this is how Thiem appeared, swallowed up 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 in just over two hours by Dimitrov (21e), two days after making up two sets behind against local hero Nick Kyrgios.
How to explain this unexpected defeat? “A few small physical worries, plus a very bad day, plus the fact that he’s a very good player”, tries the Austrian, winner of the last US Open and outgoing finalist in Melbourne. Before calling back: “I am not a machine. “
“It was one of those days where I had to stay focused on my game and what to do. I saw that he was having trouble “, summarizes in his side Dimitrov.
Aslan Karatsev, 114e world player, invites himself in quarter
The incredible adventure continues for the 114e world player: for his very first Grand Slam, Aslan Karatsev invited himself to the quarter-finals at the expense of young Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (19e)… After being led two sets to zero (3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4)!
At 27, Karatsev thus becomes the first player to reach the quarter-finals in his first major tournament in twenty-five years, and the first qualified to reach this stage of Grand Slam competition for ten years.
Naomi Osaka advances to quarter-finals
It was by a point. A 5-3 in favor of Garbiñe Muguruza (14e) in the deciding set, 15-40 on her throw-in, the Japanese was back to the wall. An ace and three points later, the worst of the Spanish threat was dismissed. Osaka (23) lined up four straight games to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in just under two hours.
“I made a lot of mistakes, but I think I couldn’t help it. If I gave her short bullets, she wouldn’t give me a chance ”, explains the former world number one today number three, “A little intimidated” by Muguruza, who had only let slip ten games over his first three laps.
His qualification for the quarter-finals bodes well for Osaka. So far, every time she has climbed there in Grand Slam, she has offered herself the trophy. It happened three times: at the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and at the Australian Open in 2019. Will it confirm the rule?
At 35, her next opponent, Taiwanese Hsieh Su-Wei, becomes the oldest player in the Open era to appear there for the very first time.
Serena Williams winner but manhandled by Sabalenka
Engaged in a duel of punchers with Aryna Sabalenka (7e world player), Serena Williams held on, even though she lost her first set of the Australian fortnight (6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in just over two hours). “I’m happy to have made it out”, welcomes the American, who paid for her drop in service efficiency in the second set.
She will face world number two Simona Halep or Polish Iga Swiatek (17e), crowned at Roland Garros last October, for a place in the last four. At 39, the youngest of the Williams sisters is still chasing a 24e major trophy that would allow him to equal the absolute record held by Australian Margaret Court.
Novak Djokovic uncertain after abdominal injury
Will play, will not play? And if so, in what physical condition? The Djokovic case has been surrounded by uncertainties since his abdominal injury in the middle of the third round, which he somehow escaped in five sets on Friday.
“It was very painful, I took the highest dose of anti-inflammatory drugs possible”, then confessed the Serb. “It’s a muscle tear,” he said. I don’t know if I will be able to recover in less than two days. I don’t know if I will enter the court or not. “
Since then, the world number one, expected in the evening against Raonic, has not let anything filter. He was however seen warming up physically in the corridors of Melbourne Park on Sunday afternoon.
