🎾 Australian Open 2021 - February 8 - 21, Daily Updates, News & Match Discussions

[Rohan]

Update: Organisers release revised schedule for warmup events ahead of Grand Slam

New Aus Open lead-in schedule to help give the 72 players in 14-day quarantine lockdown the best possible preparation and training opportunities…

[Nidhi]

Update: Third WTA event added - Feb 3-7

The Women’s Tennis Association has announced a third WTA 500 event in Melbourne for players undergoing a 14-day quarantine without an opportunity to practice ahead of the Australian Open beginning Feb.8.

The new tournament will be staged from Feb.3-7 and will cater for players who have not been able to train. The two original events will go ahead with reduced draw sizes.

WTA players in hard quarantine include former Australian Open champions Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber as well as 2019 U.S.Open winner Bianca Andreescu.

[Rohan]

Day 1 - February 8

Highlights

• Huge upset as former champ knocked out- Former world No. 1 and three-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber was knocked out of the Open in the first round in a major upset.

• Zverev loses his cool but stays alive- Alexander Zverev lost his temper but thankfully not the match, coming back from a set down to beat American Marcos Giron.

• French star Gael Monfils became the highest-profile casualty on Day 1 of the Aussie Open, shocked by Emil Ruusuvouri.

• Djokovic has ‘no respect’ for Kyrgios off the court- World number one Novak Djokovic said Sunday he had little respect for Nick Kyrgios’s off-court antics after the polarising Australian recently called him “a tool”.

Day 1 Results

Naomi Osaka (JPN) [3] defeats Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-1 6-2

Serena Williams (USA) [10] defeats Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-1 6-1

Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated John Millman (AUS) 6-4 6-7 3-6 6-2 6-3

Alex Bolt (AUS) defeats Norbert Gombos (SVK) 6-2 6-2 4-6 6-3

Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) defeats Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-2 6-1

Dominic Thiem (AUT) [3] defeats Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 7-6 6-2 6-3

Alexander Zverev (GER) [6] defeats Marcos Giron (USA) 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2

Ayrna Sabalenka (BLR) [7] defeats Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 6-0 6-4

Nick Kyrgios (AUS) defeats Frederico Ferreira Silva (POR) 6-4 6-4 6-4

Simona Halep (ROU) [2] defeats Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 6-2 6-1

Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] defeats Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-3 6-1 6-2

[Jay]

Day 2 - February 9

Men’s Roundup

• Nadal, who pulled out of last ATP Cup with back problems, beat Serbia’s Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 52 minutes.
• 9th-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini ousted two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson, but he was made to work hard for the win
• 5th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas looked in great touch as he beat Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in 91 minutes to set up an exciting clash with Thanasi Kokkinakis
• 13th seed David Goffin, whose wretched run continued as he lost to local player Alexei Popyrin 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3.
• Russia’s Medvedev extended his winning run with an emphatic 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Canada’s Vasek Pospisil.
• Russian 7th seed Andrey Rublev also continued his unbeaten start to the year with a straight-sets win over German Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Other Results

Andrey Rublev (RUS x7) bt Yannick Hanfmann (GER) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4

Thiago Monteiro (BRA) bt Andrej Martin (SVK) 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 6-2

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Li Tu (AUS) 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4

Lorenzo Sonego (ITA x31) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4

Casper Ruud (NOR x24) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3, 6-3, 2-1 ret

Tommy Paul (USA) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-4, 7-6 (7/0), 6-4

Christopher O’Connell (AUS) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Radu Albot (MDA) bt Roberto Bautista (ESP x12) 6-7 (1/7), 6-0, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

Alexei Popyrin (AUS) bt David Goffin (BEL x13) 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3

Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Mikael Torpegaard (DEN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

Mackenzie McDonald (USA) bt Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

Borna Coric (CRO x22) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5

[Jay]

Day 2 - February 9

Women’s Roundup

• Defending champion Sofia Kenin made a nervous start to her Australian Open defence. Kenin, the 4th seed prevailed 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 26 minutes against Australian Maddison Inglis, who is ranked outside the top 100.
• Barty, hoping to break her country’s 43-year singles title curse at the Australian Open, never gave her opponent a chance, rolling through a lopsided first set in just 19 minutes.
• Former champion Victoria Azarenka crashed out after needing treatment for breathing difficulties during a straight-sets defeat.

Results

First round

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-0, 6-0

Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) bt Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x29) bt Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-3, 6-4

Anett Kontaveit (EST x21) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) 7-5, 6-2

Heather Watson (GBR) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3)

Shelby Rogers (USA) bt Francesca Jones (GBR) 6-4, 6-1

Olga Danilovic (SRB) bt Petra Martic (CRO x16) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

Belinda Bencic (SUI x11) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE) 6-2, 6-2

Lin Zhu (CHN) bt Whitney Osuigwe (USA) 6-1, 6-1

Elise Mertens (BEL x18) bt Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 6-1, 6-3

Karolina Muchova (CZE x25) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 7-5, 6-2

Mona Barthel (GER) bt Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

Danielle Collins (USA) bt Ana Bogdan (ROU) 6-3, 6-1

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-0, 6-2

Sofia Kenin (USA x4) bt Maddison Inglis (AUS) 7-5, 6-4

Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-3, 6-1

Nadia Podoroska (ARG) bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-4, 6-4

Donna Vekic (CRO x28) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Jennifer Brady (USA x22) bt Aliona Bolsova (ESP) 6-1, 6-3

Madison Brengle (USA) bt Arina Rodionova (AUS) 6-1, 6-2

Mayar Sherif (EGY) bt Chloe Paquet (FRA) 7-5, 7-5

Kaja Juvan (SLO) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x13) 4-6, 2-0 ret

Jessica Pegula (USA) bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR x12) 7-5, 6-4

Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Destanee Aiava (AUS) 6-4, 6-4

Nao Hibino (JPN) bt Astra Sharma (AUS) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x20) 6-2, 0-6, 6-3

Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x26) bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) bt Clara Burel (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Coco Gauff (USA) bt Jil Teichmann (SUI) 6-3, 6-2

Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Marie Bouzkova (CZE) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)

Garbine Muguruza (ESP x14) bt Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) 6-4, 6-0

Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) bt Paula Badosa (ESP) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-5

Ann Li (USA) bt Shuai Zhang (CHN x31) 6-2, 6-0

Daria Gavrilova (AUS) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-1, 7-5

[Jay]

Day 3 - February 10 Men’s Roundup

• Pumped-up defending champion Novak Djokovic survived an early test from dangerous American Frances Tiafoe, who pushed him to four gruelling sets

• Marton Fucsovics saved three match points to knock out former champion Stan Wawrinka in the fifth-set tiebreak at the Australian Open.

• Last year’s finalist Dominic Thiem stepped up a gear to race past German Dominik Koepfer for the loss of just six games. Thiem will next face crowd favourite Nick Kyrgios in blockbuster clash.

• 6th seed Alexander Zverev ground past Maxime Cressy but he made heavy weather of ousting the qualifier.

• 8th seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina wasted little time in reaching the last 32, brushing aside Frenchman Alexandre Muller.

Second round Results

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3

Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x17) 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (11/9)

Milos Raonic (CAN x14) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 6-7 (1/7), 6-1, 6-1, 6-4

Pedro Martinez (ESP) bt Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5)

Dusan Lajovic (SRB x23) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3

Dominic Thiem (AUT x3) bt Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2

Denis Shapovalov (CAN x11) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2

Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN x20) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4, 6-1, 6-2

Aslan Karatsev (RUS) bt Egor Gerasimov (BLR) 6-0, 6-1, 6-0

Diego Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt Alexandre Muller (FRA) 6-2, 6-0, 6-3

[Jay]

Day 3 - February 10 Women’s Roundup

• Bianca Andreescu’s emotional comeback after 15 months ended today after a second-round loss to Hsieh Su-wei

• Serena Williams powered on to the third round dropping just three games at the Australian Open.

• Second seed Simona Halep was rattled by big-hitting Alja Tomljanovic but won five games in a row to survive a major scare. The two-time Grand Slam winner was pushed to the brink by the gutsy Australian.

• Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek continued their unbeaten Grand Slam runs.

• 9th seed Petra Kvitova, the former Wimbledon champion and Melbourne runner-up in 2019, committed 44 unforced errors in her 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 defeat to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

Results

Hsieh Su-wei (TPE) bt Bianca Andreescu (CAN x8) 6-3, 6-2

Sara Errani (ITA) bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-1, 6-0

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x19) bt Rebecca Marino (CAN) 6-1, 7-5

Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x9) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1

Zarina Dyas (KAZ) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Ons Jabeur (TUN x27) bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 6-3, 6-2

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x7) bt Darya Kasatkina (RUS) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3

Ann Li (USA) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-2, 7-6 (8/6)

Anastasia Potapova (RUS) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 6-2, 6-4

Serena Williams (USA x10) bt Nina Stojanovic (SRB) 6-3, 6-0

Fiona Ferro (FRA) bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ x17) 6-4, 6-4

Veronika Kudermetova (RUS x32) bt Varvara Gracheva (RUS) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2

[Jay]

Day 4 - February 11 Men’s Roundup

• World No 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas was pushed to a marathon five sets by wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis Thursday before making the Australian Open third round.

• 7th seed Rublev has been in impressive form and battled past Brazilian left-hander Thiago Monteiro.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Thanasi Kokkinakis Match Highlights (2R) | Australian Open 2021

Results

Second round

Andrey Rublev (RUS x7) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8)

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA x31) 5-7, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4

Casper Ruud (NOR x24) bt Tommy Paul (USA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 7-5

Radu Albot (MDA) bt Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (10/8)

Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3

Mackenzie McDonald (USA) bt Borna Coric (CRO x22) 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Filip Krajinovic (SRB x28) bt Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4

Mikael Ymer (SWE) bt Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

Karen Khachanov (RUS x19) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4

Matteo Berrettini (ITA x9) bt Tomas Machac (CZE) 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Fabio Fognini (ITA x16) bt Salvatore Caruso (ITA) 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (14/12)

Alex De Minaur (AUS x21) bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-3, 6-3, 7-5

[Jay]

Day 4 - February 11 Women’s Roundup

• Sofia Kenin’s emotional Australian Open defence ended in a second-round defeat Thursday.

• World No 1 Barty cast friendship aside with a straight-sets victory over compatriot Daria Gavrilova, but appeared to lose focus serving for the match before closing out for a 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) win against her Fed Cup teammate.

• Ukrainian 5th seed Elina Svitolina scored an efficient 6-4, 6-3 win over 16-year-old Coco Gauff. The American teen, who had knocked out Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka on her way to the fourth round last year, was unable to replicate the success against the efficiency of the veteran.

• 6th seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic had few alarms in beating American Danielle Collins, a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park two years ago, 7-5, 6-2.

Sofia Kenin vs Kaia Kanepi Match Highlights (2R) | Australian Open 2021

Results

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS) 6-1, 7-6 (9/7)

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x29) bt Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)

Anett Kontaveit (EST x21) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2

Shelby Rogers (USA) bt Olga Danilovic (SRB) 6-2, 6-3

Belinda Bencic (SUI x11) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4

Elise Mertens (BEL x18) bt Lin Zhu (CHN) 7-6 (10/8), 6-1

Karolina Muchova (CZE x25) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-4, 6-1

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 7-5, 6-2

Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Sofia Kenin (USA x4) 6-3, 6-2

Donna Vekic (CRO x28) bt Nadia Podoroska (ARG) 6-2, 6-2

Jennifer Brady (USA x22) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-1, 6-2

Kaja Juvan (SLO) bt Mayar Sherif (EGY) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3

Jessica Pegula (USA) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-0, 6-1

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Nao Hibino (JPN) 7-5, 6-1

Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x26) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2

Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Coco Gauff (USA) 6-4, 6-3

[Jay]

Day 5 - February 12 Women’s Roundup

• Serena Williams overcame an error-strewn start Friday to thwart Anastasia Potapova and set up a blockbuster 4th-round clash with 7th seed Aryna Sabalenka.

• 2019 champion Naomi Osaka breezed into the last 16 closing out an easy 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tunisian 27th seed Ons Jabeur . Osaka next faces last year’s runner up Muguruza, who beat Zarina Diyas 6-1, 6-1 in just 56 minutes.

• Hsieh Su-Wei, who has beaten Bianca Andreescu in the last match, came back from 3-5 down in the third set and reeled off our straight games to beat Sara Errani 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 and reach the fourth round.
  

  

Results

Third round

Hsieh Su-wei (TPE) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x19) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-2, 6-4

Garbine Muguruza (ESP x14) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-1, 6-1

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x7) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-3, 6-1

Serena Williams (USA x10) bt Anastasia Potapova (RUS) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

[Jay]

Day 5 - February 12 Men’s Roundup

• Ice-cool Dominic Thiem rallied from two sets down to tame flamboyant Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open Friday in front of a raucous crowd hours before Melbourne goes into coronavirus lockdown. Thiem found his groove with some dominant serving to fight back and outlast the 25-year-old 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

• Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev pulled off a big upset when the world No 114 blitzed eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann into submission 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 with a barrage of winners.

• Karatsev is making his Grand Slam debut at Melbourne Park and is incredibly yet to drop a set as he set up a fourth-round meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat 11th seed Shapovalov 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 in an all-Canadian battle.

• 6th seed Alexander Zverev crushed Adrian Mannarino with little fuss.

Dominic Thiem vs Nick Kyrgios Match Highlights (3R) | Australian Open 2021

Results

Third round

Dusan Lajovic (SRB x23) bt Pedro Martinez (ESP) 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-1, 6-4

Alexander Zverev (GER x6) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA x32) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) bt Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x15) 6-0, 1-0 abandon

Aslan Karatsev (RUS) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x8) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3

[Saket]

Melbourne Orders Snap Covid Lockdown

Authorities ordered a snap, five-day lockdown in Melbourne on Friday to contain a new coronavirus outbreak, threatening the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament, which began in the city this week.

Premier Daniel Andrews of Victoria state, which includes Melbourne, said the lockdown was necessary to halt an outbreak of the “hyper-infectious” UK strain of Covid-19, which leaked from a quarantine hotel at the city airport.

During Djokovic vs Fritz match, at 3-2 to Fritz and 11.30pm, the umpire called for fans to leave as a notice flashed up on the board:

The stadium was duly emptied and the players were moved from the court to discourage any protests.

It took 10 minutes for the crowd to depart, which Djokovic used to tend to his injury.

[Jay]

Day 6 - February 13 Men’s Roundup

• Rafael Nadal accelerated his pursuit of a record 21st Grand Slam title Saturday with a testing victory over Cameron Norrie in a battle of the left-handers.

• 5th seed Tsitsipas put friendship aside to crush Mikael Ymer the Swede 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

• Rublev, the 7th seed continued his red hot form and crushed veteran Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 32 minutes to reach the fourth round.

• Medvedev overcame buttock pain and a walk-out by his coach as he withstood a five-set test from Filip Krajinovic.
  Medvedev has now gone 17 matches unbeaten, dating back to November and including title wins at the Paris 1000, the ATP Finals in London and the ATP Cup.

Filip Krajinovic vs Daniil Medvedev Match Highlights (3R) | Australian Open 2021

Results

Third round

Andrey Rublev (RUS x7) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-5, 6-2, 6-3

Casper Ruud (NOR x24) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Mackenzie McDonald (USA) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 7-6 (9/7), 6-1, 6-4

Daniil Medvedev (RUS x4) bt Filip Krajinovic (SRB x28) 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Mikael Ymer (SWE) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1

Matteo Berrettini (ITA x9) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x19) 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5)

Fabio Fognini (ITA x16) bt Alex De Minaur (AUS x21) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

[Jay]

Day 6 - February 13 Women’s Roundup

• Former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova was docked a point for smashing her racquet off the court and then slumped out of the Australian Open to Karolina Muchova.

• Barty’s all-round prowess frustrated the big-hitting 29th seed in the 6-2, 6-4 third-round clash.

Karolina Muchova vs Karolina Pliskova Match Highlights (3R) | Australian Open 2021

Results

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x29) 6-2, 6-4

Shelby Rogers (USA) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x21) 6-4, 6-3

Elise Mertens (BEL x18) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x11) 6-2, 6-1

Karolina Muchova (CZE x25) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) 7-5, 7-5

Donna Vekic (CRO x28) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4

Jennifer Brady (USA x22) bt Kaja Juvan (SLO) 6-1, 6-3

Jessica Pegula (USA) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-2, 6-1

Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ x26) 6-4, 6-0

[Jay]

Day 7 - February 14 Women’s Roundup

• Gutsy Naomi Osaka saved two match points to outlast Garbine Muguruza in a tense comeback.

• Serena Williams was pushed to a decider but prevailed against Aryna Sabalenka in a thriller to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

• Hsieh Su-wei swept into her first Grand Slam quarter-final after 16 years of trying becoming the oldest player to make a last-eight debut in the Open Era.

Simona Halep (ROU) [2] def Iga Swiatek (POL) [15], 3-6 6-1 6-4

Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep Match Highlights (4R) | Australian Open 2021

[Jay]

Day 7 - February 14 Men’s Roundup

• A tired-looking Dominic Thiem became the highest seed to fall at this year’s Australian Open when the US Open champion was sent tumbling out in straight sets by Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round Sunday.

• Former world No 3 Dimitrov will now play giant-killing Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the quarter-finals after he stunned 20th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime over five sets.

Results

Alexander Zverev (GER) [6] def Dusan Lajovic (SRB) [23], 6-4 7-6(5) 6-3

Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] v Milos Raonic (CAN) [14], 7-6(4) 4-6

Dominic Thiem vs Grigor Dimitrov Match Highlights (4R) | Australian Open 2021

[Jay]

Day 8 - February 15 Women’s Roundup

• World No 1 Ashleigh Barty extended her unbeaten start to 2021.

• Czech 25th seed Karolina Muchova edged Belgium’s Elise Mertens in two tight sets to reach her second Grand Slam quarter-final.

• American Jessica Pegula, daughter of NFL team owners, beat a top-10 player for the first time in her career Monday, shocking 5th seed Elina Svitolina to make her first ever Grand Slam quarter-final where she will take on compatriot Jennifer Brady.

Jessica Pegula vs Elina Svitolina Match Highlights (4R) | Australian Open 2021

[Jay]

Women’s Quarter-Finalists - Feb 16-17

[Jay]

Day 8 - February 15 Men’s Roundup

• Rafael Nadal into Australian Open quarter-finals with win over Fognini. This will be Nadal’s 43rd Grand Slam quarter-final.

• Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev ensured Grand Slam history will be made for Russia after setting up an Australian Open quarter-final.

• Qualifier Aslan Karatsev already through to face Grigor Dimitrov in the top half of the draw. This means there will be three Russian men in the last eight of a Slam for the first time since the Open era began in 1968.

• 9th seed Matteo Berrettini pulled out of his fourth-round clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas because of an abdominal strain, giving the Greek fifth seed a walkover into a quarter-final against Nadal.

Fabio Fognini vs Rafael Nadal Match Highlights (4R) | Australian Open 2021

[Jay]

Men’s Quarter-Finalists - Feb 16-17