Stefanos Tsitsipas (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
Two men and two women advanced to the semifinals on an action packed ninth day of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Kazakhstan’ Elena Rybakina defeated Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia 6/2, 6/4.
Russia’s Karen Khachanov booked his spot when America’s Sebastian Korda retired in the third set when his opponent was leading 7/6, 6/3, 3/0.
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece outplayed Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka 6/3, 7/6(2), 6/4, while Victoria Azarenka of Belarus defeated American Jessica Pegula 6/4, 6/1. All the matches were played at the Rod Laver Arena.
In the first set, Rybakina broke Ostapenko’s serve and held for hers to lead 3-1. While Ostapenko was serving with score at 30-40, rain halted play as the roof was drawn closed.
On resumption, Ostapenko lost the game, while Rybakina extended the lead to 5-1 and also took the eighth game for the set 6/2.
Ostapenko got an early service break, but lost the third game, while Rybakina saved four break points to level and also win two consecutive games to lead 4-2.
Games proceeded with serve and Rybakina delivered an ace to with the set 6/4 for the match and her first semifinal at the Australian Open.
Sebastian Korda won the toss and elected to receive. Khachanov took the first game at love and sped to a 5-2 lead. Korda took three consecutive games to level and the set ended with a tiebreak won by the Russian.
At 0-3 in the third, Sebastian retired.
Tsitsipas took the first set 6/3 in 36 minutes and saved five break points in the fourth game. Each player held serve to reach the tiebreak, which Tsitsipas clinched by seven points to two. A single service break gave the Greek and third seed the set and match, 6/4.
In the interview on court
Australian Open
Elena Rybakina
Karen Khachanov
Victoria Azarenka
Sebastian Korda
Jessica Pegula
Jelena Ostapenko
Stefanos Tsitsipas