Australian Open day 12: Live scores, all the latest news from Melbourne Park
Aryna Sabalenka and Qinwen Zheng will face off in the Australian Open final after they were both successful in their semi-finals on Thursday night at Melbourne Park.
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Ten years to the day when Li Na lifted the Australian Open trophy, the Chinese flag has again flown triumphantly inside Rod Laver Arena with Qinwen Zheng winning through to her first grand slam final.
The 21-year-old rising star will face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday night’s final after she ended the fairytale run of Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
Zheng overcame a nervous start to wear down Yastremska, who was hampered by a stomach muscle issue in the second half of the match, to win her first grand slam semi-final 6-4 6-4 after an absorbing 1hr 42 minutes.
It has been a meteoric rise for Zheng who in 2022 was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year and then last year was judged the WTA Most Improved Player of the Year.
She is now hoping to follow in the footsteps of Na who won China’s only Australian Open title on January 25 2014, defeating Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 6-0.
Zheng and Na met for the first time last week at Melbourne Park when the retired two-time grand slam winner interrupted a television interview to hug her country’s latest tennis star.
Na played in four semi-finals at the Open before winning at her final attempt but her prodige wasn’t going to waste this golden opportunity pass.
The No.12 seed had enjoyed a dream run through her side of the draw thanks to some big names falling by the wayside.
She didn’t face a player ranked inside the top 50 on her way to the semi-final and that continued last night with Yastremska ranked No.93 in the world.
After losing her opening service game of the match Zheng quickly recovered to get a break back immediately with a Yastremska double fault handing it to her.
A GRAND SLAM FINALIST FOR THE FIRST TIME! ðŸ‘#AusOpen • #AO2024pic.twitter.com/TRYMngDIb0
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2024
When Zheng broke again to take a 4-3 lead it became clear her opponent was struggling with an injury. Yastremska immediately called a medical time and left Rod Laver Arena for treatment.
Given it was her ninth match at the Open - including three in qualifying - it was no surprise her body was feeling the pinch.
The break in play seemed to work and she had break points on the Zheng serve immediately but was unable to convert. It was the only chance she was going to get with the first set going to the Chinese star in 55 minutes.
Unfortunately, the second set followed a similar path for Yastremska who was continually under pressure on her serve while Zheng, who has served the most aces in the tournament, really found her rhythm.
In the end it was Zheng’s all-round power game which proved the difference and ensured she will get the chance to emulate her hero on Saturday night.
EARLIER: SABALENKA LOCKED IN TO DECIDER
For four months Aryna Sabalenka had waited for this moment.
She had been denied a second grand slam title at the US Open in September when hometown hero, teenager Coco Gauff, rode a wave of emotion to claim her first major title.
The pair hadn’t crossed paths since until last night’s Australian Open semi-final.
This time it was on Sabalenka’s favourite court - the place where she’d won her first grand slam title last year - and it proved to be the perfect setting for some Belarusian revenge.
The No.2 seed now gets a chance to defend her crown on Saturday night after outlasting Gauff in an epic showdown which was worthy of a final.
After an enthralling 1hr 42 minutes, which included a crazy amount of momentum shifts, Sabalenka finally prevailed 7-6 (2) 6-4.
The 25-year-old, who hasn’t lost a set for the tournament, becomes the first player since Serena Williams (2016-17) to reach back-to-back Australian Open finals.
Sabalenka praised Gauff afterwards for her never-say-die attitude which ensured the legends inside Rod Laver Arena, which included Evonne Goolagong-Cawley and Billie-Jean King, were treated to a pulsating semi-final.
BACK-TO-BACK FINALS ðŸ¯@SabalenkaA • #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/GDOdasNIST
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2024
“She (Gauff) is an incredible player and I think I was just able to focus on myself,” Sabalenka said. “I was prepared that she’s going to move really good and she was going to put all the balls back to me.
“I just had to be ready to play an extra shot and I was just ready for anything tonight, I think that was the key as well as definitely your support.
“The last time I played her (at the US Open), I didn’t have, I would say, almost any support. Today I thank you so much and I really appreciate all the support, for the atmosphere. You make this place really special for me, thank you.”
There couldn’t have been more contrasting starts to the semi-final.
Sabalenka opened the match with a 175km ace and then held service easily while Gauff kicked off with two double faults to lose her serve.
The American was clearly nervous, particularly on her serve where the second ball was getting monstered by the big-hitting Belarusian.
She was a woman on a mission early and quickly raced to a 5-2 lead before the match changed complexion out of nowhere.
Sabalenka lost the next four games as she piled on the unforced errors, allowing Gauff to get her bearings.
But just when everything was pointing the teenager’s way, there was another momentum shift. She was broken when serving for the set at 6-5 and then was completely blown away in the tie-break 7-2.
It had been 56 minutes of craziness with the reigning champion getting her nose in front at the right time.
But that was just the entree with Gauff’s opening service game of the second set going for 11 minutes and including double faults, break points and an ace with the end result an important hold.
And then in keeping with the bizarre nature of the contest, Sabalenka then took only a couple of minutes to breeze through her service game without dropping a point.
So what did Gauff do? Yep, the 19-year-old held her next service game to love, taking a 2-1 lead. Strange stuff.
Both players enjoyed their moments throughout the second set with Gauff heroically saving several break points before finally relenting in the ninth game.
With the memory of Flushing Meadow motivating her, Sabalenka didn’t blow the opportunity to seal the win although the final game had a bit of everything including another double-fault and two acces.
For many it was a shame the pair met in the semi-final given they were clearly the two best players coming into the tournament.
Gauff won the title in Auckland in the lead-up while Sabalenka was runner-up in Brisbane but she grows another leg on the surfaces of Melbourne Park.
She had only dropped 16 games coming into the semi-final meaning she’d spent almost three hours less on court throughout the tournament compared to Gauff.
In the end it all added up to a memorable semi-final and a perfect case of revenge for the defending champion.
11.25PM: ZHENG BREAKS AGAIN
Qinwen Zheng is up a set and a break against Danaya Yastremska.
This second set has been far more dominant from Zheng, with the Ukrainian Yastremska letting out a scream of frsutration during the game she dropped.
If she breaks now then she’s booked her ticket to Saturday night’s final.
11.05PM: TIED UP IN THE SECOND AFTER A BREAK
We’re back on track in the second set, which had a delayed start after both players left the court for seven minutes.
Between that and the injury time out for Yastremska in the first set, we’ve lost 15 minutes with players off the court so far tonight.
The second set started at 1-1 before Zheng Qinwen broke Yastremska to go 2-1 up.
10.50PM: ZHENG CLAIMS THE FIRST SET
Qinwen Zheng has won the first set of her semi final against Ukrainian Danaya Yastremska on Rod Laver Arena.
Zheng won the first set 6-4 after breaking Yastremska midway through the set.
The 12th seed is now just one set away from a Grand Slam final debut, on a night which is 10 years to the day since Li Na won her Australian Open title in 2014.
10.35PM: YASTREMSKA BACK ON COURT
The Ukrainian is back on court after a six and a half minute timeout where she left the court for treament.
She walked out to the middle of Rod Laver Arena still holding her side, so it’s obviously still a big concern for her.
10.30PM: ZHENG EDGES AHEAD IN THE FIRST
Zheng Qinwen has broken Danaya Yastremska again, edging ahead in the first set 4-3
The Ukrainian appears to have taken an injury time out, pulling up sore and very suddenly after hitting a return.
Looks like it could be a hip or a groin injury? Commentary is talking about a hip flexor but the physio looked like they were working on her stomach.
BIG moment! Qinwen Zheng BREAKS Dayana Yastremska and takes a 4-3 lead in the first.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2024
AusOpen • #AO2024pic.twitter.com/PbA1eslA2a
10.15PM: BREAK BACK!
Zheng has broken straight back, putting us one break apiece. Yastremska is up 3-2 with Zheng now serving.
10.05PM: EARLY BREAK!
Danaya Yastremska has broken Zheng Qinwen’s first service game of the night.
A huge win, considering the 12th seed has the most aces of the women’s singles draw so far with 44.
9.55PM: GAME TWO IS ON COURT
We’re under way with the second semi-final, with Danaya Yastremska winning the first service game against Zheng Qinwen with an ace.
Compared to the two high seeds in the previous game, this match has a bigger underdog story - both on and off the court.
Scroll down to this afternoon’s posts for more on how the Ukrainian has overcome bigger obstacles than most to reach the Australian Open, let alone the semi finals.
This is the first time these two have played each other, with both looking for their first Australian Open final - both players are making their Grand Slam semi final debut.
9.27PM: WE HAVE A WINNER
Aryna Sabalenka will defend her title in the Australian Open final after overcoming a valiant Coco Gauff in the semi-final.
Sabalenka claimed the win 7-6, 6-4 and will return to Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night.
Remarkably, tonight was the closest anyone had come to taking a set off Sabalenka in this Australian Open, with the Belorussian not conceding more than three games in a set so far at Melbourne Park.
9.20PM: WE HAVE A BREAK
Aryna Sabalenka has finally broken through - if you’ll pardon the pun - to pull ahead in the race for the final.
Sabalenka has gone 5-4 up after that break, and will now serve for the chance to defend her title in the final on Saturday night.
9.05PM: GOING GAME FOR GAME IN THE SECOND
Neither Coco Gauff or Aryna Sabalenka have been able to break the other so far this set.
Gauff’s serving has been more solid this set, holding all three service games.
8.50PM: GAUFF’S SERVING AN ISSUE
Coco Gauff either has to make more serves or adjust her second serve if she’s going to bring this game to three sets.
She’s won just three second serves from 14 in this match, as noted by Channel 9’s Jelena Dokic in commentary, with Sabalenka’s returns simply too much for the American.
With her first serve off target, she needs something click if she’s going to make her third Grand Slam final.
8.45PM: SABALENKA CLAIMS FIRST SET
Aryna Sabalenka has won the first set against Coco Gauff in a tie-break, going up 7-6 (7-2), ending a valiant fightback from the American teenager.
Gauff was down 5-2 earlier in the set and fought back to make the defending champion work for it, but with Gauff’s serve misfiring and Sabalenka’s forehands as powerful as ever, she couldn’t take the first set off the defending champ.
8.35PM: TIE-BREAK TIME
We’re off to a tie-break.
8.30PM: GAUFF IN THE LEAD
Aryna Sabalenka is no longer in the lead, this is not a drill.
The 19-year-old American has broken the second seed Sabalenka after the Belorussian missed a relatively simple forehand, sending it wide.
Gauff now serves for the first set, with the reigning champion a very real chance of dropping her first set of the Australian Open 2024.
8.25PM: COCO HOLDS HER SERVE, HER NERVE
After having issues with her serves early, Coco Gauff’s radar is on song, with the speed gun recording her breaking the 200km/h mark twice as she held on against Sabalenka to go to 5-5.
This is the first time someone’ gone past game in a set against Sabelenka this tournament.
8.20PM: GAUFF SAVES THE SET
Coco Gauff has kept the first set alive against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka after breaking her.
Sabalenka double faulted for just the ninth time this tournament to give Gauff the golden chance to take the break, which she did with a strong backhand.
Sabalenka is still up 5-4 in the first, with Gauff serving.
8.05PM: SABALENKA BREAKS AGAIN
After a pair of dueces, Aryna Sabalenka’s forehand proved more than a handful than Gauff’s to send the reigning champion up 4-2 against the American teenager.
Gauff’s serve is still misfiring, she faulted most first serves that set and double faulted twice.
5 double faults in 3 service games from Gauff and she's been broken twice.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 25, 2024
It's undoing a lot of the other good work she's doing against an opponent in such incredible form. #AusOpen
7.55PM: GAUFF BREAKS BACK
Coca Gauff has broken back!
She won two break points after negating a great Sabalenka drop shot and well and truly has the crowd on her side.
7.50PM: SABALENKA TAKES THE FIRST BREAK
Reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka has taken the first game in her semi-final against Coco Gauff, holding serve, and then taken the second as she broke Coco Gauff’s serve in the second.
The Belorussian is looking on song early, with Gauff still finding her feet on Rod Laver Arena.
7:30PM: EVONNE GOOLAGONG-CAWLEY HONOURED
Just before the first women’s semi-final, Tennis Australia announced its First Nations Day from 2025 would be known as Evonne Goolagong-Cawley Day at Melbourne Park.
A $100,000 donation to the tennis champion’s charity, which helps engage Indigenous young people in tennis, was also announced, both of which brought big smiles to her face.
An Australian legend 💙
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2024
Celebrating 50 years since Evonne Goolagong Cawley lifted her first #AusOpen title 🆠pic.twitter.com/FElS08qggX
Casey Donovan also hit the court for a performance of The Best before the presentation.
6.30PM: DOUBLE THE JOY FOR EBDEN
For Matt Ebden there is the joy of having baby boy Harvey and wife Kim in the Rod Laver Arena stands as he prepares for his second Australian Open men’s doubles final in three years.
In 2022 a shot at glory ended in double heartbreak.
Ebden and Max Purcell lost the final to the ‘Special Ks’ (Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis), and a broken promise from then-WA premier Mark McGowan forced Ebden into hotel quarantine upon return.
Ebden feared he would miss Harvey’s birth. But release after seven days – instead of a feared 14 – meant he was there for the magical moment.
For Indian teammate Rohan Bopanna there is a rise to the No.1 ranking in the doubles world and a congratulatory message from friend Sachin Tendulkar.
“Age is just a number but ‘Number 1’ is not just another number. Congratulations Rohan! Being the oldest World Number 1 in Men’s Doubles is a stellar feat,” Tendulkar wrote on social media.
Ebden wants an invite to the next Tendulkar-Bopanna dinner party.
“It’s amazing that he follows tennis for a long, long time, and he was there at Wimbledon watching our match,” Bopanna said.
“He’s a dear friend. I met him a bunch of times. Had dinner with him a couple of times.
“It’s always nice when you receive congratulatory message from another legend in a sport.”
Ebden is 36 and Bopanna is 43. But on Thursday they won their second super tie-break at Melbourne Park to advance to Saturday’s final.
The veterans are 6-0 in tiebreaks this tournament. Success on Saturday would deliver Australia three consecutive local champions in the men’s doubles after the all-Aussie pairings of Kyrgios-Kokkinakis (2022) and Rinky Hijikata-Jason Kubler (2023).
The Ebden-Bopanna pairing started last season but suffered teething problems.
They lost their first two matches – at the Adelaide International and in round 1 of last year’s Australian Open.
But they first practiced together when Bopanna contested the Hopman Cup in Ebden’s hometown of Perth 15 years ago.
Bopanna plays the deuce side of the court and Ebden the advantage side and so they stuck at it.
They broke through at the Qatar Open but were bounced out in the first round of Roland Garros.
Zero from two at slams, they have gone 14-2 since – reaching the semi-final at Wimbledon (with Tendulkar in the stands) and the final of the US Open.
Now they are in back-to-back Grand Slam finals, and individually they know how to get it done.
Bopanna won the mixed doubles at Roland Garros in 2017 while Ebden won the mixed doubles here in 2013 and Wimbledon (with Purcell) in 2022.
What does Ebden remember about 2013 with fellow Aussie Jarmila Gajdošová?
“Nine out of 10 of the players we beat were Grand Slam champions themselves in doubles or mixed or whatever,” he said.
“So it was a bit of a surprise. We knew we were good players, but we didn’t know we were maybe that good just yet.
“So to win that one together back then was pretty special.”
As for little Harvey Ebden, who turns two next month?
“He’s asleep at the creche 100m away, and he’s been playing there with Bops’ little baby girl, who is a little bit older than him,” Ebden said.
6.00PM: STORM HUNTER’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN COMES TO A CLOSE
Storm Hunter’s dream run in the Australian Open doubles has come to and end, with the Australian and her partner Katerina Siniakova knocked out in a three-set classic semi-final.
Germany’s Elise Martens and Taiwan’s Hsieh Sui-We managed to break to go up 4-3 in the third set and broke again to claim the match 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
The third set had some truly thrilling games as both teams threw everything into their quests for a spot in the women’s doubles finals.
However, a crucial miss by Siniakova gave up a break point in the last game, and her scream of frustration after missing the shot showed she knew it, with Martens closing the match with a stunning backhand as she ran in towards the net.
5.30PM: SOME STUNNING RALLIES IN A TIGHT THIRD SET
This third set is something else on Margaret Court Arena.
The few fans in the stands are being treated to some scintillating tennis, with Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova neck-and-neck with Hsieh Sui-We and Elise Martens in the decider.
Both duos have held well, with some thrilling, tactical, and long rallies getting the crowd to their feet.
4.55PM: SECOND SET CLINCHED
Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova have taken the second set 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.
4.50PM: BROKEN AGAIN
Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova have broken Hsieh Sui-We and Elise Martens for the second time in the second set on Margaret Court Arena.
They’re up 5-1 in the second after dropping the first 7-5 and have all the momentum.
Meanwhile in the men’s German duo Yannick Haufmann and Dominik Koepfer have taken the first two sets over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
4.30PM: PLAY SUSPENDED ACROSS SEVERAL COURTS
Storm Hunter isn’t the only storm in town this afternoon, with a shower crossing Melbourne Park and suspending the three girls’ singles matches on outdoor courts, including Aussie sixth seed Emerson Jones.
4.15PM: STORM, SINIAKOVA DOWN A SET
Australian Storm Hunter and her doubles partner Katerina Siniakova have dropped the first set against Hsieh Sui-We and Elise Martens in the women’s doubles semi final.
Hunter and Siniakova made it to duece in the final game and threatened to break their opponents, but the Belgian and Taiwanese duo held on to their final service game to take the first set on Margaret Court Arena 7-5.
4PM: TENNIS GREATS SAVAGE ‘INCOMPARABLE’ SAUDI CASH GRAB
Legendary tennis stars Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova have renewed their fight against Saudi Arabia with a pointed opinion piece on Thursday.
The pair, among the greatest female players of all time, have firm objections to plans to take the WTA Finals to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
There is increasing speculation that the jewel in the crown of the women’s tour will be played in Saudi Arabia from this year, a move Evert and Navratilova believe is “entirely incompatible with the spirit and purpose of women’s tennis”.
Writing a joint opinion piece in the Washington Post, the pair outlined their concerns about Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women and their questionable record with the LGBTQ community.
“Not only is this a country where women are not seen as equal, it is a country where the current landscape includes a male guardianship law that essentially makes women the property of men,” Evert and Navratilova wrote.
“A country which criminalizes the LGBTQ community to the point of possible death sentences. A country whose long-term record on human rights and basic freedoms has been a matter of international concern for decades.
“Staging the WTA final there would represent not progress, but significant regression.”
Men’s great John McEnroe raised his concerns on the prospect of moving major tournaments to Saudi Arabia on the eve of the Australian Open, while returning star Caroline Wozniacki said it was “inevitable” that it would happen – but hoped it could be a chance to promote change in the country.
Evert and Navratilova, however, clearly feel that until that change eventuates it would be an enormous step backwards for the sport, and the women involved.
“The WTA should revisit the values upon which it was established. We believe that those values cannot even be expressed, much less achieved, in Saudi Arabia,” they wrote.
“Taking a tournament there would represent a significant step backward, to the detriment not just of women’s sport, but women. We hope this changes someday, hopefully within the next five years. If so, we would endorse engagement there.”
3.30PM: HAUNTING IMAGE BEHIND INSPIRATIONAL AUS OPEN SURGE
Dayana Yastremska was forced to spend 48 hours hiding in an underground car park to shelter from Russian bombs.
But now she is rewriting history by reaching the Australian Open semi-finals as a qualifier.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a simply superb run in Australia after battling through three three-set matches to book her place in the main draw – before taking out No.7 seed and reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, No.27 seed Emma Navarro and No.18 seed Victoria Azarenka.
The world No.93 will face Qinwen Zheng, the No.12 seed, with a maiden Grand Slam final on the line for both women.
Yastremska is already setting records as the first qualifier to reach the women’s semi-finals of the Australian Open since 1978.
And she is always quick to thank her parents for her success while also remembering and being motivated by the reality of the tragic ongoing war in her homeland.
After reaching the semis, she wrote on the TV camera lens: “I’m proud of our fighting people from Ukraine.”
And Yastremska said in an emotional message to her inspirational compatriots defending the country: “They really deserve a huge respect.
“I always try to write something for Ukraine, about Ukraine
“I think it’s my mission here. I’m just trying to give the signal to Ukraine that I’m really proud of it.”
Dayana and her younger sister Ivanna fled Odesa when Vladimir Putin ordered the barbaric invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
They had sheltered from the Russian bombs for two days when the siblings’ parents Alexander, a former volleyball player, and Marina dedicated to send them away to safety.
The girls waved goodbye to their mum and dad from a boat as they escaped to France - and were not reunited again for months.
A heartbreaking Instagram post at the time showed Dayana sat comforting Ivanna and hugging family members as they prepared to leave with her tennis bag.
Yastremska wrote: “After spending two nights in the underground parking, my parents made a decision at any cost to send me and my little sister out of Ukraine.
“Mom, Dad, we love you very much, take care of yourself!!! I love you my country! Ukrainians take care of your lives.”
Dayana and Ivanna, also a tennis player, took refuge in France. - JOSHUA JONES, THE SUN UK
3.20PM: EBDEN RETURNS TO MEN’S DOUBLES FINAL
Australian Matt Ebden is back in the men’s doubles final, after prevailing in a third-set super tie-break alongside Rohan Bopanna.
Once again, it was the Machac serve that came unstuck in the super tie-break – giving a mini-break to Bopanna/Ebden at 4-2.
A costly error from Bopanna on Ebden’s serve handed the mini-break back at 7-6, with the finish line almost in sight.
But Ebden won it back straight away, again with a big return on Machac’s serve, before Bopanna closed out the match on his serve.
They’ll face the winner of the second semi-final, where Italian duo Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli are up against German pair Yannick Hanfmann and Dominik Koepfer.
3.07PM: SUPER-TIE-BREAK TIME!
Ebden and Bobanna were so close.
They had three match points on Zhang’s serve but, from 0-40, he saved all three – big serves, big forehands, big moments.
“This is an extraordinary comeback,” says Todd Woodbridge.
Instead, we’re off to a super tiebreaker. First to 10!
2.55PM: BOPANNA BROKEN!
There’s one more twist in this match, with Rohan Bopanna broken while serving for the match.
He and Australian Matt Ebden had one foot in Saturday’s final, but instead it is Zhang who can serve to stay in this semi final at 4-5.
2.40PM: BOPANNA CLAIMS CRUCIAL BREAK
Bopanna is back!
He ices the break in the fourth game, as Machac’s serve is broken for the second time this match.
And it was all Bopanna, who had a shaky second set but has come up with several huge plays at the net – and then holds comfortably – to steal a 4-1 lead in the third set.
“You get a moment like that in a match, and it can turn… and hasn’t it turned,” says Todd Woodbridge in commentary.
2.25PM: ALL LOCKED UP IN THE DOUBLES’ SEMI-FINAL
We’re off to a decider in the men’s semi-final, with Zheng and Machac warming into the match and taking the second set 6-3.
Bopanna lost his nerve a bit at the net during that second set, and it’s about to heat up now!
2.10PM: EBDEN BROKEN, DOWN 3-1 IN SECOND SET
Some blown opportunities at the net there from Rohan Bopanna – including a wild, long forehand to concede the break on Matt Ebden’s serve.
That was sloppy stuff considering how crisp everything had been throughout the first set.
Ebden and Bopanna, having taken the first set, fall behind 3-1 in the second.
2.00PM: RAIN HALTS PLAY
At 1-1 in the second set, rain has stopped play.
It’s only a light sprinkling, but there’ll be a short delay as the roof closes and the court is dried by the ballkids.
1.50PM: EBDEN, BOPANNA TAKE FIRST SET
That’s the first set in the books – just the one break needed by the Aussie-Indian pairing of Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna.
They take the first set 6-3 and the No.2 seeds are well on their way to reaching the men’s doubles finals.
Both have been excellent at the net, and it is honestly quite remarkable the level that Bopanna is playing at 43 years of age.
1.45PM: EBDEN EDGES CLOSER TO TAKING FIRST SET
Ebden and Bopanna squandered a break point on Zhang’s serve and the Taiwanese star pulls out a strong hold in the end with his big serve.
But they pull closer to taking the first set as Ebden holds serve once more – despite again being pushed to deuce by their unseeded rivals.
The Aussie leads 5-2.
1.35PM: EBDEN/BOPANNA JUMP OUT TO 4-1 LEAD
Some elite work at the net from Ebden has helped he and Bopanna to an early break of Machac’s serve – and a 4-1 lead after Bopanna holds.
bopanna/ebden pairing is elite
— alex (@acertainromnce) January 25, 2024
1.25PM: EBDEN HOLDS AFTER GRUELLING GAME
It’s all on serve through three games on Rod Laver Arena, but it hasn’t all been easy for Australia’s Matt Ebden.
He was pushed back to deuce, after being 40-0 up, before holding for a 2-1 lead alongside Rohan Bopanna.
1.15PM: AUSSIE EBDEN EYES FINALS SPOT
Australia’s Matt Ebden is on Rod Laver Arena, with one eye on the men’s doubles final.
He and teammate, and newly crowned world No.1, Rohan Bopanna will they take on China’s Zhang Zhizhen and Czech Tomas Machac
At 43 years old, Bopanna is the oldest man in history to become the world No.1 in men’s doubles.
12.30PM: HEWITT AVOIDS NIGHTMARE BUST
We’ve all seen the bad ones – Cristiano Ronaldo’s remains the gold-standard for disasters – but Lleyton Hewitt was pleasantly surprised when the bronze bust of his head was unveiled on Wednesday night.
Hewitt was immortalised at Melbourne Park after being inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.
And while countryman John Millman took a cheeky jab on social media about the potential for an ugly outcome, Hewitt was impressed.
“I reckon they did a pretty good job. I love the hat backwards,” Hewitt said on Channel 9.
“I didn’t see it until I actually unveiled it last night... that was a weird feeling, because you’ve seen some of them in the past gone wrong.
“They did ask for a lot of photos to be taken last year, and I questioned that. I said I’d actually prefer it in my younger days when I was 20 or 21.
“But I’m very happy with it.”
Millman had a little dig on Instagram, suggesting he hoped Hewitt’s bust “looks a little better than Cristiano’s did” alongside the Ronaldo monstrosity.
11.50AM: REVENGE MISSION SET TO EXPLODE IN CLASSIC
It is the shot at revenge Aryna Sabalenka has been craving since the US Open.
And the defending Australian Open champion wasn’t hiding her enthusiasm for a shot at retribution against American teenage star Coco Gauff after storming into the semi-finals at Melbourne Park.
“I love it, I love it,” Sabalenka declared when asked how happy she was to get another chance to face Gauff so soon after their battle in the US Open final.
“After (the) US Open, I really wanted that revenge.
“It’s always great battles against Coco, with really great fights. I’m happy to play here and I’m super excited to play that semi-final match.”
Gauff triumphed in three sets against Sabalenka the last time the pair met in the decider at Flushing Meadows last year to claim her first grand slam singles crown.
Now, in the opening grand slam of the 2024 season, the pair are the last remaining top-10 women’s seeds at Melbourne Park.
No. 2 seed Sabalenka, who won her first major title at the Australian Open last year, is in ominous form heading into their match-up after powering into her sixth consecutive grand slam semi-final.
The 25-year-old has not conceded more than three games in a set in any of her matches so far in Melbourne – dropping only 16 games overall – and has spent little more than five hours on court in her campaign so far.
The result might have swung her way in New York, but Gauff was well aware of the obstacle Sabalenka presented in the season-opening grand slam.
“Aryna, (it’s) always a tough match with her,” Gauff said.
“I think she’s playing well this tournament. Obviously that US Open final was tough.”
While Sabalenka comfortably dispatched her quarter-final opponent, No. 9 seed Barbora Krejcikova, Gauff is coming off her toughest match of the tournament.
The 19-year-old was forced to three sets for the first time in her match against Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in an epic centre court battle lasting more than three hours which featured two tie-breaks.
Gauff later quipped she hoped she had got her “bad game out of the way” following a performance she rated as only a “C”.
Sabalenka was equally wary of the threat Gauff posed.
“She’s moving really well. Everything you do on court it’s coming back,” Sabalenka said.
“So you need to build the point probably (a) couple times in one point to have that …. easy shot to finish the point.
“That’s why she’s (a) really tough opponent. She’s a great player, and I’m really excited to play her.”
If she can end Gauff’s hopes of back-to-back grand slam wins, Sabalenka has a calmer demeanour on court to thank for it.
Sabalenka admitted she was not “super proud” of some of her temperament on court in the past, but said her “mindset” had changed.
“I’m not getting crazy on court, I’m not rushing things,” Sabalenka said.
“You know, I’m just playing point by point, and that’s it, and fighting for every point without overthinking about my dreams, about what I want to do, about how many slams I want to win and all that stuff.
“I was able to separate myself from that kind of mentality and just start focusing on myself and focusing on things I can improve and I can get better in, and what I actually have to do to win every match I play.
“I guess it’s all about experience. I think I’m more mature, older, whatever you want to call it.
“I’m not super proud of myself doing some things on court.
“It was part of my journey, and I’m actually happy that kind of I faced those challenges and I’m happy that I was able to fix that and to become more calm on court.
“It’s been really huge work, and I’m happy that I was able to fix that.”
Alongside her serve and returns, Gauff also backed her mental strength as a key for her on court ahead of her semi-final showdown.
“I think just my mental strength … that’s gotten me through a lot of matches,” Gauff said.
“I feel like mentally I’m one of the strongest out there, and I try my best to reset after each point.”
11.25AM: LLEYTON TIPS SHOCK NOVAK UPSET
Men’s tennis could be about to witness a seismic changing of the guard.
Novak Djokovic – the 24-time grand slam champion and undisputed king of Melbourne Park – faces young gun Jannik Sinner on Rod Laver Arena tomorrow.
And Australian great Lleyton Hewitt believes an upset is brewing.
Djokovic has a perfect 10-0 record in Australian Open semi-finals – and finals – but in Sinner he is facing the hottest player in tennis, and a star yet to drop a set at this year’s tournament.
“I think that Jannik Sinner can upset him. It is 50/50,” Hewitt said on Channel 9.
“If Jannik Sinner can get off to a good start he is in with a good shot.
“(Sinner) was awfully close a couple of years ago he had match point on (Carlos) Alcaraz and Alcaraz went on to win the US Open.
“It was a couple of polishing little touches.
“That inner belief that Darren has been around the big players at the end of tournament and having him in his corner is a massive point.”
10.45AM: AUSSIES IN ACTION TODAY
It’s women’s semi-final day at Melbourne Park – with both semi-finals to take place in the night session.
But Australia Day could come 24 hours early, with two Aussies in action in the doubles semi-finals this afternoon.
From 1pm, Matthew Ebden is paired up with recently crowned men’s world No.1 doubles star Rohan Bopanna, with the No.2 seeds eying a spot in the final.
They take on China’s Zhang Zhizhen and Czech Tomas Machac on Rod Laver Arena.
Later this afternoon, third seeds Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova battle the second-seeded Hsieh Su-wei, from Taiwan, and Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
Hunter and Siniakova cemented their favouritism for this year’s women’s doubles crown with a comeback victory over Barbora Krejcikova and Laura Siegemund yesterday.
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