Australian Open 2019: Live action for Day 11 as extreme heat strikes
Rafael Nadal has ended the run of Greek Freak Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open.
Welcome to Day 11 of the Australian Open, as singles semi-finals action ramps up.
Scorching temperatures are set to make semi-finals all the tougher, and ahead of the big games, a fashion icon turned up the heat on Margaret Court and the Prime Minister.
Debbie Schipp 9.45 pm: Nadal wins it
Rafael Nadal is adamant his demolition of young guns Stefanos Tsitsipas, Frances Tiafoe and Alex de Minaur on his path to the Australian Open men’s singles final wasn’t a message to Gen Next.
“They don’t need any message, no,” he told Jophn McEnroe when asked just that after his straight sets semi-final demolition of Tsitsipas.
“They are good. And they are important improving every month. So always a big challenge to play against them. But that’s the beautiful thing about this sport. We are able to share generations and now there is a young and very good new generation coming. So that will be interesting,” Nadal said.
“You know they are here already, we are talking about them, but they are really here now fighting for the most important thing. I wish all of them a very successful career.”
He predicted Tsitsipas will be a grand slam winner one day: “He has everything to make that happen”.
But not just yet.
Nadal did the rest of his talking on the court as he delivered Tsitsipas a brutal reality check, tearing apart the semi-final in one hour and 46 minutes.
The 2009 Australian Open champion will gun for his second title on Sunday against the winner of the semi-final between world No. 1 Novak Djokovic or Frenchman Lucas Pouille.
Debbie Schipp 9.30 pm: Nadal wins it
Rafael Nadal is the first man through to the 2019 Australian Open final after bringing Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas’ golden run to an abrupt end in straight sets in the semi-final.
Nadal dominated from the outset against the gutsy Greek, who proved no match for the master at the top of his game.
Nadal took the win 6-2 6-4 6-0, leaving Tsitsipas out of answers in the face of a barrage of thundering serves and thumping forehands.
Debbie Schipp 9.26 pm: Demolition looms
Nadal is doling out a tennis lesson, breaking Tsitsipas again to lead 5-0 and will now serve for the match.
Debbie Schipp 9.20 pm: Greek tragedy
The third set is developing into a Greek tragedy for Stefanos Tsitsipas as Rafael Nadal puts the foot down.
“He’s got the ball on a string and another break point,” says commentator Todd Woodbridge.
Seconds later, reaching high above his head, Nadal takes a double break with a withering forehand smash to make it 3-0 with Rafa to serve.
Debbie Schipp 9.13 pm: Nadal ups pace
Rafael Nadal seems to want this game over yesterday: he’s broken Stefanos Tsitsipas in the opening game of the third set, taking it with a crosscourt shot that Tsitsipas could only stand back and watch.
Rafa has now held a quick service game to make it 2-0.
Debbie Schipp 9.02 pm: Rafa goes two up
And two errant Tsitsipas shots give Nadal the room her needs to snatch the break, and ultimately, the second set.
He tried for winners and they didn’t come off, leaving himself wide open, and Nadal made no mistake converting them to points for a 5-4 lead and serving for the set.
Nadal then holds Tsitsipas to love to take the set.
All uphill for the Greek giant-killer from here.
Debbie Schipp 8.55pm: It’s still warm
It’s all square in the second at 4-4, with Tsitsipas on serve.
And just because that roof is back open, don’t think it’s cooled down much in Melbourne. It’s still 36C as 9pm approaches.
Debbie Schipp 8.44pm: Stefanos cops a break
A Rafa return catches the net and limps over to give Nadal a break point — luck seems to have deserted Tsitsipas.
But the gutsy Greek saves three break points to bring it to deuce, and uses a low backhand return to great effect to take the advantage.
He claws the game back to hold serve and remind Rafa the slightest slip will see the young gun pounce. Certainly he’s trying everything.
It’s 3-2 to Tsitsipas with Rafa on serve.
Shots like these help you set up break points. @RafaelNadal has had three via #Tsitsipas at 6-2 2-2. They've all been saved.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/aAeL4qYI89
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 8.36pm: Tsitsipas settles
Tsitsipas is hanging in with some sporadically super serves and smashing returns, as he tries to get back into the match.
He’s motoring through his service games, and drawing Nadal into more rallies.
But Rafa remains pretty much flawless, his service game continuing to trouble the Greek Freak.
It’s all on serve in this set, with the score 2-2.
Debbie Schipp 8.29pm: Nadal devastating
It’s hard to find answers when Rafael Nadal is in this type of form, says John McEnroe in the commentary box.
“This has been Nadal at his best. There’s no if, ands or buts about that,” he said.
“You have to think if you’re Tsitsipas you certainly would be telling yourself his level’s not going to stay that high. Be pretty hard to keep it at that level.
“Otherwise this is not going to be a particularly long night.”
The second set is on serve and locked up at 1-1.
Debbie Schipp 8.17pm: First set to Nadal
Rafael Nadal has won the first set of his semi-final against Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 in just 31 minutes.
Nadal has opened in devastating fashion, making a bold statement to the young giant-killer in terms of pure power and aggression.
WATCH: The 🔥 point that gave #Nadal the double break for a 5-2 lead over #Tsitsipas.#AusOpen | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/UXX4phfvsE
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 8.14pm: Double break for Rafa
Rafael Nadal has now broken Stefanos Tsitsipas again, and the double break will see him serve for the first set. Nadal is nailing his second serve as errors on serve creep in for Tsitsipas.
Debbie Schipp 8.08pm: Rafa in charge
Stefanos Tsitsipas has held a love service game, but Rafael Nadal is giving no quarter, and unleashed another dominant service game of his own to lead 4-2.
Tsitsipas is holding his nerve and demeanour, but Rafa still has that break.
Debbie Schipp 7.58pm: Rafa’s early break
An early break point for Nadal in the third and he grabs it to lead 2-1 in the first set, with his serve to come. Nadal has upped the aggression and gone solidly on the attack, inviting Tsitsipas to have a crack if he’s good enough.
“Nadal is just the boss out here. He wants to be fully in charge,” says Jim Courier.
Debbie Schipp 7.50pm: Top start
No nerves evident from Stefanos Tsitsipas as he holds Rafael Nadal to 15 to take the first game. He took the first point of the match with a serve and a volley.
Debbie Schipp 7.37pm: Raising the roof
The roof of Rod Laver Arena, closed this afternoon in furnace-like heat during the women’s semi final won by Petra Kvitova, has been opened again for the Nadal-Tsitsipas clash.
The duo have just arrived on court to warm up.
Tsitsipas won the toss and will open the match on serve.
A kiss from mum before he takes the court 🤗@StefTsitsipas #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Y4PafKtMoU
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 7.20pm: Old guard versus young upstart
The mind games started early as Rafael Nadal prepares to take on Greek upstart, 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas for a men’s final berth tonight.
Nadal, 32, apparently blanked Tsitsipas earlier today, with the pair passing each other.
in a hallway at Melbourne Park, but Nadal refusing to make eye contact with his opponent.
That will change shortly when the pair take to Rod Laver Arena, squaring off for the first spot in the final.
Nadal has been in devastating form — and despite Tsitsipas’ giant-killing Open feats, goes in as the favourite.
Nadal is hoping to win his 18th Grand Slam title this weekend — closing in on Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 — if he wins tonight.
Debbie Schipp 6.05pm: Osaka through to final
Naomi Osaka has survived a dogged advance from comeback queen Karolina Pliskova to make the Australian Open women’s single final against Petra Kvitova.
She had to fight for the final point like she fought for the whole match: challenging an ace call against her to take the final point.
The Japanese champion staved off barrage after barrage of break points to grind out the win with a cool performance belying her 21 years.
Under pressure, she pulled off her biggest shots against the determined onslaught of Pliskova.
She took the win 6-2 4-6 6-4.
She expected Pliskova to come back.
“I told myself to regroup, no matter what,” she said.
What’s next? “I’m gonna go to sleep,” she said, to laughter from the crowd.
She even found time to lament that the roof on Rod Laver Arena has closed — “I like the heat — I thought it might be my time to shine,” she said.
Debbie Schipp 5.25pm : Osaka’s big break
This is one heck of a fight.
Naomi Osaka has brought Pliskova’s advance to an abrupt end, and leads 3-1.
The US Open champ is showing all her fighting class.
Down three break points in the second game of the decider, she saved each of them to break Pliskova’s run of three successive winning games — a massive hold of service.
Osaka then held her serve to make it 1-1, and in the third game, pounced.
She rapidly went three break points up to take the game, and has now held to lead 3-1.
Debbie Schipp 5.25pm: Set apiece and a scare for Osaka
It was only a matter of time.
Karolina Pliskova sent the semi-final to a decider set with a 6-4 second-set victory over Naomi Osaka.
It came off the back of a vital break in the final game of the set — something Pliskova had threatened two games before.
The first time, Osaka had the answers with two big forehands to stave off the break.
She couldn’t do it twice though: Pliskova, back to the wall, built her second set on the back of quicker, more aggressive tennis.
Debbie Schipp 5.05pm: Not so fast, Naomi
Karolina Pliskova isn’t going quietly — she wants an all-Czech final against Petra Kvitova.
Broken by Naomi Osaka in the opening game of the second set, Pliskova broke straight back to keep the set on serve.
She’s upped the intensity.
Both women have held serve since and it’s now 3-3.
Debbie Schipp 4.48pm: Hot enough for you, Rafa?
It might be a stinker out there, but that hasn’t stopped 17-time major winner Rafael Nadal getting the blood pumping ahead of his clash with Greek Freak Stefanos Tsitsipas tonight.
Nadal getting some hits in before a HUGE match tonight.
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 24, 2019
WATCH LIVE: @Channel9
FOLLOW LIVE: https://t.co/d5QpFbIguD #9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/bKJOikHK64
Debbie Schipp 4.43pm: First set Osaka’s
Naomi Osaka is just a set away from her second major final, taking the first set of her clash with Karolina Pliskova 6-2.
It’s all going the Japanese champ’s way right now — and she’s hit 16 winners to prove it.
Forehand on fire 🔥@Naomi_Osaka_
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
📹: @Channel9 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/zMn8Nlta6z
Debbie Schipp 4.40 pm: Osaka on fire
Naomi Osaka has secured her second break over Karolina Pliskova on the back of 13 winners — and is serving for the first set of the semi-final.
Osaka looks the sharper of the two players right now — understandable since she’s the player with the fresher legs.
Pliskova looks flat-footed, having had little time to recover after her dramatic win over Serena Williams yesterday — when saved four match points and came back from 5-1 down in the third set for a stunning victory.
4.35pm: Aussie through to doubles final
Late-blooming John Peers is just one win away from becoming the first Australian since the celebrated “Woodies” to claim multiple Australian Open men’s doubles titles.
The 12th-seeded pairing of Peers and Finland’s Henri Kontinen downed Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer and Joao Sousa from Portugal 6-1 7-6 (8-6) in the opening semi- final at Melbourne Park earlier today.
Their opponents in Sunday’s title match will be Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who will be chasing a doublescareer grand slam.
Peers and Kontinen also won the 2017 title at Melbourne Park — the first men’s doubles success by a local on home soil since Todd Woodbridge won his third Australian title in 2001.
The first two came alongside longtime partner Mark Woodforde and the third was with Swede Jonas Bjorkman. — AAP
Debbie Schipp 4.32pm: No respite
Glad that roof’s on …
The #AusOpen heat scale rating is currently sitting at 5.9... In other words, it's bloody hot. 🌞 #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/Xrpe3kKomE
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 4.30pm: Osaka v Pliskova
The battle to decide who takes on Petra Kvitova in the women’s final is underway, with Karolina Pliskova — who conquered Serena Williams earlier this week, taking on Japan’s Naomi Osaka — who famously conquered Williams to win the US Open.
The US Open champ has struck first in the clash between the two big-hitters, breaking Plsikova in the third to lead 2-1, with her service game to come.
Juchuuuuu I'm in the final of the @AustralianOpen 🤠pic.twitter.com/sYpIxipwqJ
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 3.50pm: ‘Are you going to make me cry again?’
She burst into tears in the wake of her win over Aussie favourite Ashleigh Barty on Tuesday night, but there were no tears from Petra Kvitova today as she stormed into to the final of the Australian Open.
“Are you going to make me cry again?” she asked Jim Courier as he interviewed her post match — referring to her reaction on Tuesday when Courier asked her about her triumphant return to tennis after being injured in a violent home invasion in 2016, when she required surgery on her left hand after a man put a knife to her throat.
Today, it was all smiles.
Admitting she was “happier than the fans when the roof closed” at 4-4 in the first set, she said the chance to raise the trophy “means everything”.
“The first set was tight for myself. I was very nervous. I couldn’t have a full swing and be relaxed. I’m really glad that came in the tiebreak and the second set,” she said.
“Actually, I think I was happier than the fans that the roof closed. I like to play indoors, so it really helped me, I think, a little bit. It doesn’t matter, it was kind of warm, but if it is open, I am still going to fight, so it doesn’t really matter.”
Petra Kvitova crashed out in the first round of #AusOpen 2018
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
One year later, she's in the final. pic.twitter.com/Kniowkytgf
Debbie Schipp 3.45pm: Kvitova into final
Petra Kvitova has won her way into her first Australian Open final with a straight sets win over young American Danielle Collins after Australian Open organisers enacted their extreme heat and stress polices in a city gripped by a heatwave.
The roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed midway through the first set of the semi-final, and play was suspended on out courts as temperatures soared towards 40C.
Kvitova kept her cool in the easier conditions, as Collins imploded.
After winning the first set in a tiebreak, Kvitova went on the attack, made no mistake in the second, ruthlessly breaking Collins three times to win 7-6 6-0.
It’s not all bad news for the unseeded and previously unheralded Collins — she set to rise from 35 in the world rankings to probably the mid-20s.
Meanwhile, says commentator Jim Courier, Kvitova could walk away from the Australian Open as world No.1.
“Whoever walks away with the title will have that spot,” he said.
Drop shot âž¡ï¸ lob âž¡ï¸ smash
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Brilliant point from @Petra_Kvitova #AusOpen | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/rnQ3iGkCrn
Debbie Schipp 3.21pm: Collins’ heated exchange
A frustrated Collins fires up at the umpire after being told to replay a point, then having her serve called out.
First she served an ace, but the net cord beeped and the chair umpire ordered the point be replayed.
“Every time I hit a good serve or win the point, it is something, s he says.
She serves again, the machine beeps, but the ball is called wide.
“You made me re-serve the point when I won it,” she says. “And now I hit the serve out and you are not giving me the same.”
It’s more about the loss of the first set than the point in dispute.
The umpire is Carlos Ramos — who presided over Serena Williams’ US Open meltdown.
Upset and angry, Collins is broken by Kvitova, who then quickly held serve to go 2-0 up.
Debbie Schipp 3.15pm: First blood to Kvitova
Petra Kvitova has prevailed in a tiebreak to take the first set of her women’s’ singles semi-final against
Kvitova blew Collins off the court to take the tiebreak 7-2.
Kvitova is enjoying kinder conditions now that the roof is closed on Rod Laver Arena, but previously unheralded Collins — tiebreak aside — is giving plenty of cheek, and, as is standard for the young American, making plenty of noise.
Temperatures in Melbourne have hit 49C.
Debbie Schipp 3.03pm: Cooler Kvitova
Kvitova looks more comfortable now — it took just six minutes to get that roof closed — and she’s set to get more so because the airconditioning has been cranked up.
Having the roof closed now also makes for perfect and ideal serving conditions, says commentator Samantha Smith.
“No wind, no sun. For a big server, you will get a lot of benefit still, if you have a big serve like Kvitova’s.”
She leads 6-5.
Debbie Schipp 2.47pm: Here comes the roof
The player heat stress level has hit 5 on Rod Laver Arena, and play suspended as the stadium roof is now being closed.
Collins isn’t overly happy but Kvitova will be delighted.
It’s 4-4 in the first.
Due to Extreme Heat Policy, the roof at @RodLaverArena will now be closed. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/j42fWERjpi
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 2.40pm: Kvitova breaks back
Petra Kvitova has broken Danielle Collins straight back to level first set scores at 3-3.
Collins seems more comfortable in the hot conditions — and according to Jim Courier, she should be.
“She comes from an area in the United States which is extraordinarily hot and humid in the American summer. Not sure that they face the same kind of extreme heat in the Czech Republic. Collins will be steeled to this,” the commentator says.
He’s from the same spot, but says “I didn’t enjoy it”.
Meanwhile, look who’s popped in to watch the semi-final: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, looking decidedly cool — with no less than Anna Wintour, who gave Margaret Court and PM Scott Morrison a serve over gay rights this morning.
Debbie Schipp 2.32pm: Kvitova, Collins into the fire
Petra Kvitova and Danielle Collins have started play in their semi-final on Rod Laver Arena, as temperatures soar.
Collins has seized an early break, and is on serve leading 3-2.
Most fans are keeping as much of an eye on the temperature as the tennis.
It’s the high 30s in the shade in Melbourne, and 38 degrees at Melbourne Park.
And even hotter than that on court.
The current ‘heat stress’ level is 4.8. if it hits 5, play will be suspended and they’ll close the roof.
Already the scale means there will be a ten-minute break between the second and third sets if players need it.
4.1 heat stress scale so 10 minute break between 2 & 3rd sets if either player wants it... I will need it courtside @espn @AustralianOpen Will we see 5.0 for a closed roof? pic.twitter.com/JHP32QrjlR
— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) January 24, 2019
Debbie Schipp 1.50pm: Here’s today’s big match-ups
Schedule of play for day 11:
Semi-finals ROD LAVER ARENA: 11am L Mayer/J Sousa v 12-H Kontinen/J Peers. Not before 2.00pm 8-P Kvitova v D Collins. Not before 3.30pm 7-Ka Pliskova v 4-N Osaka.
7.30pm 14-S Tsitsipas v 2-R Nadal, WC-A Sharma/J Smith v 2-N Melichar/B Soares.
MARGARET COURT ARENA: Not before 12.30pm 5-P Herbert/N Mahut v R Harrison/S Querrey, M Martinez Sanchez/N Skupski v 3-B Krejcikova/RRam
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