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Australian Open 2020 live: News, scores updates from Melbourne Park

Dominic Thiem has beaten Alexander Zverev in four sets and will meet Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final at the Australian Open.

Staff reporters
7 min read
5:15PMJanuary 31, 2020.
Updated 12:09AMFebruary 01, 2020
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Novak Djokovic says Australian tennis great Margaret Court has a right to voice her opinion, after she came under fire from John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova.
Novak Djokovic says Australian tennis great Margaret Court has a right to voice her opinion, after she came under fire from John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova.

Live coverage of Day 12 of the 2020 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev meet in a semi-final for the right to face Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s decider.

Top story: Novak Djokovic defends Margaret Court after Mac attack

Courtney Walsh 11:35pm: Thiem reaches Open final

Austrian star Dominic Thiem might just leave Melbourne a villain by the end of a superb Australian Open that continued when he defeated Alexander Zverev on Friday.

The German had pledged the entirety of the $4.1 million winner’s cheque to bushfire charities if he won the title but instead fell a match shy when beaten 3-6 6-4 7-6 (3) 7-6 (4) in 3hr 41m.

Thiem’s triumph puts him into his first Australian Open final.

The 26-year-old will now attempt to dethrone Novak Djokovic, who is the “King of Melbourne Park”, in Sunday’s final.

Twice a French Open finalist, Thiem has used his phenomenal power from the baseline to bludgeon rivals, including Rafael Nadal, into submission over the past fortnight.

He has managed to retain his form and focus despite an unusual situation which saw Austrian great Thomas Muster’s tenure as his co-coach end midway through the tournament.

In a semi-final of swinging momentum, it was Thiem who showed the most conviction in critical moments the longer the match progressed.

Once considered primarily a clay-court dynamo, the Austrian has worked hard to become an all-surface player.

The world No 5’s dedication to training and the increased power he possesses is paying dividends.

Thiem claimed a significant hard court title at Indian Wells last March and is now just an upset away from winning a maiden grand slam on the surface.

He will fancy his hopes of beating Djokovic, who is aiming for an eighth Australian Open title on Sunday.

At their most recent meeting in the ATP Tour Finals in London in November, Thiem edged Djokovic in a deciding tiebreaker.

He has won five of his 11 clashes against the Serbian superstar, but Djokovic is unbeaten in seven previous Australian Open finals.

After a slow start to the semi-final, the Austrian made his move in the second set against a German he considers his friend.

The semi-final came alive with two magnificent points in succession as Thiem was trying to level while serving out the second set at 5-4.

On the first, the Austrian thumped a smash into the court, only to watch in disbelief as Zverev was able to return it with interest from metres behind the court for a winner.

Their exchange at the net on the following point was also superb, with the rally an example of the quickest of hands and reflexes.

On this occasion, it was the Austrian who emerged successful. While he was forced to work overtime to hold serve, he ultimately prevailed to level the semi-final.

On a chaotic day in Melbourne, the match was halted for a second time when some lights failed early in the third set following an earlier break due to rain, which forced the closure of the roof.

The third set encapsulated the semi-final at large in terms of momentum swings and a tiebreaker ensued.

It was Thiem’s touch at the net, rather than his blistering backhand from the baseline, which gave him the opening point and ascendancy as he grabbed the lead heading into the fourth.

It, too, proved extremely tight but similarly to the third set tiebreaker, the Austrian showed greater poise and power to prevail.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 10:45pm: Thiem edges ahead of Zverev

A set plagued by breaks did nothing to interrupt Thiem’s rhythm who played very assertively to take the third set 7-6 and edge ahead two sets to one against Zverev.

Even though he didn’t win the point, a committed dive into a forehand demonstrates just how hard the Austrian is trying.

The length of the match is beginning to drag on Zverev, who served what he thought was an ace only for it to be called out.

With no challenges remaining, the German pleaded with the umpire to no avail - but then served a clean ace, won the following point and let out a victory yell that landed him with a verbal abuse warning.

Australian Dylan Alcott has made it through to the final of the quad wheelchair men’s singles.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 9.20pm: Thiem levels it at a set apiece

Thiem has made a solid comeback, taking the second set 6-4.

It was well-earned with Thiem surviving a break point and two deuces before claiming the set.

Thiem was able to win the set in spite of this amazing shot from Zverev:

Now it stands at one set each.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 8.45pm: Under a closed roof, Zverev closes in

Battling it out under a now closed roof at the Rod Laver Arena, Zverev has claimed the first set 6-3 in 40 minutes.

His performance was strong, hitting 90 per cent of his first serves to Thiem’s 52 per cent.

He is now just two sets away from the final playoff against Djokovic.

Lachlan Moffet Gray 7.30pm: Babos, Mladenovic claim women’s doubles title

Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic have won their third women’s doubles championship as a pair beating out Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova 6-2 6-1.

Now Austrian No 5 seed Dominic Thiem and German No 7 seed Alexander Zverev will battle for the right to face Novak Djokovic in the final.

5pm: Hot work

With the temperature soaring to 43C, the mixed doubles semi-finals have been played under a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena, AP reports. The Australian Open’s “heat stress reading” reached a maximum level of 5.

In addition to shutting the main stadium’s roof, tournament officials postponed the start of play for junior and wheelchair competition because those were scheduled for smaller courts that do not have a retractable roof.

A brief rain shower in the afternoon helped lower the temperature to about 40C.

— AP

4pm: Blast from the past

Footage from 2005 has resurfaced that shows a six-year-old Sofia Kenin doing the rounds at a tournament with her hero, former Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters. Kenin, who was identified as a tennis prodigy not long after she started playing, looks at home meeting former world No.1 Andy Roddick during her guest appearance.

2pm: First final looms

Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev will vie to reach their first Australian Open final on Friday after shocking the old guard to reach the Melbourne semis, AFP reports.

Austria’s Thiem, 26, beat world No.1 Rafael Nadal in three tight sets, and 22-year-old Zverev of Germany ousted 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka as they struck a blow for the younger generation.

The winner will face Novak Djokovic, after the 16-time grand slam winner ousted an ailing Roger Federer to reach his eighth Melbourne final — after winning all seven he has played before.

Tennis’s Big Three — Nadal, Federer and Djokovic — have won all but one of the last 14 Australian Open titles, but Thiem and Zverev now have a chance to upset the established order.

Thiem said the close friends know each other’s games inside-out after spending years on the tennis circuit together. The Austrian holds a 6-2 advantage in their head-to-head.

— AFP

Dominic Thiem during his win over Rafael Nadal. Picture: AFP
Dominic Thiem during his win over Rafael Nadal. Picture: AFP

12pm: Djokovic backs Court after Mac attack

Novak Djokovic had just reached a record eighth Australian Open final when he was asked why it seemed to be only long-retired players who were leading the campaign to have Margaret Court Arena renamed, AP reports.

It has been a contentious issue at Melbourne Park because of Court’s controversial comments on homosexuality and gay marriage. Djokovic chose his words carefully.

John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova this week unfurled a sign on the court asking it to be renamed in honour of Evonne Goolagong. They later apologised for breaching tournament protocol, but not for their campaign.

John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova stage their protest aimed at Margaret Court. Picture: Twitter
John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova stage their protest aimed at Margaret Court. Picture: Twitter

Djokovic said he had seen the photo of McEnroe and Navratilova with the banner but wasn’t well-enough informed about their protest to make a judgment.

He also said he understood that people were hurt by comments from the 77-year-old Court, who became a religious minister after winning an all-time record 24 grand slam singles titles.

“Margaret is a huge champion, a tennis hero in Australia, and also around the world. One of the most important tennis players in the history of women’s game,” Djokovic said.

“Of course, when she says something like that, it has a huge impact. I don’t support ... what she said. I don’t think it was the right thing to say.

“But she probably has her reasons and we have to respect that she has a difference in opinion. That’s all there is to it.”

Djokovic comments on the Margaret Court controversy

‘Comments cross the line’

McEnroe on Thursday used a TV appearance to take another shot at Court over her religious beliefs.

But McEnroe used an appearance on Channel 9’s Today show to double down on his opposition to Court’s conservative views.

“What she said in the past, her comments, to me go over the line of what should be acceptable, in my opinion,” McEnroe said.

When asked if he had a message for Court, he said: “I would say to Margaret that ‘you are a tremendous champion. You should be perfectly entitled to your beliefs’.

“But I would say that (she needs) a little bit more understanding about each and every person’s, you know, the way they live their lives.

“You know, I grew up a Catholic and went to church every week and it was all about guilt. You know, it just made – you know, it made me the way I was.

“It’s not easy. So we all have to be more tolerant. You know, there are some things written thousands of years ago, maybe we can take it with a grain of salt. I can take it with a grain of salt. I can’t remember yesterday.”

— AP

Read related topics:Australian Open TennisFreedom Of Speech

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2020-live-news-scores-updates-from-melbourne-park/news-story/080c24b24bb4eadb0a7dcdfd59aa33b1