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Australian Open 2021 day 8 live: Ash Barty storms into quarter-finals

The world No 1 produces a professional performance to power through American Shelby Rogers in straight sets.

Courtney Walsh and Adrian McMurray
8 min read
2:50PMFebruary 15, 2021.
Updated 8:46PMFebruary 15, 2021

Welcome to our rolling coverage of day eight of the 2021 Australian Open from Melbourne Park. Follow the latest below.

Courtney Walsh 8.38pm: Barty surges into Open quarters

Ash Barty has produced a stellar tactical performance against powerful American Shelby Rogers to book a spot in the Australian Open quarter-finals for the third straight year.

Pitted against a talented rival who had tested the world No 1 in a lead-in event earlier this month, the Australian was a convincing 6-3 6-4 winner in her best performance for the tournament.

That is saying something given Barty did not drop a game in her opening round win over Danka Kovinic, but Rogers presented a far greater challenge given her recent form and big weapons.

The 28-year-old, who hails from Mt Pleasant in South Carolina, had reached a quarter-final at the US Open just four months ago but she was outclassed by the brilliance of Barty despite a late rally.

Dual-Australian Open champion Jim Courier, in commentary, described the effort of the Australian as a “tactical masterclass”.

Rogers is named after American motor racing great Carroll Shelby. She thumps the ball hard and fast, with her foot on the accelerator whenever in control of a rally.

She had been a key member in an American side that enjoyed Fed Cup success, reached the quarter-finals of the French Open back in 2016 and looked like a rising star before badly injuring a knee.

Read the full story here.

Adrian McMurray 8.28pm: Barty storms into quarter-finals

Ash Barty moves to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, defeating Shelby Rogers 6-3 6-4 in 1hr 11min. A professional performance from the world No 1.

There was a bit of a stumble from Barty towards the end when she dropped three straight games, but she’s into the quarters for the third consecutive year.

“It’s really exciting to be through to another quarter-final,” she says post-match.

“I think if you would have told me a few months ago this is the start to the year we’d have, we’d take it with a massive smile on our face. We come out, have fun. I just love being at home.”

Meanwhile Muchova is also through to the quarters, after coming back from 1-4 down in the first to beat Mertens 7-6(5) 7-5.

Adrian McMurray 8.23pm: Rogers fights on

Rogers holds! She’s not doing down without a fight. Barty again serving for the match at 5-4.

Adrian McMurray 8.19pm: Rogers clings on

Not just yet for Barty! Rogers is making her work for this victory with a break of her own. The Australian still leads, 5-3.

Adrian McMurray 8.14pm: Barty to serve for the match

Rogers shows us what she’s capable of with a powerful forehand winner, but those have been few and far between tonight for the American. A pair of forced errors from Barty allows Rogers to survive … for now. Barty serving for the match at 5-2.

Adrian McMurray 8.09pm: Barty nears victory

Another hold for Barty … and another break! The world No 1 holds again, 5-1 up, Rogers serving to save the match. Barty’s tearing through this, clearly she doesn’t want to spend that long out there. The broadcasters might be not so pleased!

Adrian McMurray 7.52pm: Barty pushes ahead

Both players hold to begin the second set. Barty finishes off her service game with a nice disguised backhand winner down the line that fooled Rogers.

And it’s Barty who secures the break. She’s on serve, up a set and 2-1 in front. Unforced errors are hurting Rogers.

Adrian McMurray 7.47pm: Barty takes first set

Quick hold for Rogers, but Barty serves out the set just as quickly. The world No 1 takes the first 6-3 in 29 minutes.

Adrian McMurray 7.42pm: Rogers puts the pressure on

The pair trade quickfire holds, Barty’s lead at 4-2.

On the next Barty service game, Rogers has her worried. The Australian battles through three deuces to hold in nearly five-and-a-half minutes.

This match feels a lot closer now than perhaps the scoreline suggests.

Adrian McMurray 7.26pm: Barty gets the early break

Barty has taken an early break against Rogers, moving to 3-1 in the first set. The big serving American doesn’t look like she’s going to roll over here, but Barty got the break after an exciting rally that lasted 18 shots.

Meanwhile on Margaret Court Arena Muchova has come back from 1-4 to take the first set in a tie-break 7-6(5). She leads Mertens 2-1 in the second set.

Adrian McMurray 7.10pm: In-form star out with injury

Ninth seed Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from his fourth round match with Stefanos Tsitsipas due to an abdominal injury.

Matteo Berrettini. Picture: Michael Klein
Matteo Berrettini. Picture: Michael Klein

Berrettini says he is in a good place with his game and off the court, but he wasn’t able to take to the court tonight.

“I’m really sorry to say I got injured in the last match I played,” he tells Nine’s Todd Woodbridge.

“I thought it wasn’t something really big, but the next day when I woke up I felt it was big so I spoke to the doctors and they told me it can get worse so not worth the try.

“I’m not a hundred per cent, so to beat this guy, you have to be a hundred per cent and (it’s) not really professional to step in when not the best.

“I couldn’t play. I really tried hard, but unfortunately I’m not able to play tonight.

“I was really feeling well. Not just tennis-wise but everything.

“The ATP (Cup) was great, playing good, I enjoy the atmosphere even though I experience the lockdown as well. It’s just bad luck. … I don’t know why, what’s the explanation, but I was feeling some pain. All my game. I couldn’t play. I really tried hard, but unfortunately I’m not able to play tonight.”

Tsitsipas progresses to the quarter-finals via a walkover. His next opponent? None other than Rafa Nadal.

Adrian McMurray 6.29pm: Mertens makes hot start

Fair old start for Elise Mertens in her match with Karolina Muchova on Margaret Court Arena. A double break in the first has the 18th seed up 4-1 after just 18 minutes.

Barty-Rogers is just over 30 minutes away.

Adrian McMurray 5.42pm: Nadal through to quarter-finals

That’s it! Nadal has done it comfortably in the third, beating Fognini 6-3 6-4 6-2.

He doesn’t seem to be troubled by that back injury at the moment, which bodes well for the pointy end of the tournament. He’s yet to drop a set this tournament, and this will be his 13th quarter-final at Melbourne Park.

Meanwhile, check out this Ash Barty mural. Sadly tennis fans won’t be able to see it up close for a while, but that’s pretty slick.

Adrian McMurray 5.04pm: Nadal 2-0 up but history on Fognini’s side?

Nadal closes out the set in style, winning it to love. The 2009 champion takes a two-set lead, 6-3 6-4. It hasn’t been all Nadal’s way, we’ve been going 1hr 38min so far.

History is on Fognini’s side (in a way): this is the exact scoreline after two sets when Fognini overturned a two-set deficit to upset Nadal at the 2015 US Open 3-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4. Can he claw it back from here, again?

Adrian McMurray 4.59pm: Frustration on centre court

Things aren’t going all the way of Nadal in the second set.

Fognini took the break to go up 4-2, but Nadal broke right back and held to get it back to 4-all.

It’s now Fognini who’s frustrated, given a code violation for hitting the ball high into the (empty) stands. Nadal breaks again and is one game away from taking a two-set lead, 5-4.

Adrian McMurray 4.20pm: Nadal up, Ruud retires

Nadal is well on top against Fognini. The Spanish champion took the first set 6-3 in 46 minutes.

Meanwhile Ruud has retired, packing it in after losing the second set tie-breaker to Rublev. The seventh seed was up 6-2 7-6(3) when Ruud pulled the pin. It’s not clear as to what injury was troubling him, we’ll likely learn more soon.

So Rublev will face Medvedev in the quarters! That’ll be some contest between the Russian pair.

Adrian McMurray 3.47pm: Nadal in action

Nadal and Fognini are on Rod Laver Arena now in the fourth round match.

The second seed got the early break and raced to a 3-0 lead, only for Fognini to snare a break of his own and get the match back on serve, 3-2 Nadal’s way.

Meanwhile Rublev has taken the first set 6-2 over Ruud.

Rafael Nadal. Picture: Getty Images
Rafael Nadal. Picture: Getty Images

Adrian McMurray 3.15pm: ‘Bring it Jess’: Brady’s message ahead of QF

Jennifer Brady has moved into the quarter-finals, beating Donna Vekic 6-1 7-5 to set up an all-American clash with Pegula.

Earlier, Pegula left a message for Brady when she signed the broadcast camera lens following her win over Svitolina.

“Hi mom, hi dad! See u nxt rnd Jen B,” she wrote, signing off with a smiley face.

Well, Brady left a message of her own.

“Bring it Jess,” she wrote with a smiley of her own.

Nice to see the fellow Americans having some fun with this!

Adrian McMurray 3.06pm: Medvedev surges to quarter-finals

Daniil Medvedev is well and truly in the title picture following his 90-minute demolition job to progress to the quarter-finals.

The fourth seed swept aside Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 6-2 6-3. He didn’t have it all his own way in the first set but went on with it from there.

Daniil Medvedev. Picture: AFP
Daniil Medvedev. Picture: AFP

Medvedev could face fellow Russian and seventh seed Andrey Rublev in the quarters. He’s on court now against Norway’s Casper Ruud, up a break 2-1 in the first.

Emily Benammar 2.30pm: Star whose family outbid Trump into quarters

By far and away one of the greatest pieces of pub trivia knowledge to come out of the Australian Open is: which grand slam player’s parents beat Donald Trump and Jon Bon Jovi to purchase an NFL franchise?

Answer: Jessica Pegula.

Her parents own NFL franchise the Buffalo Bills, while they also own NHL side the Buffalo Sabres.

Jessica Pegula. Picture: Getty Images
Jessica Pegula. Picture: Getty Images

She’s upset fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-4 3-6 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals.

Turns out Pegula’s family are worth a cool $5 billion, but she wants to make her own way on the tour.

Proving her talent, this past seven days she has beaten Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, Kristina Mladenovic. and now Svitolina.

Having spent much of her youth distancing herself from the family fortune and fame, she’s learnt to love it.

“When I was younger, it was more like I wanted to make a name for myself and then I realised as I got older, I should embrace the whole family aspect of it instead,” she said.

“It was almost hurting me in a way because it wasn’t going to go away and I learned to embrace that, kind of have fun with it.

“Obviously I still do like to keep things separate at times.

“Tennis is like my thing, it’s my job, it’s my career. It’s very separate and my parents don’t really have any say right now in anything I do on the court.”

Courtney Walsh 2.15pm: Barty wary of Shelby Rogers’ power game

Ash Barty will need to deploy every facet of her renowned court craft to defuse the threat posed by powerful American Shelby Rogers at Melbourne Park on Monday.

The world No 1 has beaten Rogers, a US Open quarter-finalist in September, in their two prior outings, which both have been played in Melbourne.

Ash Barty. Picture: Michael Klein
Ash Barty. Picture: Michael Klein

But their clash in a semi-final of the Yarra Valley Classic last week was particularly tight, with the Australian forced on to the back foot in the second by the ferocity shown by Rogers.

After that triumph on the way to winning a ninth WTA Tour title, the Australian noted her rival has “the ability to hit you off the court”.

The clash on Rod Laver Arena on Monday night pits a masterful server against the woman possessing the most effective returning skills to date in this Australian Open.

Read the full story here.

Read related topics:Australian Open Tennis

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2021-day-8-live-jessica-pegula-whose-family-beat-donald-trump-to-nfl-franchise-into-quarters/news-story/d238dd9c4d1a7d3250a6a958762d6b7e