Australian Open Day 10: Roger Federer routs Berdych, Tennys Sandgren unloads over Twitter storm; Hyeon Chung, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep win
Roger Federer was flawless as he routed Tomas Berdych in straight sets to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
Thanks for joining us for day 10 of the Australian Open from Melbourne Park. As Roger Federer and Hyeon Chung booked a semi-final showdown as did Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber.
Key events
• US player Tennys Sandgren’s views have caused a stir
• Serena Williams has taken a shot at Sandgren via Twitter
• Angelique Kerber moves closer to a repeat singles win
11pm: A day for young and old
It was a day for old and new generations at the Australian Open as 21-year-old Hyeon Chung made history for South Korea by becoming the first Korean man to make a grand slam semi-final.
Standing in the way of his success will be 36-year-old legend Roger Federer who routed Tomas Berdych 7-6 6-3 6-4. The two will clash on Friday night.
In the women’s Angelique Kerber thrashed an error-prone Madison Keys 6-1 6-2 and booked a date with world No.1 Simona Halep in the semis after the Romanian beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-2.
It leaves an interesting schedule for Thursday with both women’s semis to be played and one men’s semi-final
THURSDAY MATCHES
Elise Mertens (BEL) v 2 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) - Wozniacki leads H2H 1-0
1 Simona Halep (ROU) v 21 Angelique Kerber (GER) - H2H tied at 4-4
6 Marin Cilic (CRO) v Kyle Edmund (GBR) - Cilic leads H2H 1-0
10.30pm: Chung reminds Federer of Djokovic
Roger Federer has paid Hyeon Chung the ultimate compliment, comparing Chung to his idol.
“He reminds me a lot of Novak (Djokovic) the way he goes forward and backwards,” Federer said.
“I”m keen to play against him. He has nothing to lose. I will tell myself the same and see what happens.”
10.05pm: Roger ridicules himself in fashion chat
Fresh from reaching the Australian Open semi-finals for a 14th time, Roger Federer has turned fashion critic tonight.
Federer, who defeated Tomas Berdych 7-6 (1) 6-3 6-4, sports a picture of Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station on his shoes.
It is an image he opted for when unable to use the picture of the Sir Norman Brookes Challenge Cup he has won five times as Australian Open champion.
And it is a practice he does regularly at major tournaments around the globe.
“I think storytelling is really important in sports. And actually, we put the station on there because we are not allowed to put the trophy on there. There you have it,” Federer said.
“I like the station better. At Wimbledon, we put other stuff on it. Honestly, it is great. I think it is better than the trophy, even though Norman (the Australian Open trophy) is nice too.”
Federer was quizzed as to why he had never sported the sleeveless look of his friend and rival Rafael Nadal, who was today cleared of major injury following his retirement against Marin Cilic last night.
“That is not going to happen. You know why? My arms are not like his arms. It is pretty simple,” he said.
“I do love his look. This was the Rafa I knew when he was coming up.”
He also revealed Nike offered him the capi pants Nadal made famous first but he rejected them after some ridicule from fellow pros.
“I rememeber when he was coming up Nike was giving me those capi pants to try and I came out and all the players were like ‘what are these things’ and I realised I cannot make these work for me.”
Federer, who is yet to drop a set this Australian Open, plays emerging Korean star Hyeon Chung for a spot in his seventh final in Melbourne.
9.45pm: Roger romps into semis
Tomas Berdych must be wondering what just happened? The tall Czech played some brilliant tennis but got routed in straight sets by ageless showman Roger Federer 7-6 6-3 6-4.
The two traded breaks early in the third set. Federer went up 2-1 but Berdych broke back immediately to keep his hopes alive but when Federer got another break he may have also broken the spirit of the Czech, who appeared slightly hampered due to a back issue.
To his eternal credit Berdych never gave up but Federer was simply too good on the night as he booked a semi-final showdown with Korean surprise packet Hyeon Chung.
Federer admitted hengot lucky in the first set and chided himself for his ange at umpire Fergus Murphy.
“I hung around, got a bit lucky, a bit angry, a bit furstared maybe at the umpire but I thought the call was good anyway, probably he was right anyway taking the call away. I was just a bit frustrated and a bit antsy,” Federer said.
“I am happy I got away with that first set it was key in the match. I stole that one a little bit.”
When he beat Berdych last year Federer said the third round win on Rod Laver Arena was a turning point, this year he prefers being favourite though and injury-free.
“In a way I prefer it this way... I wake up in the morning and walk in normally whereas last year I woke up and it was my back or leg and there was pain but that match against Berdych last year was the turning point for me.
“Last year I won a couple of slams (after that) so it’s a little different to last year when I hadn’t won one for four and a half years.”
9.05pm: Berdych off for treatment as Fed extends
Federer has just ripped through the second set, showing no sign of repeating his slow start to the first.
The Swiss star now leads 7-6 6-3 and Berdych must be bordering on boiling over.
After the Czech star blew the first set Federer took advantage of the one break point he had in the second, to nail the Czech to the wall.
And just to make it look a little bleaker for Berdych he’s never taken a set off Federer when the Swiss has gone up two sets to love.
Berdych has left the court with the physio at the end of the set.
8.15pm: Roger feels rorted by umpire
If there’s one thing Roger Federer is far from great at it’s challenging.
In fact the Swiss star is notoriously bad at it but he was right to feel aggrieved in the opening set of his quarter-final with Tomas Berdych.
Trailing 5-3 with Berdych serving for the set and with two break back points, Federer challenged a call, only to be told Hawkeye had failed to capture the image and as such the call on court stood.
Then chair umpire Fergus Murphy managed to utter “Mr Federer has zero challenges remaining,” saying that alhough the technology was unavailble Federer had lost his challenge.
Words that set the Swiss into what is these days a rare argument with the chair.
“What if it happens again, do I lose another challenge. Do you feel comfortable doing this?” Federer asked.
“It’s your call, your’e the umpire.”
Federer, visibly angry continued to chip away at the chair sarcastically before taking the set to a tiebreak and winning it 7-1 to put Berdych on the back foot.
7.20pm: Tearful Sam Groth exits tennis with Q/F loss
One of Sam Groth’s Babolat’s has seen better days. As the Aussie double-faulted to give Cabal and Farah a 6-5 lead he obliterated a frame on the court and headed to the change of ends.
.@SamGrothTennis/@LleytonHewitt are done 6-5 in the second set!
â #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018
Tension is palpable! ð¬#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/VXM43yb2uw
Cabal and Farah served it out for a 6-4 7-5 victory and will face the Bryan brothers in the semi-finals.
Groth, he of the fastest serve ever recorded, was the man broken twice as he and good mate Lleyton Hewitt bowed out of the Australian Open. For Groth that’s a wrap on his career but for Hewitt, who knows? The Davis Cup captain played so well it was suggested he might like to play some big tournaments his year.
“Thanks to Lleyton for coming out here and playing with me,” Groth said. “Obviously it’s not the way we wanted to go out,” he added before the tears flowed from the big man.
Hewitt said his Davis Cup days as a player were definitely over before he paid tribute to Groth.
“Playing in front of great home crowds on big courts like this is what you really miss and the adrenalin rush we get when we come out here to put a show on for you guys is what we miss,” Hewitt said.
“We’ve had our time in Davis Cup. We played some big matches together... he wears his heart on his sleeve and for me to play with him in his last event was pretty special.”
6.40pm: Hewitt/Groth down a set
Australian veterans Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth will have to rally if they are to win their men’s doubles quarter-final after dropping the first set to Colombian 11th seeds Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
The Colombians broke Groth in the opening game of the match and held their nerve as the Australians pushed but were unable to break back.
Hewitt in particular has been impressive, hitting some huge return of serve winners, while Groth has been erratic at times, with his groundstrokes letting him down on crucial points.
Will Swanton 5.30pm: Sandgren unloads
US men’s player Tennys Sandgren capped an eventful tournament with a shot at his critics after a straight-sets loss to Hyeon Chung in their quarter-final.
Sandgren walked into his press conference and read the following statement. He refused to take questions on the subject of his controversial Twitter account.
“You seek to put people in these little boxes so that you can order the world in your already assumed preconceived ideas,” he told reporters at Melbourne Park. “You strip away any individuality for the sake of demonising by way of the collective. With a handful of follows and some likes on Twitter, my fate has been sealed in your minds. To write an edgy story, to create sensationalist coverage, there are few lengths you wouldn’t go to to mark me as the man you desperately want me to be.
“You would rather perpetuate propaganda machines instead of researching information from a host of angles and perspectives while being willing to learn, change, and grow. You dehumanise with pen and paper and turn neighbour against neighbour.
“In so doing, you may actually find you’re hastening the hell you wish to avoid, the hell we all wish to avoid. It is my firm belief that the highest value must be placed on the virtue of each individual, regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
“It’s my job to continue on this journey with the goal of becoming the best me I can. I’ll take questions about the match.”
And then someone asked, what happened to your first serve today?
5.20pm: Top seed through
Simona Halep is a step closer to a first major win after taking down sixth seed Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-2 in 1hr 12min on Rod Laver Arena. She will now play 2016 champion Angelique Kerber for a place in Saturday’s final.
4.50pm: Simona strikes back
Top seed Simona Halep is on course to win her quarter-final after claiming the first 6-3 over sixth seed Karolina Pliskova. Halep digs herself out of a 3-0 hole, rattling off six straight games to take it.
4.30pm: Rafa injury revealed
World No.1 Rafael Nadal faces three weeks out after being diagnosed with a torn inner hip muscle during his quarter-final defeat, his management says.
The 16-time grand slam champion had a scan in a Melbourne hospital after he retired early in the fifth set of his match with Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
“The MRI (scan) showed a grade one injury of his illiopsoas on his right leg,” his management said in a statement. “He will be resting over the next days once back in Spain and will start with anti-inflammatory physiotherapy.
“He will start his rehabilitation and pre-adaptation process to the tennis court in two weeks, starting progressively his training and practice.”
The Nadal team said the Spanish star was expected to be fully recovered in three weeks and could resume playing in Acapulco late next month.
4pm: Chung takes the mic
South Korean Hyeon Chung has entertained the crowd after his history-making efforts on Rod Laver Arena, as he introduced his family and entourage to the public.
After becoming the first Korean to advance to a grand slam semi-final, the 21-year-old spoke on court to two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier.
“I’m just trying to stay focused, it’s my first time in one of these matches,” he said. Asked who he wanted to face in the semi-final, Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych, Chung replied diplomatically with a smile: “It’s 50-50.”
Chung then pointed out his coach, brother, parents and friends from home as Courier asked who was supporting him in the player’s box.
“The Professor”, as he is known, then took the microphone and spoke in his native tongue to fans in the crowd and at home.
Many there may not have understood a word, but they made it clear the rising star was now a major force in the popularity stakes.
3.34pm: Slice of history
Hyeon Chung becomes the first Korean to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam event by completing a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 win over Tennys Sandgren in 2hr 28min. He will now face the winner of the Roger Federer-Tomas Berdych showdown for a place in the final.
3.30pm: Lleyton turns to de Minaur
Our Aussie @DavisCup team v Germany @NickKyrgios @alexdeminaur @jordanthommmo2 @johnhmillman @johnwpeers #OneTeamOneGoal #TeamAustralia ð¦ðº pic.twitter.com/io2v5cZcP8
â Lleyton Hewitt (@lleytonhewitt) January 24, 2018
3pm: Sandgren slips up
Tennys Sandgren faces a tall order to get back into this match after falling behind two sets to love against Hyeon Chung 6-4 7-6 (7-5). The pair trade breaks early in the set before Sandgren gets the upper hand, reeling off three games in a row. He serves for the set at 5-3 but Chung breaks the American and it’s settled in a tiebreak.
"Are you not entertained?!" ð#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/k8mcUGN8OD
â #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018
2.20pm: Serena strikes back?
Serena Williams looks to have tweeted out a smackdown to compatriot Tennys Sandgren, as it emerges that he insulted the 23-time grand slam champion in 2015.
A now-deleted tweet, which contained just the word “disgusting” and pictures of Williams, linked to a video where she appeared to swear at an opponent during a match.
Williams appears to have returned serve today with a tweet sent just after Sandgren took the court against Hyeon Chung in their quarter-final ...
Turns channel
â Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 24, 2018
Some of Serena’s 10.5 million followers took it as a shot at Sandgren, who has deleted years worth of tweets after backlash over some of his activity.
The unheralded American, a devout Christian, has been forced to defend his political views and his seeming support of the alt-right movement in the US.
1.55pm: Chung in charge
Hyeon Chung takes the first set against Tennys Sandgren 6-4 in 38 minutes. The South Korean gets a break of serve in the third game, and that’s enough to secure the early advantage against the American.
Chung dominates on his own serve, getting 85 per cent in and winning 78 per cent of those deliveries.
1.25pm: The grand master
We hope this bloke gets a free seat at the arena named in his honour. Even the players join in the applause as Rod Laver is introduced to the crowd.
1pm: ‘People have the right to opinions’
Newly-minted star Tennys Sandgren has wiped his Twitter account to create a “clean start” after a backlash over his political views and links to right-wing activists, AFP writes.
The unheralded American, a devout Christian, came from nowhere to make the Australian Open quarter-finals, and it has brought increased scrutiny of his life.
That included his political views and his seeming support of the alt-right movement in the United States.
Among his tweets was one where Sandgren appeared to back a debunked online conspiracy in 2016 which linked Hillary Clinton to a supposed child sex abuse ring at a Washington pizzeria.
He also retweeted a video from white nationalist Nicholas Fuentes. After facing a backlash, he decided to wipe the slate clean, deleting years of social media postings.
“Some things are being said about me that are untrue and not particularly fair,” he told broadcaster ESPN in an interview late Tuesday.
“People have the right to voice those opinions and to say what they think, but I think my persona and my character speak for themselves. I’m comfortable with the person that I am.” In a bid to douse the fire, he said: “I put a program on that just deletes all the tweets.
“It’s not something I’m really embarrassed about, but I just felt like creating a cleaner start is not a bad call. I thought it wouldn’t be a bad way to move forward.”
He denied that he supported far-right figures and said who he followed on Twitter “doesn’t matter”.
“I don’t. I don’t (support them). I find some of the content interesting,” he said of the controversial figures.
“But no, I don’t, not at all. As a firm Christian, I don’t support things like that, no. I support Christ and following him.”
Sandgren, from Gallatin in Tennessee, is only the second man in the last 20 years to make the Australian Open quarter-finals on his debut.
Amazingly, the 26-year-old missed out on qualifying in the last four years to reach the main draw in Melbourne.
He has conquered former winner Stan Wawrinka and fifth seed Dominic Thiem and has a clash with South Korean giantkiller Chung Hyeon, who knocked out six-time champion Novak Djokovic, later Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals.
12.30pm: ‘ So many great memories here’
Angelique Kerber has routed Madison Keys to sweep into the Australian Open semi-finals.
The 2016 Champion was dominant from the opening game against Keys, who wilted after failing to grasp a couple of early chances to stay with the German.
Kerber needed just 51 minutes to thrash the American 6-1 6-2. She awaits the winner of a quarterfinal later today between Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova.
Kerber suffered a significant let-down last year after a stunning 2016 in which she won the Australian and US Opens and claimed the world’s top ranking.
But she has been in brilliant form this year under new coach Wim Fissette.
She is yet to lose a match at the Hopman Cup, the Sydney International and now the Australian Open, with her winning streak standing at 14.
“I love Rod Laver Arena. I love playing here. It brings back so many great memories,” she said. “I am really enjoying me tennis right now. I am really enjoying being on court.”
Keys, 22, has much to ponder. Powerful and athletic, she boasts the potential to win multiple major titles.
But she played without purpose when badly beaten in the US Open final last September by Sloane Stephens and again looked confused in a significant match yesterday.
The head to head favoured Kerber 6-1 heading into the quarterfinal, but Keys was considered a legitimate threat given her form.
Kerber said she was mindful of the threat posed by Keys, who is coached by 2000 Australian Open Champion Lindsay Davenport.
“It is always tough playing against Madison,” Kerber said. “She is hitting the ball so hard and her serve is really fast. I just tried to play my game. I was not thinking a lot about errors or winners.”
12.05pm: Kerber through
It’s all over. Angelique Kerber, the 21 seed, steamrolls Madison Keys 6-1 6-2 in just 51 minutes to advance to the semi-finals.
11.40am: Former champ cruising
This may not take long. Angelique Kerber makes a stunning start against Madison Keys, breaking the American’s serve three times as she pockets the first set 6-1 in just 22 minutes.
Keys has a decent first-serve percentage (74) but it makes little difference, as she wins just 41 per cent of these offerings.
She just doesn’t seem to be in this match at all.
11.05am: Ready to roll
Former champion Angelique Kerber and US Open finalist Madison Keys are heading on court for their quarter-final showdown.
ðºð¸ð©ðª#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/1B2mm0mbsA
â #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018
10.30am: In case you missed it ...
In a match that started late and finished early — as in the early hours of this morning — second seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced with a three-set win over Carla Suarez Navarro.
Wozniacki jumped the unseeded Spaniard early then lost her way in the second set before closing out a 6-0 6-7 (7-3) 6-2 win. The Danish star spurned the opportunity to wrap up the match in the second set when she failed to capitalise on a match point, AAP reports.
“I was unlucky not to get that match point to close it out, which was frustrating,” Wozniacki said. “But I just had to get myself together and stay a bit closer to the baseline in the third set.
“I felt like I had a little bit more energy than she did in the end.”
The match started just after 11.30pm local time and didn’t finish until after 1.30am.
Wozniacki was still speaking to reporters an hour after that but she had no issue with the scheduling of the match that followed the Rafael Nadal-Marin Cilic quarter-final.
The 27-year-old said she has treated every match at Melbourne Park as a plus since she staved off two match points to come from 1-5 down in the third set in her second-round encounter with little-known Croatian Jana Fett. She will attempt to banish the demons of her previous visit to the semi-finals at the Australian Open in 2011.
“Last time I was in the semi-finals here I had match points against Li Na and lost it - that’s still haunting me to this day,” she said.
“I usually forget matches and I don’t remember playing certain people. I don’t remember a lot of things, but that one is one that I remember very well.”
Wozniacki will play unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens for a place in the final. Playing for the first time in the Open, the unseeded Mertens made her maiden grand slam semi-final by shocking world No.4 Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-0 on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.
Svitolina was a pre-tournament title favourite, having won nine matches straight to open her summer, and was in line to take over the world No.1 ranking with success at Melbourne Park.
Ranked outside the top 100 12 months ago, Mertens said she wouldn’t have believed it if told pre-tournament that a final-four berth was hers. “I’d laugh a little bit,” said Mertens, who had never previously beaten a top- five opponent or made it past a grand slam third round.
“Everything is possible in tennis but of course semis is ‘wow’.” On the back of her second Hobart International title, the 22-year-old produced fearless tennis, hitting 26 winners in a dominant display.
Hampered by a hip injury, Ukrainian Svitolina, who is one of the best movers on tour, was unable to respond with her service game particularly affected. A devastated Svitolina, who despite her ranking was also making her first appearance in a grand slam fourth round, said she had been restricted in her play and training since winning the Brisbane International.
10am: Rafa rumbling over schedule
The fallout continues from Rafael Nadal’s stunning exit at the hands of Marin Cilic. The Spaniard has taken aim at organisers over what he says is the heavy schedule players are forced to endure.
Nadal, who will go for scans to determine the extent of his injury, says the problem is now one of health and safety.
9.30am: Day 10 preview
Rod Laver Arena (from 11am):
Angelique KERBER (21) v Madison KEYS (17),
The is an intriguing clash pitting two women who have performed brilliantly this Open against each other.
The German overcame a scare against Su-Wei Hsieh in her 4th Rd match, finding a way to cope with her opponent’s trickery.
Keys is yet to drop a set and is moving extremely well, which is allowing her to be in prime position to unload her powerful ground strokes.
Kerber has absorbed the power of Keys in the past and used it against her, winning six of their seven outings to date.
But the American is playing with nous and is capable of beating any woman when in form.
Tennys SANDGREN vs. Hyeon CHUNG (Rod Laver Arena. Not before 1pm)
This duo are enjoying a breakout tournament at grand slam level, but their reception following their most recent wins is stark on contrast.
Chung was lauded for the brilliance of his play and the quality of his movement when a straight sets winner over six-time Australian Open Champion Novak Djokovic.
Sandgren was also lauded for the quality of his fight when ousting Austrian Dominic Thiem. But the American was grilled over his political views in a subsequent press conference amid social media interaction with people affiliated with far-right political movements in the United States.
He has subsequently deleted much of his social media history.
Should he manage to ignore the storm, he is certainly a chance here. The pair played in Auckland at the start of the year and it was tight, with Chung winning in three sets.
Sandgren boasts a strong serve and forehand but has also been impressive when defending throughout the Australian Open.
Simona HALEP (1) versus Karolina PLISKOVA (6) (Rod Laver Arena. Not before 3pm).
This is an intriguing match between two women who have been at the top of the sport for a few years, but are yet to breakthrough for a major title.
Halep has responded well from a marathon test against Lauren Davis and appears to have found her best form.
Pliskova is a powerful player who possesses a brilliant serve. But she has found it difficult to dominate against Halep, who leads their head-to-head 5-2. Her most recent win came in the French Open semi-final last year.
Roger FEDERER (2) versus Tomas BERDYCH (19) (Rod Laver Arena. 7.30pm).
Federer’s Australian Open defence continues against an old rival in Berdych tonight.
The Czech claimed their first ever clash back at the Athens 2004 and they have played 24 times since. Federer has won 19 of them and has truly had the upper hand in recent years.
Neither man has dropped a set to date and Berdych is clearly playing well after an injury-plagued 2017.
But he will need to serve well and take every half-opportunity that presents to upset the 19-Time grand slam champion.
AN UPSET OR TWO?
Elise MERTENS delivered in style yesterday against Elina Svitolina and we predicted Kyle Edmund and Marin Cilic were capable of stretching Grigor Dimitrov and Rafael Nadal ... but not that both would win!
Kerber and Keys is difficult to predict, despite the ascendancy to the German overall. Expect a three-set match here.
Chung defeated Sandgren in Auckland and has more experience in high level matches, so seems a safer shout here.
Halep looks to have found her range and appeals as a solid chance here, particularly given Pliskova did not finish until well after 1am yesterday.
And Federer seems to have found an answer to disrupt Berdych in recent years after the Czech tested him for a period.
SCHEDULE
Rod Laver Arena (from 1100):
• 21-A. Kerber (GERM) v 17-M. Keys (USA), followed by
• 19-T. Sandgren (USA) v H. Chung (S KOR), followed by
• 1-S. Halep (ROM) v K. Pliskova (CZE)
Evening Session
• 19-T. Berdych (CZE) v 2-R. Federer (SWITZ)
Margaret Court Arena (from 1100):
• T. Johansson, M. Wilander (SWED) v M. Bahrami, F. Santoro (FR), followed by
• T. Babos (HUN), 5-k. Mladenovic (FR) v 8-S. Hsieh (TAI), S. Peng (CHI), followed by
• M. Daniell (NZ), D Inglot (GBR) v 7-O. Marach (AUSTRIA), M. Pavic (CROA), followed by
• J. Cabal, 11-R. Farah (COLONEL) v S. Groth, L. Hewitt (AUS)
Show Court 2 (from 1100):
• W. Ferreira (RSA), G. Ivanisevic (CROA) v J. Eltingh, P. Haarhuis (NETH), followed by
• D. Hewitt (USA) v A. Marshall (AUST), followed by
• I. Begu, M. Niculescu (ROM) v E. Makarova, E. Vesnina ((RUS), followed by
• A. Spears (USA), J. Cabal (COLONEL) v T. Babos (HUN), R. Bopanna (IND)
Show Court 3 (from 11am):
• 5-H. Gaston (Fr) v 12-A. Zakharov (RUS), followed by
• A. Mchugh (GBR) v 14-O. Styler (CZE)
Additional reporting: AAP/AFP