Australian Open Tennis 2020 Day 10 live coverage: Thiem blasts Nadal
Dominic Thiem has defeated Rafael Nadal in an Australian Open stunner.
- Zverev stuns Stan the Man for semis berth
- McEnroe apology: Never one to study the rules
- Muguruza wins semi spot against Halep
- Relentless Halep secures semi spot
- Navratilova sorry for breach, not stance
- Potential Barty opponents
- Nadal can round out ‘big three’
- Wimbledon champs honoured
Welcome to live coverage of Day 10 of the 2020 Australian Open tennis tournament from Melbourne Park. With Ash Barty set to battle it out for a final spot against Sofia Kenin tomorrow, wins today saw Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and former world No. 1 Garbine Muguruza join Barty and Kenin in the final four. Tonight’s big matchup sees world No. 1 Rafael Nadal up against Dominic Thiem in a quarter-final. Off court, John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova apologised for breaking Australian Open security protocols during a public protest where they called for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in honour of Evonne Goolagong.
Courtney Walsh 11.58pm: Thiem blasts the master
Austrian star Dominic Thiem overpowered Rafael Nadal at his own game in Melbourne on Wednesday night when defeating the Spanish superstar in an Australian Open stunner.
The powerful baseliner will play German Alexander Zverev on Friday night for a spot in the Australian Open final after toppling the 19-time major champion 7-6 (3) 7-6 (4) 4-6 7-6 (6) in a test of nerves in 4hr 10min.
Having fallen to the world No 1 in the past two French Open finals, Thiem was well aware of just how physically and mentally tough a challenge Nadal presents rivals.
But in a remarkable performance of strength and endurance, he rose to that challenge and beyond to deny the world No 1 with a sustained barrage of blistering groundstrokes.
Thiem pounded stroke for stroke with the 2009 Australian Open champion, backing himself to beat the Mallorcan master blaster in what proved a superb showdown.
There was a moment of drama as he tried to serve out the triumph at 5-4, with Thiem losing his composure on the brink of victory.
The Austrian then saw two match points go begging in the tiebreaker, the first squandered when he netted a high forehand when trying to close out victory.
But he was able to regain his focus and form to force the tiebreaker, where he again had the measure of the greatest clay courter in history.
A netcord — and the tape certainly favoured the Austrian throughout — helped him to snap a backhand passing shot to bring up a third match point and on this occasion Nadal netted the forehand.
The 26-year-old had earlier recovered from a break down in the opening two sets to seize them in tiebreakers, dropped his level slightly through the third set and then rallied in the fourth.
His ability to rebound in the opening two sets ultimately proved crucial as Thiem secured his first victory over the left-hander in a major and his fifth from 14 clashes overall.
Thiem’s triumph is not a complete shock given their history, for in their only other clash on a hard court, Nadal emerged the victor by a whisker in a deciding tiebreaker at Flushing Meadows in 2018.
The challenge for the Austrian will be to recover sufficiently for the test against Zverev, who is through to the semi-finals of a major for the first time.
Zverev said he had only one plan for Wednesday night after defeating 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka 1-6 6-3 6-4 6-2.
That was to sit on the couch and watch Nadal and Thiem slug it out at a high intensity.
“I’ll have a cold glass of coke sitting in my hotel room with AC, watching them hopefully play for six hours. Hopefully they will get as tired as they can,” he said.
An arduous first set that lasted 67 minutes was exactly what the German ordered as the two supreme baselines slugged it out.
When the second lasted 69 minutes, Zverev surely giggled. And he must have been beside himself when Nadal seized the third with the match just shy of three hours long.
Remarkably given Nadal’s reputation as an endurance king, the longer a rally went on Rod Laver Arena, the more likely it was that the 5th seed would prove successful.
The departing top seed had the better of rallies that lasted four shots or fewer.
But when it came to arduous tests lasting longer than nine shots, the world No 5 more than matched his rival, winning 24 of the 36 played.
This is significant in a match where Thiem won only five more points overall, or 148 of the 291 played.
The conditions were sapping and there was evidence early on that the 19-time major winner was feeling taxed by the gruelling nature of the battle.
Nadal complained of feeling like he was “in a shower” on court, so much was he sweating.
When seated at one change of ends, the 33-year-old was angry that an air blower near his seat was malfunctioning as he sought to cool himself.
He also became agitated while serving with a break at 3-2 in the second set when issued with a time violation by umpire Aurelie Tourte after a 19-shot rally.
“It is really amazing (that) after this point, that you can turn the (clock) straight (on). You don’t like good tennis,” he said.
Despite the frustrations and the stunning form of his rival, Nadal’s desire for victory never dimmed and he continued to ask the younger man questions.
He willed himself to extend the match when breaking in the third set and fought hard throughout the fourth set in a thriller where little separated either man.
10.58pm: Nadal fires up to take the third
Nadal isn’t giving up easily! He breaks Thiem to take the third set 6-4.
Never 👠Count 👠The 👠World 👠No.1 👠Out ðŸ‘@RafaelNadal breaks Dominic Thiem on his second opportunity to take the third set 6-4.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
Thiem leads two sets to one.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/lsQxcgfDZT
Brighette Ryan 9.48pm: Nadal now down two sets
A fiery Nadal is now two sets down with Thiem taking the edge as the pair fight for a spot in the semi-finals.
Nadal lashed out at the umpire after receiving a time violation following a lengthy rally.
“You don’t like the good tennis. You don’t like the good tennis.”
Thiem went on to claim the second set 7-6.
In full flight ✈ï¸@ThiemDomi claims a two sets to love lead, taking the second set over Rafael Nadal 7-6(4) in 79 minutes.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/5HM6jeMfWh
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
9.00pm: Thiem takes the first set
Dominic Thiem forced a tiebreak and then won four straight points to take the first set in an hour and eight minutes.
First set goals 💯
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
After 67 minutes, @ThiemDomi takes the first set against Rafael Nadal 7-6(3).#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/iPbFe9zkvM
7.04pm: Nadal eyes seventh Australian Open semi-final
Rafael Nadal must successfully navigate a tricky match-up with Dominic Thiem to complete ‘The Big Three’ with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Djokovic overpowered Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-1) on Tuesday night to set up a semi-final against Federer, who earlier survived seven match points against unseeded American Tennys Sandgren to progress 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-3.
Nadal will face the fifth-seeded Austrian on Rod Laver Arena shortly, with the winner to play No.7 seed Alexander Zverev in a semi-final.
The Spaniard enjoys a 9-4 advantage in their head-to-head battle, but Thiem has defeated the world No.1 as recently as last year in Barcelona.
“Very tough match, he’s playing well,” Nadal said.
“We know each other well. He’s a player that I like a lot, the way that he works, the way that he plays, and the way that he tries his best always. “It’s a match that is going to be a tough one, but will be interesting, no? “I am excited to play this quarter-finals against Dominic. I know I have to be at my best to have chances.
“I think I am moving in the right direction ... every day I’m playing a little bit better.”
AAP
Debbie Schipp 5pm: Zverev completes comeback to advance to semi
Alexander Zverev has secured a berth in his first grand slam semi-final with a dramatic victory over Stan Wawrinka in Melbourne.
The 22-year-old German opened tentatively and looked to have an impossible task when he was blown off the court in the first set 6-1, but turned the tables to stun Sam the Man.
In the end, Wawrinka had no answers – going into the fourth set trailing 1-2. By then, Zverev seemed unstoppable. Wawrinka quickly fell behind courtesy of a Zverev double break and was down 5-1. He held serve to trail 2-5, but it was just delaying the inevitable.
Zverev served it out to reach the final four at Melbourne Park 1-6 6-3 6-4 6-2.
Until now, he had never progressed beyond the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Debbie Schipp 4.30pm: Zverev takes control to lead 2-1
After 100 minutes, Zverev has taken a 2-1 set lead — a seemingly unimaginable turnaround if you were quick enough to catch Stan Wawrinka blowing him of the court in the first set.
Zverev and Wawrinka are proving as erratic as they are brilliant, but its Zverev who is firing and eyeing off his first grand slam semi final going into the fourth set, after taking the third 6-4.
Zverev’s serve is on point and he’s making those winners count. He had two set pints at 5-3, but failed to convert them, having to wait to serve for the set.
The first break in the second set goes the way of @AlexZverev.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
He'll serve for it now at 5-3 to level the match at one set all vs Wawrinka.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Dk1RmSje5y
Courtney Walsh 4.05pm: McEnroe echoes Navratilova apology
A statement from John McEnroe regarding the controversy has been read out on American broadcaster ESPN. Similarly to Navratilova, McEnroe said he stands by his strident criticism of Court but conceded he should have paid closer attention to tournament rules.
“Admittedly I was never one to study the rule book carefully or for that matter, even at times abide by the rules. In this case, I was not aware of the Tennis Australia rules and protocol for issuing credentials,” he said.
“For that I apologise to Tennis Australia and recognise and appreciate the great job they have done to make the Australian Open a great event for the fans, players and myself”.
Debbie Schipp 3.53pm: Them’s the breaks
Crunch time in the third as the battle of wills continues. Zverev breaks Wawrinka in the opening game, but Wawrinka breaks straight back to even it at 1-1.
Back on serve, Wawrinka holds to make it 2-1.
Debbie Schipp 3.43pm: Zverev turns tables to win second Stan train slows
And this is now a match. Zverev has taken the second set 6-3 to even the quarter-final at one set apiece in a remarkable turnaround.
Zverev didn’t drop a point on his serve in the set.
Debbie Schipp 3.40pm: Zverev’s big break as Stan train slows
After a red-hot first set start, the brakes have been applied on the Stan train.
The second set went serve for as serve until Zverev struck with a break to make it 5-3. He’s now serving for the set.
Debbie Schipp 3.12pm: Wawrinka demolition machine
And in just 24 minutes, Stan the Man has taken the first set, 6-1. Zverev has been little more than a spectator — seemingly unfamiliar with his racquet, and finding it tough to find the middle of it. He was like a deer caught in the headlights in the face of the Wawrinka barrage — he was down 5-0 in just 16 minutes. .
Debbie Schipp 3.13pm: Stan the Man’s super set
And now it’s over to sorting out the shape of the men’s semi-finals as No. 15 seed Stan Wawrinka or No. 7 seed Alexander Zverev fire the opening salvos in their quarter final clash.
Zverev hasn’t dropped a set this Australian Open.
But it’s Wawrinka who has come out firing: the 2014 Australian Open champion raced to a 3-0 lead in just eight minutes, then break the hapless Zverev again to make it 4-0, then slam another serving game through in double-quick time to lead 5-0. Blink and you could have missed the barrage — or should that be carnage?
Courtney Walsh 2.20pm: Muguruza to take on Halep in stellar semi-final
Spanish star Garbiñe Muguruza has reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time with another quality performance in Melbourne.
The former world No 1 has improved as the Open has progressed and was too strong on Wednesday for Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The Russian tested the former French Open and Wimbledon champion throughout the first set but started to struggle on serve in the second when beaten 7-5 6-3.
Muguruza, 26, had lost in the opening round of her two most recent majors at Wimbledon and in the US Open.
She scarcely started well in Melbourne either when dropping the first set of an opening round clash against Shelby Rogers 6-0.
She rebounded to win the next two sets 6-1 6-0 and has dropped only one more set for the tournament, that occurring against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round.
Her dominant victories over Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens leading into the clash against Pavlyuchenkova indicated she was closing on the form that saw her reach the world’s top ranking in 2017.
Muguruza has set up a fascinating semi-final against former Australian Open finalist Simona Halep, who is blistering form and is yet to drop a set.
Similarly to Muguruza, she is a French Open and Wimbledon champion.
World No 1 Ash Barty will clash with emerging American talent Sofia Kenin in the other semi-final on Thursday.
Debbie Schipp 1.37pm: Topsy turvy tussle
It might have been one-way traffic in the first women’s quarter-final tussle won by Simona Halep earlier, but the second match between Garbine Muguruza and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is proving a much tighter and tougher affair.
Each broke the other’s serve and the opening set was locked at 4-4 after 40 minutes.
But Spain’s two-time Grand Slam champ Muguruza caught the break when it counted to take the first set 7-5 in 56 minutes.
That's’ three minutes more than it took Halep to dispose of Annett Kontaveit in straight sets earlier and sound a stark warning that she’s a massive threat to take the title.
At the critical moment, Muguruza strikes!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2020
She breaks Pavlychenkova to win the first set 7-5 in 56 minutes.#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/nRUTXlihhn
Courtney Walsh 12.25pm: Halep’s Aussie weapon: Cahill
Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep was never pressed by Estonian Annett Kontaveit as she blasted through to a semi-final berth.
A finalist in Melbourne in 2018, the former world No 1 whipped Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final last year.
Having reunited with South Australian coach Darren Cahill, she is a clear title threat in Melbourne.
The 2018 French Open champion won 54 of the 88 points played in a staggering display of dominance.
She said she felt at home playing in Australia given the nationality of her coach and the time she has spent training in Adelaide.
“He has been very important since I met him four or five years ago,” she said.
“We worked hard on my attitude, we worked hard on my game and today I am a better person, first of all, and then a better player.
“I really want to help him for the help that he gave me. He is a great person and the communication is easy. “He understands me. That makes the job easier and here in Australia, I can say it is my second home, because I feel a part of this community because I have a coach from Australia.”
She awaits the winner of a quarterfinal between Garbine Muguruza and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Debbie Schipp 12.10pm: Halep cruises into final four
Simona Halep has booked her women’s singles semi-finals spot, cruising to a 6-1 6-1 defeat of 28th-seeded Estonian Annett Kontaveit.
World no. 3 Halep — seeded No 4 at this tournament — took just 53 minutes to demolish Kontaveit to reach her second final four at the Australian Open.
She turned on an almost flawless performance, storming through the first set in 29 minutes.
She has not dropped a set this tournament.
The relentless Romanian then labelled Australia her “second home because I feel a part of this community” in a post-match interview.
Look, we’ll happily take her, but not over our own Ash Barty.
Halep wants another shot at the Australian Open title after losing the 2018 decider to Caroline Wozniacki.
Wally Mason 12.02pm: Superbrat wrong to tell us what’s right
With their Margaret Court protest, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe — once disqualified from the Australian Open for his appalling behaviour — are is trying to lecture Australians. Imagine if our legends did that on US soil, says Wally Mason.
Courtney Walsh 11.45am: Navratilova apologises for breach, but not stance
Martina Navratilova has apologised for breaking Australian Open security protocols during a public protest where she called for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in honour of Evonne Goolagong.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame member said that while she stood by her statement regarding Court and the impact her views have had on members of the LGBTQI community, it was clear she had broken tournament guidelines in place for security reasons.
“I got in trouble. I am sorry I broke protocol. I had no idea there was this kind of protocol,” she told the Tennis Channel.
“Had I known, I would have done it differently. I would have still tried to make my statement which is that you name buildings after not what people did on the court but also off the court, the whole body of work.
“I said my piece. You can see my whole statement. I stand by that. But I apologise about breaking protocol. I did not need to do that.”
It is not the first time Navratilova has called on authorities in Australia to change the name of the stadium, having done so initially in 2017.
She took the opportunity after playing a legends doubles match on the court to climb into the stand to make a statement to the few fans watching the match.
Fellow American legend John McEnroe then joined her on the court, where she unveiled a banner she had made in her hotel room in Melbourne that read “Evonne Goolagong Arena”.
Tennis Australia released a statement on Tuesday night stating it was investigating a protocol breach by “two high-profile guests”.
Daniel Sankey 10am: Who’s lining up for Barty party?
With Australia’s world no. 1 Ash Barty set to battle it out for a semi-final spot against young American Sofia Kenin tomorrow, today is all about the contenders on the other side of the women’s draw.
World no. 3 Simona Halep will take on 28th-seeded Estonian Annett Kontaveit in the first match on Rod Laver Arena today (11am AEDT), with the final quarterfinal between Spain’s two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza and big-hitting Russian 30th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to follow.
Halep, who’s guaranteed to rise to no. 2 in the world when the updated WTA rankings are released next week, is a clear favourite to progress to the final in the bottom half of the draw. The Romanian is currently a $4 second favourite to win the tournament behind Barty ($2.15) on the TAB’s fixed odds market.
Who will complete our #AO2020 semifinal line-up?
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020
The stakes are high on Day 1⃣0⃣#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/0fx7liZNsf
9.30am: Nadal can round out ‘big three’ semis
Rafael Nadal must successfully navigate a tricky match-up with Dominic Thiem to complete ‘The Big Three’ with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Djokovic overpowered Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-1) last night to set up a semi-final against Federer, who earlier survived seven match points against unseeded American Tennys Sandgren to progress 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-3.
Nadal will face the fifth-seeded Austrian on Rod Laver Arena from 7pm AEDT today, with the winner to play No. 15 seed Stan Wawrinka or No. 7 seed Alexander Zverev in a semi-final. The Spaniard enjoys a 9-4 advantage in their head-to-head battle, but Thiem has defeated the world No. 1 as recently as last year in Barcelona.
That feeling when it's time to look at the Day 10 schedule 👀ðŸ˜
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2020
âž¡ https://t.co/uuXVfDROVG pic.twitter.com/4WMo2Nul9M
“Very tough match, he’s playing well,” Nadal said.
“We know each other well. He’s a player that I like a lot, the way that he works, the way that he plays, and the way that he tries his best always. It’s a match that is going to be a tough one, but will be interesting, no?”
Zverev and Wawrinka will face off in today’s afternoon session on Rod Laver Arena.
In women’s quarter-final action on Rod Laver Arena, No. 4 seed Simona Halep will face 28th-seeded Estonian Annett Kontaveit at 11am AEDT. That match will be followed by the clash between No. 30 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and unseeded two-time grand slam champion Garbine Muguruza.
AAP
9am: Ivanisevic, Martinez honoured
Wimbledon champions Goran Ivanisevic and Conchita Martinez have been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2020 was announced at the Australian Open last night, where both Ivanisevic and Martinez are coaching players who reached the quarterfinals. The induction ceremony will be July 18 in Newport, Rhode Island, where the hall is located.
Ivanisevic, a serve-and-volley specialist from Croatia, won the 2001 title at the All England Club as a wildcard — beating Australia’s Pat Rafter in the final.
Martinez, a baseliner from Spain, was the 1994 champion at Wimbledon. Both reached No. 2 in the rankings and won multiple Olympic medals. Ivanisevic helps coach Novak Djokovic, while Martinez works with Garbine Muguruza.
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