Co-favorite Stefanos Tsitsipas made up for deficits in an exciting five-set match and defeated the American Taylor Fritz 4: 6, 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4. After 3:23 hours, the 23-year-old Greek decided the round of 16 in his favour. In the fight for a place in the semifinals, Tsitsipas is now up against the Italian Jannik Sinner.
Halep fails at Cornet
In the women’s tournament, two-time tournament winner Simona Halep was eliminated in the round of 16. In temperatures of more than 30 degrees, the 2018 Romanian finalist lost 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 to unseeded Frenchwoman Alizé Cornet in Melbourne. Halep said goodbye as the next prominent tennis player from the tableau of the first Grand Slam tournament of the season.
Cornet had already defeated the world number three Garbiñe Muguruza from Spain in the second round. Halep could see the hardships in the heat. Again and again, the 30-year-old Romanian supported herself on her racket between rallies or did not walk properly to some balls. During the breaks on the bench, both players tried to cool down with ice packs or towels.
In her first Grand Slam quarterfinals, Cornet now meets Danielle Collins, who is 27th. Collins defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. The world number 30 is the third American after Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys. thus in the top eight at the Australian Open.
Kanepi knocks out second in the world rankings
Kaia Kanepi continued her surprising winning streak against world number two Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus. Angelique Kerber’s vanquisher prevailed 5: 7, 6: 2, 7: 6 (10: 7). The 36-year-old Estonian secured a quarter-final against former Polish French Open winner Iga Swiatek.
dpa/sid
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As of: 01/24/2022, 2:24 p.m