Who’s through, who’s out? All the latest and compact news from the sixth day of the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne.
Laura Siegemund won two rounds at the Australian Open before being eliminated in the third. Siegemund suffered a clear defeat against the Russian Anastasia Pawjlutschenkowa with 1:6 and 2:6. The German never really got into the game and was literally crushed by her opponent, who played very cleanly. Now Siegemund can concentrate on her core business, doubles alongside Beatriz Haddad Maia from Brazil.
Carlos Alcaraz with Becker-Hecht
The way Carlos Alcaraz has been playing here so far, he is one of the top favorites for the title. Although the Spaniard dropped his first set in the tournament, he showed every second how concentrated and focused he was on victory. In the end he won 6:2, 6:4, 6:7 (3), 6:2 against the self-sacrificing Portuguese Nuno Borges in a match with spectacular rallies in places. In the third set, the Spaniard played a flawless Becker pike on the Australian hardcourt. Alcaraz is fun.
Alexander Zverev continues without losing a set
Not outstanding, but sufficient. Alexander Zverev is in the round of 16 after a smooth three-set win against Briton Jacob Fearnley. The 6:3, 6:4, 6:3 sounds clearer than it actually was. Zverev put up a lot of resistance, wasn’t always proactive, but regularly benefited from slight mistakes made by his courageous opponent. As usual, he was able to rely on his serve and, befitting his status, the German ended the match with a service winner. In the round of 16 it will be against the winner of the French duel Hugo Humbert against Arthur Fils.
Alexander Zverev in the match against Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open
Outstanding match of the morning shift
Their new German coach Sascha Bajin stood up, nodded and smiled meaningfully – ‘We’re on the right track’ is what that probably meant. Donna Vekic, the fighter from Croatia, had just defeated her opponent Diana Schneider from Russia in a fantastic and dramatic three-set victory, 7:6 (4), 6:7 (3) and 7:5. Vekic was already behind with a break of 3:5 in the third set, but then played four games in a row and still won the match he thought he had lost. The spectators in the Maragaret Court Arena were thrilled from their seats and Donna Vekic laughed. She is in the round of 16.
Aryna Sabalanka jumps like a good horse
Won again without being completely convincing. Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one and defending champion from Melbourne, is also in the round of 16. With obviously more effort than she would have liked, she defeated Clara Tauson of Denmark, who had eliminated Tatjana Maria from the tournament in the previous round. 7:6 (5), 6:4, Sabalenka gave up her serve five times. The currently nominally best tennis player so far goes through her favorite tournament confidently but lackluster.
German doubles have strong nerves
It was close for Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz in the second set. It didn’t work, set behind, 0:1 in the second and 0:40. A break would probably have been the knockout. But the two Germans kept their nerve, fended off all break points and turned the match against the Romanian-Argentinian duo Cornea/Navone. 4:6, 6:1, 6:4 – Krawietz / Pütz are in the round of 16.