The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Aus Open Daily: Aussie pair out to replicate Special Ks as fairytale run reaches final, Djokovic's dad in pro-Russia controversy

Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
25th January, 2023
2

Local wildcards are through to the Australian Open men’s doubles final for the second straight year with Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler extending their stunning run at Melbourne Park.

Hijikata and Kubler have a chance to emulate Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ unlikely title triumph last year after downing eighth seeds Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers in Thursday’s semi-finals

The Australian duo claimed a hard-fought first set before finishing the job 6-4 6-2 in 63 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

“Who would have thought?” Kubler said.

“We both returned unbelievable. If anyone watched the match (on Wednesday) they saw Rinky lacing them, I was happy to do my part out there. It’s unbelievable.

“I’m just swinging … with each match we get more confident and feel more at home on these big courts.”

Zeballos and Granollers are the same pair Kyrgios and Kokkinakis defeated in last year’s Australian Open semi-finals.

Advertisement

But that is where the similarities between the Special Ks and Hijikata and Kubler end.

Unlike Kyrgios and Kokkinakis wild run to the final last year when they whipped raucous crowds into a frenzy, Hijikata and Kubler have quietly gone about their business with little fuss.

This accomplishment adds to Kubler’s remarkable resurgence over the past year, which started with him making the 2022 mixed doubles final at Melbourne Park with compatriot Jaimee Fourlis.

Kubler reached the second week at Wimbledon and was Australia’s last man standing at the French Open, while also making the second round at Flushing Meadows for a second time.

Hijikata exited the men’s singles in the second round at Open with a straight-sets loss to Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“I was still pretty bummed about my singles match, to be honest,” Hijikata said when asked if he thought they could make a deep doubles run before the tournament.

“But yeah, wow, we’ll take it for sure.”

Advertisement

Hijikata and Kubler will meet fellow unseeded pair Hugo Nys from Monaco and Poland’s Jan Zieliński in Saturday night’s final after they defeated French duo Jérémy Chardy and Fabrice Martin 6-3 5-7 6-2 in the other semi-final.

(with AAP)

Djokovic eases past Rublev in cakewalk

Novak Djokovic has sent an ominous warning to his Australian Open rivals, cranking into top gear despite revealing he’s been hooked up to machines to treat his lingering hamstring injury for most of the past fortnight.

Djokovic upped the ante in his search for a 10th Open crown as he coolly dispatched fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-2 6-4 on Wednesday to reach his 44th grand slam semi-final and 10th at Melbourne Park.

Two nights after Djokovic wiped the floor with Australian hope Alex de Minaur in the fourth round, the world No.5 left 25-year-old Rublev powerless in a one-sided contest at Rod Laver Arena.

Advertisement

Djokovic will head into his semi-final as heavy favourite in his first match against unseeded American Tommy Paul, who beat compatriot Ben Shelton 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 5-7 6-4.

“Last two matches, playing against two guys that are really good players, in-form players, to beat them dominantly in three sets is something that is definitely something that I want in this moment, something that sends a message to all my opponents remaining in the draw,” he told reporters.

“With this kind of match, of course the confidence level rises, considering the circumstances.

Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“I feel good on the court, better and better as the tournament progresses. I’ve been in this situation in so many times in my life, in my career, never lost a semi-finals in Australian Open.

“Hopefully that will stay the same.”

The hamstring injury suffered in Adelaide has impacted the Serb’s return to Melbourne Park, after he missed the 2022 tournament following his deportation for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

Advertisement

Djokovic has had his left thigh strapped throughout his campaign but his ominous form had prompted him to reject suggestions he had faked or played up the injury.

After making light work of Rublev, he touched on his injury management.

“To be honest, I’ve been connected to machines more than I have been connected to anybody else or my bed or anything else really in the days off,” Djokovic said.

“I’ve tried about any bio-feedback machine there is in this planet in order to get my leg ready and it worked. I’m going to keep going.

“I miss tennis in the days off but at the same time I think it’s important to be smart and wise with the body in these particular circumstances where it’s more important to recover and get ready for the next challenge.”

Only Roger Federer (46) has made more grand slam semi-final appearances than 35-year-old Djokovic, who is attempting to equal Rafael Nadal on 22 majors.

Djokovic is now on a 39-match winning streak in Australia stretching back to 2018.

Advertisement

Pro-Russia fans questioned by police

Four Australian Open spectators, including a man holding a Russian flag with Vladimir Putin’s face on it, are being questioned by Victoria Police after allegedly threatening security at Melbourne Park.

A group of fans on Wednesday night gathered on the stairs outside Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena and recited pro-Russia chants, with several either holding or wearing various Russian flags.

The fans chanted “Russia, Serbia” after star Serb Novak Djokovic defeated Russian Andrey Rublev in straight sets.

Among them was the man who held up the flag featuring Russian president Putin, while wearing a T-shirt bearing the pro-war in Ukraine ‘Z’ symbol.

A different man had earlier been pictured with a Z symbol T-shirt inside Rod Laver Arena during the match.

Advertisement

Past and present Russian flags, the Russian Eagle flag, Belarusian flags and items of clothing with the Z symbol are prohibited items at Melbourne Park.

“Four people in the crowd leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards,” a Tennis Australia spokesperson said. “Victoria Police intervened and are continuing to question them.  The comfort and safety of everyone is our priority and we work closely with security and authorities.”

TA had initially permitted spectators to bring Russian and Belarusian banners to Melbourne Park, as long as they did not cause disruption. But the policy was reversed last Tuesday morning after a Russian flag was prominently displayed courtside during a match involving Ukrainian player Kateryna Baindl.

That rule has been flouted on multiple occasions but Wednesday night’s incident was clearly the most blatant.

Russian and Belarusian players, like Russians Rublev and Karen Khachanov and star Belarusians Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, are allowed to compete in Melbourne, but must do so under a neutral banner.

Advertisement

They were banned by the All England club from participating at Wimbledon last year in reaction to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Russia is Belarus’ largest and most important economic and political partner.

Sabalenka, Linette into Open semi-finals

Unfancied Magda Linette’s dream run at the Australian Open has continued, with the unseeded Pole ousting Karolina Pliskova to set up a semi-final showdown with Aryna Sabalenka.

Linette arrived at Melbourne Park saddled with an inauspicious record at the majors, having failed to progress beyond the third round in 29 previous attempts.

But she has turned that around in stunning style by beating five top-50 players in succession, including former world No.1 Pliskova.

Linette made the crucial break in the 11th game of the second set and held her nerve to serve out the match, winning 6-3 7-5 in one hour, 27 minutes.

“It’s so emotional; I can’t really believe it,” she said.  “Dreams come true. We keep going though. I don’t want to get too excited because we’re still in the tournament but I’m super grateful and happy.”

Advertisement

The 30-year-old admitted she had become much better at managing her emotions on the court. “All through my life I’ve been taking mistakes and losses very personally, so I had to disconnect those two things,” she said.

“It was really difficult, because I felt a lot of times that the misses, the mistakes, were defining me. My coaches and I did a really great job, and I’m really thankful to them, because they really put up with a lot of crap.”

The loss means Pliskova’s long wait for a maiden grand slam title continues.

The 30-year-old Czech has lost both of her major finals – at the 2016 US Open to Angelique Kerber and at Wimbledon two years ago to Ash Barty.

Sabalenka is the highest-ranked of the four Open semi-finalists and will start as the clear favourite against Linette, having dropped just seven games in their only two previous clashes. That record was in stark contrast to her previous 1-5 win-loss record against her opponent in Wednesday’s quarter-final – unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic.

But Sabalenka was able to turn that around in a 6-3 6-2 victory that was nowhere near as straightforward as the scoreline suggested. The powerhouse Belarusian saved a slew of break points in the opening set and was thrilled with her discipline and focus in the big moments.

Advertisement

“Before I would try to go for aces or go for crazy shots to get out easily from those situations,” she said.

“But now I keep saying ‘no, work for it. It’s not going to be easy. You have your shots, you have your serve. Just work for it and go for bigger targets’. That’s just a different approach.”

It will be a fourth grand slam semi for Sabalenka but her first at Melbourne Park.

“I don’t like this word ‘confidence’ – for me it sounds like to be cocky, ” she said. “I just feel like I have more believe in myself.

The Belarusian has yet to drop a single set in nine straight victories this year, including a title triumph at the Adelaide International.

ARYNA SABALENKA

Age: 24

Advertisement

Ranking: 5

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US12,302,010

Career titles: 11

Grand slam titles: 0

Australian Open win-loss record: 13-5

Best Australian Open result: semi-finals 2023

Advertisement

MAGDA LINETTE

Age: 30

Ranking: 45

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US4,301,282

Career titles: 2

Grand slam titles: 0

Advertisement

Australian Open win-loss record: 8-6

Best Australian Open result: semi-finals 2023

Day 10 snapshot

PLAYER OF THE DAY: Magda Linette – the unheralded, unseeded Pole continues to fly her country’s flag with distinction in the absence of ousted world No.1 Iga Swiatek, continuing her breakout run with a 6-3 6-2 quarter-final win over dual grand slam runner-up Karolina Pliskova. 

STAT OF THE DAY: The 30-year-old Linette is through to her first major semi-final in her 30th grand slam after eliminating the 30th seed.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “All through my life I’ve been taking mistakes and losses very personally, so I had to disconnect those two things. My coaches and I did a really great job, and I’m really thankful to them because they really put up with a lot of crap.” – Linette on her mental transformation.

TOURNAMENT SUMMARY: Linette will play fellow maiden Melbourne Park semi-finalist Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the title match after the Belarusian fifth seed and highest-ranked woman left in the tournament beat Donna Vekic 6-3 6-2.

Advertisement

close