World number one Rafael Nadal set up a semi-final showdown with fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco after subduing France's Gilles Simon 6-2 7-5 7-5 at the Australian Open.
Nadal has not dropped a set so far in the tournament, though the sixth-seeded Simon came the closest when he held a set point in the 10th game of the second set while Nadal was serving.
However, the 22-year-old from Mallorca held and then broke Simon in the next game before serving out for the second set. Nadal broke Simon twice in the third set to win the match in two hours 27 minutes.
Nadal's meeting with Verdasco on Friday will be the first time two Spanish men have met in the semi-finals at the Australian Open since the tournament opened its doors to professionals in 1969. (source : eurosport.co.uk)
Russia's Elena Dementieva battled her way through brutal conditions to beat unseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
The world number four won the first four games to run away with the opening set, then raced to a 5-1 lead in the second to wrap up victory in 93 minutes.
"It was very tough to play because of the weather conditions," Dementieva said.
"Maybe it looked easy but I think for such a score like 6-2 6-2, we played one and a half hours, which is a pretty long match.
"She is very strong physically, a very fit player. Playing for the first time, I didn't know what to expect from her."
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Dementieva did not have it all her own way against the Spanish baseliner, who enhanced her reputation as one of the rising stars of women's tennis by reaching her second Grand Slam quarter-final in only four tournaments.
Dementieva served 10 double-faults and had to fight off 10 break points on her own serve, twice as many as Suarez Navarro offered up.
"I had a lot of break points but I couldn't take them," the Spaniard said.
Dementieva has never won a Grand Slam singles title but has been in great form over the last 12 months, winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics and making the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. (source : eurosport.co.uk)
Dokic, a wildcard at this year’s Open, couldn’t be happier with her performance over the past week despite her comeback being halted by Safina.
“I think it was a good match. Physically I was not in my best shape. I played three sets with the No. 3 player in the world. Everything is positive. I've had a great tournament,” she said post-match.
“Yeah, it's a little bit disappointing. I had some chances, even in that third set, and couldn't hold my serve. [I] had a lot of game points in each game.
“Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don't. There's nothing to be disappointed about.”
Dinara will now face Vera Zvonareva.
To Watch Live Australian Open Zvonareva vs Safina click here : LINK
It was a very hot day, so hot that some players could not fight long enough, yesterday it was Azarenka(vs Serena Williams) today was a bad day for Novak Djokovic, the world number 3 was unable to continue :"He saw that longer rallies are not comfortable for me at that point, so he was using it wisely. Really unfortunate way to end up my Australian Open 2009 here in this way. Really tried my best, but sometimes you can't fight against your own body."
He was two sets to one down against Andy Roddick in their quarterfinal, and with the score standing at 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2 2-1 in the American's favour, Djokovic ground to a halt.
So Roddick qualified to semi-finals will now face Roger Federer which is his best shape since US Open.
To Watch Live Australian Open Roddick vs Federer click here : LINK
The Argentine shrugged when asked what happened. Federer happened, he said. "I had a bad day and he's Roger Federer". The Swiss won 83 points, the Argentine 36.
So, WORLD No.2 Roger Federer turned on a master class to cruise into his 19th consecutive grand slam semi-final at the Open last night. The Swiss great, chasing a record-equalling 14th grand slam title, demolished 20-year-old Argentinian eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 in just 80 minutes.
Del Potro, the 198cm world No.6, is regarded as one of the rising stars of men's tennis, having stormed up the rankings from No.65 midway through last year. But he had a nightmare match, cast in the role of mouse to Federer's cat, as the former world No.1 toyed with his opponent before producing a swift kill.
The Argentinian looked outclassed and helpless to exert any pressure as Federer playfully pulled off an audacious array of shots from all parts of the court. (source smh.com.au).
Just two weeks ago, i was thinking that the perfect Federer was gone, but he found a way to make me wrong, he is back and that's just a amazing thing, hope he will go on and we'll take part of a great final...
Next match vs Andy Roddick (15-2)
Watch Live Australian Open : Roddick vs Federer click here : LINK
Quick facts
Nadal had just 11 unforced errors in three sets; Gonzalez had 35
Nadal won 10 of 14 points at the net (71 per cent) compared to Gonzalez’s eight of 18 (44 per cent)
Gonzalez converted on two of seven break point opportunities (29 per cent), while Nadal was 6-for-13 (46 per cent)
Gonzalez served six aces and two double faults, while Nadal had four aces and no double faults.
Next Match : vs Gilles Simon.
| James Blake (9) | 4 | 4 | 6 | |||
| Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (5) | 6 | 6 | 7 |
N.14 seed Fernando Verdasco won a great match a 5 set thriller against Andy Murray (n.4). Fernando improved a lot his game for the last couples of months and proved us that the great match he played at the Davis Cup final wasn't a just a lucky day.| Fernando Verdasco (14) | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
| Andy Murray (4) | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
Holding a great winning balance this season (13 wins for 0 defeats) the russian player and number 4 seed won her morning match in the 4th round of the Australian Open against Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets (6-2 6-2). In the next round she will face Suarez Navarro, the great surprise of this year's tournament.
| Monfils G. - Simon G. | |
| Nadal R. - Gonzalez F. | |
| Murray A. - Verdasco F. | |
| Blake J. - Tsonga J. |
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