Tsitsipas Survives Sinner Test At Australian Open, Korda Wins In 5; Djokovic v De Minaur Tonight

Stefanos Tsitsipas returned to the Australian Open quarterfinals for a third straight year surviving a stern test from Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in four hours Sunday night.

“It was a long match, guys, I feel like I spent an entire century in this court playing tennis,” said Tsitsipas told the crowd. “It felt so long. What a great night.

“I’m really excited to be sharing moments like this on the court, especially in Australia. I’m trying to do my best out here, it’s not easy. I had an unbelievable opponent on the other side of the court today, playing incredible tennis in the third and fourth sets.”

Tsitsipas improves to 5-1 against the hard-luck Italian who has fallen in five sets to the eventual champions in the last two Grand Slams.

Sinner will rue on finishing 4-for-26 on break chances. Sinner went 1-for-6 in the first set and 1-for-2 in the second but never had a look in the fifth. Tsitsipas broke for 4-2 and never looked back.

In his fourth Australian Open quarterfinal, Tsitsipas will face newcomer Jiri Lehecka. The 21-year-old Czech ousted Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(3).

Lehecka had never won a Grand Slam match (0-4) until the Australian Open. On Sunday, he looked far from a newcomer using an all court game and a solid serve to frustrate the Canadian who was error-prone in both breakers.

“Honestly, it feels amazing,” said Lehecka after. “It’s tough for me to find some words because what we’ve been through last year and now coming back to Australia. [I lost] in the first round last year, so of course if somebody had told me before the tournament that I would play like this, then I wouldn’t believe them, but I’m super happy that I’m through and I’m excited.”

Popular pick Sebastian Korda won a thriller defeating good friend Hubert Hurkacz in a fifth set tiebreaker 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(10-7).

Hurkacz, who was trying to win a third straight three set match, was up early in the breaker 3-1 before a flurry of errors helped Korda win six straight points. Hurkacz managed to level at 7-all but the American came up with the goods to reach his first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.

“I couldn’t have done it without you guys. You guys pushed me through,” Korda told the crowd on court. “I wasn’t feeling too much energy towards the fourth and the fifth, but you guys really picked me up and without you guys I don’t think it would have been possible today, so thank you.”

Korda will now take on the powerful Karen Khachanov who held off a late charge from Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(5). The Russian was up 2-0 in the third and had designs on a rare triple bagel before Nishioka go back in the match.

Monday in the Melbourne will see the last of the fourth round matches. Novak Djokovic will again test his left hamstring against Australian Alex De Minaur in a first meeting.

Americans will have another player in the quarterfinal as JJ Wolf and Ben Shelton clash. Holger Rune battles Andrey Rublev and Tommy Paul takes on Roberto Bautista Agut.

MONDAY AUSTRALIAN OPEN SCHEDULE
Rod Laver Arena – 11:00 AM
Doubles
Not before: 12:30 PM
SWIATEK, Iga (POL) [1] vs. RYBAKINA, Elena (KAZ) [22]
HURKACZ, Hubert (POL) [10] vs. KORDA, Sebastian (USA) [29]
7:00 PM
TSITSIPAS, Stefanos (GRE) [3] vs. SINNER, Jannik (ITA) [15]
AZARENKA, Victoria [24] vs. ZHU, Lin (CHN)

Margaret Court Arena – 11:00 AM
Doubles
Not before: 1:00 PM
OSTAPENKO, Jelena (LAT) [17] vs. GAUFF, Coco (USA) [7]
Not before: 3:30 PM
LEHECKA, Jiri (CZE) vs. AUGER-ALIASSIME, Felix (CAN) [6]