Djokovic During Day At Australian Open, De Minaur v Rublev; Coco, Sabalenka In Charge With Swiatek Out

by Staff | January 20th, 2024, 8:35 pm
  • 19 Comments

There are just 32 players remaining at the Australian Open. Iga Swiatek is not among them. In fact, just four TOp 16 women made the fourth round.

That leaves the last two hard court Grand Slam champions, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, assuming the roles of the new tournament favorites in the women’s draw.

Today, Gauff takes on another Polish suprise in Magdalena Frech who has never had a moment like this before in her career. Gauff has won her last 10 in Slams and is 32-4 since hiring Brad Gilbert last summer.


Sabalenka, who has lost just six games so far and dropped serve once, draws her kryptonite in Amanda Anisimova. The American has a 4-1 lead over Sabalenka including a win over the Belarussian in Melbourne in 2019.

“I’m happy that she’s back on tour,” Sabalenka told the WTA of Anisimova. “We had a lot of great matches against each other, always tough battles. I’m just trying to prepare myself as good as I can, and so make sure I bring my best level and I compete in the high level.”

The 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva seeks her first Slam quarterfinal against Barbora Krejcikova and qualifier Maria Timofeeva takes on Marta Kostyuk.

In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic figures to have another easy day against French lefty Adrian Mannarino who has never been past a final 16 at a Slam before. Djokovic has won 31 straight at the Australian Open. it’s the first day match of the tournament for Djokovic.

In another all-seeded afair, Alex de Minaur will take on Andre Rublev. The Australian won three matches over Top 10s at the United Cup, but the pressure ramps up tonight against the Russian who will seek a 10th Slam quarterfinal.

“He’s a great competitor. He’s shown what he’s been able to do this whole tournament, coming through qualifying and getting to the third round,” said De Minaur on court of Rublev. “A lot of respect to him, it was a great match, and I wish him the best for the rest of the season.

Jannik Sinnik has been more dominant than anyone in the men’s draw, but easy wins should end today against the burly Russian Karen Khachanov who made the semifinals.

“I’m confident. I have my confidence inside myself. But I think once you show it with the results, that you go deeper than your prior results, that gives you a little extra,” Khachanov said to atptour.com. “And then your confidence is not based on the results, it’s just inside you and you know what you are capable of doing. You know what you need to do to be there.”

2023 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas will seek a fourth win in five tries against Taylor Fritz. Fritz has looked good since rolling his ankle in the opening round last week while Tsitsipas has quietly moved through.

SUNDAY AUSTRALIAN OPEN SCHEDULE
Starts at 12:00 PM
Rod Laver Arena
Magdalena Frech vs Coco Gauff (4)
Novak Djokovic (1) vs Adrian Mannarino (20)

7pm
Alex de Minaur (10) vs Andrey Rublev (5)

Starts at 11:00 AM
John Cain Arena
Maximo Gonzalez/Andres Molteni (6) vs Nathaniel Lammons/Jack Withrow (12)
Taylor Fritz (12) vs Stefanos Tsitsipas (7)
Mirra Andreeva vs Barbora Krejcikova (9)

Starts at 1:00 PM
Margaret Court Arena
Amanda Anisimova vs Aryna Sabalenka (2)
Jannik Sinner (4) vs Karen Khachanov (15)


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19 Comments for Djokovic During Day At Australian Open, De Minaur v Rublev; Coco, Sabalenka In Charge With Swiatek Out

Giles Says:

https://x.com/fednanen/status/1748925652303049157?s=61 Told you he is an arsehole!. Always was, always is and always will be!


chrisford1 Says:

Novak has many ways to deal with a hostile crowd. Their champion may be gone, but the Fed-tards persist at the AO, Wimbledon, and the NY crowd (especially when the Oligarchs in America and their retinues get drunk).
Mock them.
Egg them on.
Confront a heckler.
Curse their mothers sex lives in Serbian in highly imaginative scenarios and terms.
And best for NOvak and his fans – rip Federers, and their hearts right out – like he did at Wimbledon in 2019. Outplayed by Federer in every set, fans near Fed-Hysteria and booing any feat by Djokovic. But dang if he was gonna leave it with a match win for Fed and a satisfied crowd. And after, Novak rubbed it in for days in interviews, thanking the Fedtards for motivating him to win no matter what. “I turned their boos into cheers in my mind.”

Speaking of Fed, Novak tied him in one of the few Slam records Fed still owned. Most Quarter finals reached. 58. A pretty amazing record for both men.


zed Says:

LOL Giles, you’re all such sad losers :)


Wog Boy Says:

This is how Nole shut the haters up:

https://youtu.be/ver9cx6heQk?si=5_Hc2w3JDJBEd1Ok


chrisford1 Says:

Over the years, in his own way, Novak has “given back” to the hecklers and fanatics better than he has “gotten the treatment”.
What could be better than being outplayed by Federer, gone after all the time by a rabidly pro-Federer crowd – to take it away from Fed and the crowd. Rip their hearts out. 2019 Wimbledon.

Fed was the better player. He had the crowd fully behind him. He was playing his best, A-game tennis on grass.
But he and the crowd knew without doubt that day that their champion had met a greater champion that day.

Novak just equaled Feds QF record, 58, one of the last Slam cumulative career awards over 4 events that Fed holds. Or held, I should say.


zed Says:

WB,

Yep, Novak as usual is the better man. I’m not such a good man, I am laughing at this tool going to an early grave :) but that’s just me.

It’s all so much sound and fury (if I may borrow that line from the bard) but in the end (borrowing from the bard once again) it signifies nothing.

Novak has won everything, every way, inside out, upside down, back to front and front to back. He’s done this despite fixed draws, deportations, 18-month recuperation periods, endless media attacks, attacks by morons (sorry Giles) and expulsions for errant balls when others get off scott free for doing the same thing.

None of it matters though, none of it. HE HAS WON DECISIVELY, no room for weasel words or worm squiriming, he was won.

The best part?

The best part is he aint done yet LOL :)


Madmax Says:

Giles,

Absolutely no need for that. Nole is the GOAT. He has won the most slams and that is the measurement stick. Fact. The fact you don’t like him because of this, is irrelevant. He is a great tennis player. What he is achieving is absolutely incredible. I mean that.

WB, we all know that you are someone who despised Nole when he was losing, his diet, his nutrition, could come on here without you saying how much you despised his coaches, you really pulled him down to ground floor level – then, lo and behold, he began winning again – and then WB, what did you do – ? – You jumped on his coat tails when he was winning again – and that is fake. Always will be. That is why you are not a real fan. New posters on here perhaps will not have seen this side of you, when the going gets tough WB runs for the hills. When the going is smooth, WB wants to share the wine with Nole. No. No. One word.

Shallow.

Fans who stick by their favourite through thick and thin are the real fans. The fans who feel crushed when then favourite is not playing their best tennis, or who are missing the easy points, and boy have we suffered. We have suffered with Federer having gone through these phases, and then the fake fans jump on (WB) and take a swing – no – no – support all the way through, through the highs and the lows – let’s go!

This is Nole’s confidence right now – he deserves all the praise he gets, but he does not deserve your retribution Giles, I wish you would leave that behind. But you won’t.

Nole,

“‘I played great from first point to last'” –

Fed fans, remember back in the day, confidence was seen as arrogance?

People should read about the struggles first before they judge. Novak has struggled immensely in his life and his tennis career and he is giving back.

Oh how I miss the Fed v Rafa days – but Novak is there to continue with the successes as part of the journey.

Good luck to Novak!


Madmax Says:

Zed,

Why plural, when your issue should be with Giles, singular?

“zed Says:
LOL Giles, you’re all such sad losers :)

January 21st, 2024 at 6:17 pm”


Zed Says:

Madmax,

You are right.

I apologise unreservedly. I’ll keep it between myself and Giles going forward.


Wog Boy Says:

Hello Madmax, my old friend, long time no see you, are you ok, you don’t sound like you are?

What set you off, I said nothing about your idol, it was CF1 who mentioned him correctly noticing that he is basically left without any relevant tennis record, but that’s ok, it’s not bad place to be, third best player ever.

PS
One advice from your friend, you are becoming repetitive, is that due to old age or that’s the price you paid for 15 years interaction with me, stay safe my friend.


chrisford1 Says:

You can’t always compare the best athletes across eras.

Not even Slamcounts as the Australian Open was a backwater back in the days of Connors and even Borg. But Big Titles within a tennis pro cohort by age is a meaningful comparison.
Djokovic is now chasing the Most Titles record. He has 98, Fed 103, Connors 109. But he is far ahead of both those guys, and Nadal in Big Titles (SLams, ATP Championships, Masters 1000s, Olympics.)

71 Big Tiles for Djokovic (so far)
59 for Nadal
54 for Federer
31 for Connors.


Giles Says:

Come on Fritz! Do us all a favour and eliminate the Arsehole! Vamos! 💪🏾💪🏾


Madmax Says:

Oh Hi Wogboy!

Let us be clear *my friend* – we never were and will never be – but I actually find that healthy and good, because we can keep things between the lines, and have a healthy discussion –

To clarify *yet again* – dearest,

“Wog Boy Says:
This is how Nole shut the haters up:

https://youtu.be/ver9cx6heQk?si=5_Hc2w3JDJBEd1Ok

January 21st, 2024 at 7:40 pm”

This is the post I was responding to – unless I am sadly mistaken, it says Wog Boy Says:

Now, WB, I am most concerned about your growing cataracts – try to get them fixed, won’t you?

You asked about my healthy? Oh, thank you so much, so kind, so kind – thank you for asking.

I am well and yes, you are right – I do miss The Mighty Fed – oh the battles, the smiles, the disappointments, the inertia, the fire, the raging fire that we all loved – thank you so much for asking.

I may not post as often, WB, but I read – and it appears – much better than you! I see you are up to your old tricks when posting, creating more spin than the word itself – I am giddy Wogboy, I am so giddy!

Zed, beware WB, he will turn on Nole the moment he loses, if you go back I would say 4 years – you can read the threads – oh he was no fan at all – *hated* (such a strong word), but words he used against Novak – reason why when I see what he writes, I cannot take it seriously.

Good luck in the tournament – there has been some spectacular tennis being played for sure.

Come on!


Wog Boy Says:

Madmax says:

“Wog Boy Says:
This is how Nole shut the haters up:

https://youtu.be/ver9cx6heQk?si=5_Hc2w3JDJBEd1Ok

This is the post I was responding to – unless I am sadly mistaken, it says Wog Boy Says:“

…and what exactly was in that post that triggered your madness, unless you recognised yourself in one word in my post, you know, it was scientifically proven that Fedfanatics can never ever be honest Nole fans, they tried in 2011 and we blew their cover up, them cheering Nole that year was only because they wanted him to stop Rafa overtaking Roger, little they knew that Nole will overtake both😉


Alison hodge Says:

Lol this forums becoming like a soap opera


chrisford1 Says:

Batter than than a discussion forum be an old biddies tea party


Alison hodge Says:

Eh


Alison hodge Says:

Nick Kyrios is a good commontator knowledgeable and funny….


Madmax Says:

Dearest Wogboy,

Get the cataracts fixed before it is too late. Soon enough you will not be able to read the wine labels and we cannot have that.

Why so prickly? Because someone remembers how you deserted and abandoned, Nole? Post after post berating him, his nutrition, his coach, his training techniques, but most of all, you blamed his wife!

Goodness me WB, are you saying you are a changed man now?

I think your memory is failing you also, *my friend*.

Zed, beware, if you dig deep enough, you will understand that WB is no fan of Nole, he embodies the first two letters.

No

Sad news about the ousting today, I was really shocked, had Nole going all the way and winning the trophy – and well deserved that would have been Zed.

WB will be happy again though that NoLE has lost, because he can abandon him a second time, and hit the wine bottle.

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