Kyle Edmund d&nbsp;Grigor Dimitrov,&nbsp;6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Britain&#39;s Kyle Edmund defeated Bulgaria&#39;s world No.3, Grigor Dimitrov, to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The unseeded Edmund, ranked 49, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in 2hr 49min and will face either Rafael Nadal or Marin Cilic for a place in the final.

Bulgaria&#39;s Dimitrov had beaten Edmund only two weeks ago in the quarter-finals at the Brisbane International, but there was no repeat.

&quot;It&#39;s an amazing feeling. I&#39;m very happy,&quot; said an overwhelmed Edmund, ranked 49 and in his first semi-final at a major. Watch his reaction:

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&quot;Reaching the last stage of the best tournament in the world it&#39;s obviously very pleasing, but of course I want to keep going.&quot; 
 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/kyle8edmund?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kyle8edmund</a> progresses to his first semifinal!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/lSo6EyxIqw">pic.twitter.com/lSo6EyxIqw</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955694078233997314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;It was a hard match and I&#39;m really trying to enjoy the moment. It was my first match on Rod Laver Arena and it&#39;s very special.&quot;

&quot;Reaching the last stage of the best tournament in the world it&#39;s obviously very pleasing, but of course I want to keep going.&quot;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/kyle8edmund?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kyle8edmund</a> vs Grigor Dimitrov ???? 
 
-13 aces 
-4 double faults 
-46 winners 
-48 unforced errors 
-5/15 bp won 
-6/9 bp saved 
-20/25 net points 
-75% 1st serve won 
-43% 2nd serve won 
-av. 1st serve 187 km/h<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/QfvzQQMy3k">pic.twitter.com/QfvzQQMy3k</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955697191611392000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

British star Edmund stunned third seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena

Kyle Edmund d Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Britain's Kyle Edmund defeated Bulgaria's world No.3, Grigor Dimitrov, to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open on Tuesday. The unseeded Edmund, ranked 49, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in 2hr 49min and will face either Rafael Nadal or Marin Cilic for a place in the final. Bulgaria's Dimitrov had beaten Edmund only two weeks ago in the quarter-finals at the Brisbane International, but there was no repeat. "It's an amazing feeling. I'm very happy," said an overwhelmed Edmund, ranked 49 and in his first semi-final at a major. Watch his reaction: "Reaching the last stage of the best tournament in the world it's obviously very pleasing, but of course I want to keep going." - @kyle8edmund progresses to his first semifinal!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/lSo6EyxIqw — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018 × "It was a hard match and I'm really trying to enjoy the moment. It was my first match on Rod Laver Arena and it's very special." "Reaching the last stage of the best tournament in the world it's obviously very pleasing, but of course I want to keep going." .@kyle8edmund vs Grigor Dimitrov ???? -13 aces -4 double faults -46 winners -48 unforced errors -5/15 bp won -6/9 bp saved -20/25 net points -75% 1st serve won -43% 2nd serve won -av. 1st serve 187 km/h#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/QfvzQQMy3k — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018 ×

Australian Open: Kyle Edmund progresses to semi-finals, upsets Grigor Dimitrov

Chung Hyeon d&nbsp;Tennys Sandgren,&nbsp;6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3

Unseeded Chung Hyeon became the first South Korean to reach a semi-final at a Grand Slam with a dominant straight-sets win over American Tennys Sandgren at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Ranked 58, he needed six match points before claiming a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win in 2hr 28min and will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych in Friday&#39;s semi-final.

Chung is the first South Korean man or woman to reach the semi-finals at a Slam and the youngest at 21 since Russia&#39;s Marat Safin reached the last four in Melbourne in 2010.

The rising Korean star joins Briton Kyle Edmund as the first unseeded men&#39;s semi-finalists in Melbourne since Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.

Chung, who sensationally knocked out six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round after taking out Germany&#39;s world No.4 Alexander Zverev in the previous round, had a few nervy minutes before he sealed the victory.

In a tense 11-minute final game he claimed victory on his sixth match point after Sandgren threw everything at the South Korean in a bid to stay in the match.

&quot;First of all, thank you for the all the Korean fans here, in RLA. Also, thank you for the all the fans in Korea including my team in Korea, my friends there. I really appreciate you all.&quot;

&quot;In the last game at 40-0 up I was thinking what I had to do at the ceremony, something like that, and after the breakpoints, I was like, nothing to do with ceremony, but just keep playing, stay focused,&quot; Chung said on the court in his limited English.

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Moving Hyeon. 
 
No wiping that smile from Chung&#39;s face!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/XGXTyvSdrS">pic.twitter.com/XGXTyvSdrS</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/956028082623799297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Asked who he wanted to face in the semi-final, Federer or Berdych, Chung replied diplomatically with a smile: &quot;It&#39;s 50-50.&quot;

The defeat ended an extraordinary tournament for the 97th-ranked Sandgren, who had not won at a Grand Slam before winning four matches here, including upsets of former winner Stan Wawrinka and fifth seed Dominic Thiem.

Chung jumped out of the blocks with an early break before taking the opening set in 37 minutes, serving at a high 85 percent.

He was playing on the baseline, taking time away from the American and controlling the points.

Chung broke in the opening game of the second set with a delightful backhand across the net taking the line. But Sandgren began to get more into the contest and broke back in the fourth when Chung&#39;s forehand was wide.

Sandgren broke again in the eighth and was serving for the second set before he was broken with a netted forehand.

Chung maintained his level in the tiebreaker, getting to set point before he forced a Sandgren forehand long.

Chung broke in the fourth game of the final set and but temporarily his victory charge was stalled before he got home on his sixth match point.

&nbsp;

Chung is the first South Korean man or woman to reach the semi-finals at a Grand Slam

Chung Hyeon d Tennys Sandgren, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 Unseeded Chung Hyeon became the first South Korean to reach a semi-final at a Grand Slam with a dominant straight-sets win over American Tennys Sandgren at the Australian Open on Wednesday. Ranked 58, he needed six match points before claiming a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win in 2hr 28min and will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych in Friday's semi-final. Chung is the first South Korean man or woman to reach the semi-finals at a Slam and the youngest at 21 since Russia's Marat Safin reached the last four in Melbourne in 2010. The rising Korean star joins Briton Kyle Edmund as the first unseeded men's semi-finalists in Melbourne since Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008. Chung, who sensationally knocked out six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round after taking out Germany's world No.4 Alexander Zverev in the previous round, had a few nervy minutes before he sealed the victory. In a tense 11-minute final game he claimed victory on his sixth match point after Sandgren threw everything at the South Korean in a bid to stay in the match. "First of all, thank you for the all the Korean fans here, in RLA. Also, thank you for the all the fans in Korea including my team in Korea, my friends there. I really appreciate you all." "In the last game at 40-0 up I was thinking what I had to do at the ceremony, something like that, and after the breakpoints, I was like, nothing to do with ceremony, but just keep playing, stay focused," Chung said on the court in his limited English. Moving Hyeon. No wiping that smile from Chung's face!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XGXTyvSdrS — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 × Asked who he wanted to face in the semi-final, Federer or Berdych, Chung replied diplomatically with a smile: "It's 50-50." The defeat ended an extraordinary tournament for the 97th-ranked Sandgren, who had not won at a Grand Slam before winning four matches here, including upsets of former winner Stan Wawrinka and fifth seed Dominic Thiem. Chung jumped out of the blocks with an early break before taking the opening set in 37 minutes, serving at a high 85 percent. He was playing on the baseline, taking time away from the American and controlling the points. Chung broke in the opening game of the second set with a delightful backhand across the net taking the line. But Sandgren began to get more into the contest and broke back in the fourth when Chung's forehand was wide. Sandgren broke again in the eighth and was serving for the second set before he was broken with a netted forehand. Chung maintained his level in the tiebreaker, getting to set point before he forced a Sandgren forehand long. Chung broke in the fourth game of the final set and but temporarily his victory charge was stalled before he got home on his sixth match point.

Australian Open: Unseeded Chung Hyeon enters semi-final

As the Australian Open enters the second week, things started veering dramatically. By and large, the apprehensions which loomed at the time of kick-start of the Australian Open came to the fore and turned into reality. Many big stars were suffering from injuries during the start of the year 2018. Andy Murray did not participate and Djokovic, Nadal and Wawrinka came to Melbourne with injury scares. 2014 champion Wawrinka succumbed early and crashed out in the 2nd round but it was smooth sailing for Djokovic and Nadal during the first week.

&nbsp;

The first shocker came on Monday 22nd January, when Novak Djokovic crashed out of the tournament. A spirited performance by South Korean Chung Hyeon, coupled with fitness issues of Djokovic ensured ouster of Djokovic. It is the Australian Open where Djokovic won his first Grand Slam exactly 10 years back in 2008. Australian Open has been to Djokovic, what French Open is to Nadal and Wimbledon is to Federer &ndash; A real den.&nbsp; Djokovic has lifted trophy here six times in past one decade. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was Nadal&rsquo;s turn next day to succumb. Rafael Nadal is a fighter and he put up a strong show against last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic. Nadal was forced to take an injury timeout in the fourth set. He finally gave up in the fifth set and his disappointment was palpable.

&nbsp;

It is a sad start of the year for Nadal, who had a dream run in 2017, winning two Grand Slams and ended up runners-up in Australian Open last year. But Nadal knows how to bounce back. After his French Open triumph in 2014, Nadal plummeted but bounced back with a bang after three years in 2017.

&nbsp;

But an even bigger wave was created by the 23 years old Britisher Kyle Edmund. Edmund had better of the 3rd seeded Dimitrov in the quarter-final and stormed into the semi-final. Edmund is only the 6th British player to reach the Grand Slam semi-final in the open era and that speaks about the grandeur of his achievement.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Now in the Men&rsquo;s singles, Roger Federer and Marin Cilic are the two formidable players left in the fray.

&nbsp;

In Women&rsquo;s Singles, the second-seeded C. Wozniacki is in the last four. It is a big relief for Wozniacki who saved two match points in the second round. But she has been playing sublime Tennis after that 2nd round scare. Wozniacki&rsquo;s run is somewhat reminiscent of Boris Becker&rsquo;s voyage in the 1989 US Open. In the US Open of 1989, Becker survived two match points in the fourth round and eventually won the tournament. Wozniacki is two steps away from the summit position and repeats Becker&rsquo;s feet.

&nbsp;

However, all eyes are on the 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. 30- years-old Kerber is a veteran as she turned professional 15 years back. Kerber struggled all through 2017 but in 2018, she is a different player. Kerber has defeated 17th seed American Madison Keys in the quarter-final.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Keys perhaps has been the most impressive player in this year&#39;s Australian Open as she hadn&rsquo;t dropped a set till the quarter-final.&nbsp; A scoreline of 6-3 6-2 against 8th seeded Caroline Garcia in the 4th round speaks about the form Keys is in but she was no match to Kerber in the semi-final.

&nbsp;

Top-seeded Simona Halep is also in the quarter-final. It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women&rsquo;s singles.

&nbsp;

In the next few days, history may be created as Federer may become the first man to take his Grand Slam tally to 20. Make no mistake about Federer&rsquo;s form &ndash; Federer hasn&rsquo;t dropped a single set till now in this tournament.

&nbsp;

A very special mention needs to be made of bespectacled 21-year-old South Korean Chung Hyeon, who toppled Djokovic. This morning Chung defeated American Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final and now he is in the last four. After all, how many times you have seen an Asian playing in the Grand Slam semi-final and defeating a 12 Grand Slams holder. I am sure you would struggle to figure out this in history. Hats off Chung.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women’s singles.

As the Australian Open enters the second week, things started veering dramatically. By and large, the apprehensions which loomed at the time of kick-start of the Australian Open came to the fore and turned into reality. Many big stars were suffering from injuries during the start of the year 2018. Andy Murray did not participate and Djokovic, Nadal and Wawrinka came to Melbourne with injury scares. 2014 champion Wawrinka succumbed early and crashed out in the 2nd round but it was smooth sailing for Djokovic and Nadal during the first week. The first shocker came on Monday 22nd January, when Novak Djokovic crashed out of the tournament. A spirited performance by South Korean Chung Hyeon, coupled with fitness issues of Djokovic ensured ouster of Djokovic. It is the Australian Open where Djokovic won his first Grand Slam exactly 10 years back in 2008. Australian Open has been to Djokovic, what French Open is to Nadal and Wimbledon is to Federer – A real den. Djokovic has lifted trophy here six times in past one decade. It was Nadal’s turn next day to succumb. Rafael Nadal is a fighter and he put up a strong show against last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic. Nadal was forced to take an injury timeout in the fourth set. He finally gave up in the fifth set and his disappointment was palpable. It is a sad start of the year for Nadal, who had a dream run in 2017, winning two Grand Slams and ended up runners-up in Australian Open last year. But Nadal knows how to bounce back. After his French Open triumph in 2014, Nadal plummeted but bounced back with a bang after three years in 2017. But an even bigger wave was created by the 23 years old Britisher Kyle Edmund. Edmund had better of the 3rd seeded Dimitrov in the quarter-final and stormed into the semi-final. Edmund is only the 6th British player to reach the Grand Slam semi-final in the open era and that speaks about the grandeur of his achievement. Now in the Men’s singles, Roger Federer and Marin Cilic are the two formidable players left in the fray. In Women’s Singles, the second-seeded C. Wozniacki is in the last four. It is a big relief for Wozniacki who saved two match points in the second round. But she has been playing sublime Tennis after that 2nd round scare. Wozniacki’s run is somewhat reminiscent of Boris Becker’s voyage in the 1989 US Open. In the US Open of 1989, Becker survived two match points in the fourth round and eventually won the tournament. Wozniacki is two steps away from the summit position and repeats Becker’s feet. However, all eyes are on the 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. 30- years-old Kerber is a veteran as she turned professional 15 years back. Kerber struggled all through 2017 but in 2018, she is a different player. Kerber has defeated 17th seed American Madison Keys in the quarter-final. Keys perhaps has been the most impressive player in this year's Australian Open as she hadn’t dropped a set till the quarter-final. A scoreline of 6-3 6-2 against 8th seeded Caroline Garcia in the 4th round speaks about the form Keys is in but she was no match to Kerber in the semi-final. Top-seeded Simona Halep is also in the quarter-final. It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women’s singles. In the next few days, history may be created as Federer may become the first man to take his Grand Slam tally to 20. Make no mistake about Federer’s form – Federer hasn’t dropped a single set till now in this tournament. A very special mention needs to be made of bespectacled 21-year-old South Korean Chung Hyeon, who toppled Djokovic. This morning Chung defeated American Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final and now he is in the last four. After all, how many times you have seen an Asian playing in the Grand Slam semi-final and defeating a 12 Grand Slams holder. I am sure you would struggle to figure out this in history. Hats off Chung. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Australian Open dazzles because of Wozniacki, Kerber and Halep

Roger Federer v Tomas Berdych

Federer&nbsp;is looking forward to booking a berth in the semi-final of Australian Open. He is set ready to face Tomas Berdych.

&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to playing against him. He seems in good shape and I&#39;m happy he&#39;s over the back issues that he also had at the end of last year,&quot; said Federer, who is targeting a 20th Grand Slam title.

Unseeded Chung Hyeon has already reached the semi-final at a Grand Slam with a dominant straight-sets win over American Tennys Sandgren and will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych in Friday&#39;s semi-final.&nbsp;

Here are match facts:

Head-to-heads: Federer leads 19-6

Fast&nbsp;facts

Federer: Age - 36; World ranking - 2; Prize money - $111,885,682; Career titles - 95; Grand Slam titles - 19;&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;best - Winner (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017)

Berdych: Age - 32; World ranking - 20; Prize money - $28,232,533; Career titles - 13; Grand Slam titles - 0;&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;best - Semi-final (2014, 2015)

Path to quarter-final

Federer

1st rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3

2nd rd: bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

3rd rd: bt Richard Gasquet (FRA x29) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4

4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 &nbsp;

Berdych

1st rd: bt Alex de Minaur (AUS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-1

2nd rd: bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3

3rd rd: bt Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x12) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2

4th rd: bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x25) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

&nbsp;

Unseeded Chung Hyeon has already reached the semi-final and will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych in Friday's semi-final

Roger Federer v Tomas Berdych Federer is looking forward to booking a berth in the semi-final of Australian Open. He is set ready to face Tomas Berdych. "I'm looking forward to playing against him. He seems in good shape and I'm happy he's over the back issues that he also had at the end of last year," said Federer, who is targeting a 20th Grand Slam title. Unseeded Chung Hyeon has already reached the semi-final at a Grand Slam with a dominant straight-sets win over American Tennys Sandgren and will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych in Friday's semi-final. Here are match facts: Head-to-heads: Federer leads 19-6 Fast facts Federer: Age - 36; World ranking - 2; Prize money - $111,885,682; Career titles - 95; Grand Slam titles - 19; Australian Open best - Winner (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017) Berdych: Age - 32; World ranking - 20; Prize money - $28,232,533; Career titles - 13; Grand Slam titles - 0; Australian Open best - Semi-final (2014, 2015) Path to quarter-final Federer 1st rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 2nd rd: bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) 3rd rd: bt Richard Gasquet (FRA x29) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 Berdych 1st rd: bt Alex de Minaur (AUS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 2nd rd: bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 3rd rd: bt Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x12) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 4th rd: bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x25) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

Australian Open: Roger Federer vs Tomas Berdych, some match facts

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-40-dead-140-wounded-after-massive-suicide-bomb-explosion-rocks-kabul-30897">At least 63 dead, 151 wounded after massive suicide bomb explosion rocks Kabul</a>

An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 63 people and wounding 151 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kasganj-clash-49-people-arrested-section-144-to-continue-30912">Kasganj clash: 49 people arrested, section 144 to continue</a>

Violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s Kasganj district after the cremation of a youth, who lost his life in firing during a clash between two groups on Friday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/caroline-wozniacki-beats-simona-halep-to-win-australian-open-30913">Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep to win Australian Open</a>

Caroline Wozniacki claimed her maiden grand slam title with a 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/iplauction-2018-live-30884">IPL 2018 auction LIVE: Sunrisers Hyderabad retains Rashid Khan for 9 crores</a>

The IPL 2018 auction is taking place in Bengaluru today where a total of 578 players went under the hammer.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/eight-dead-as-us-strike-hits-iraq-forces-30899">Eight dead as US strike hits Iraq forces</a>

Eight Iraqis were killed on Saturday, most of them security personnel, in a US air strike that apparently targeted them by mistake, a provincial official said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

At least 63 dead, 151 wounded after massive suicide bomb explosion rocks Kabul An explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul on Saturday, killing at least 63 people and wounding 151 others, officials said, in one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years. Kasganj clash: 49 people arrested, section 144 to continue Violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district after the cremation of a youth, who lost his life in firing during a clash between two groups on Friday. Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep to win Australian Open Caroline Wozniacki claimed her maiden grand slam title with a 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday. IPL 2018 auction LIVE: Sunrisers Hyderabad retains Rashid Khan for 9 crores The IPL 2018 auction is taking place in Bengaluru today where a total of 578 players went under the hammer. Eight dead as US strike hits Iraq forces Eight Iraqis were killed on Saturday, most of them security personnel, in a US air strike that apparently targeted them by mistake, a provincial official said.

WION Evening News Brief, 27 January 2018

Elise Mertens d&nbsp;Elina Svitolina,&nbsp;6-4, 6-0

Unseeded Australian Open debutant Elise Mertens blew away world number four Elina Svitolina in straight sets Tuesday to reach a first Grand Slam semi-final.

The Belgian world number 37, on a 10-match unbeaten streak after winning in Hobart this month, knocked out the Ukrainian 6-4, 6-0 in 1hr 13min.

Mertens, who is yet to drop a set, is the first Belgian to make the last four since Kim Clijsters in 2012.

&quot;I&#39;m lost for words. I don&#39;t know what to say. I just gave my all today,&quot; she said. &quot;I played my game today and tried to stay aggressive.&quot;

Mertens, 22, trains with her coach and boyfriend Robbe Ceyssens at the Kim Clijsters Academy in Belgium and has seen her world ranking rise from 127 at the end of 2016.

She had never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam before in four appearances.

&quot;He means a lot,&quot; she said of the importance of Ceyssens.

&quot;He&#39;s by my side all the time. Since we have been together my game has only gone upward. All credit to him.&quot;

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&quot;I&#39;m without words, I don&#39;t know what to say... I gave it all today.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/elise_mertens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elise_mertens</a> goes on! She&#39;s the first ???????? to make an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> SF since <a href="https://twitter.com/Clijsterskim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Clijsterskim</a> in 2012. <a href="https://t.co/ckDSeFCaP5">pic.twitter.com/ckDSeFCaP5</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955644957947129856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mertens made all the initial running, returning aggressively and mixing up her game cleverly, taking every opportunity to approach the net and cut off Svitolina&#39;s passing avenues.

She broke the world number four in the third game and then again for a 5-2 lead.

Serving for the set, Mertens tightened and a double fault on break point handed the Ukrainian a way back.

Mertens still had a second chance to serve out. Another double fault allowed Svitolina a glimmer at 15-30, but Mertens composed herself and landed three first serves to secure the set 6-4.

The Belgian had powered 16 winners to Svitolina&#39;s eight and significantly won nine of 12 points at the net.

Svitolina was immediately in trouble at 0-40 at the start of the second.

She saved those but a weak forehand into the net gave a fourth and Mertens landed an overhead smack on the sideline to secure the break.

Another break followed, and the third courtesy of a sumptuous backhand pass took Mertens to the brink of the last four at 5-0.

She completed the humbling of Svitolina with little fuss and will face either second seed Caroline Wozniacki or unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in Saturday&#39;s final.

If she makes it she will emulate Clijsters, who won at Melbourne Park in 2011.

Mertens had a message for her countrywoman and tennis great who she said would be following the match in the middle of the night back home.

&quot;Kim, thanks for watching and don&#39;t get too stressed.&quot;

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Elise Mertens defeated Elina Svitolina in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of Australian Open

Elise Mertens d Elina Svitolina, 6-4, 6-0 Unseeded Australian Open debutant Elise Mertens blew away world number four Elina Svitolina in straight sets Tuesday to reach a first Grand Slam semi-final. The Belgian world number 37, on a 10-match unbeaten streak after winning in Hobart this month, knocked out the Ukrainian 6-4, 6-0 in 1hr 13min. Mertens, who is yet to drop a set, is the first Belgian to make the last four since Kim Clijsters in 2012. "I'm lost for words. I don't know what to say. I just gave my all today," she said. "I played my game today and tried to stay aggressive." Mertens, 22, trains with her coach and boyfriend Robbe Ceyssens at the Kim Clijsters Academy in Belgium and has seen her world ranking rise from 127 at the end of 2016. She had never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam before in four appearances. "He means a lot," she said of the importance of Ceyssens. "He's by my side all the time. Since we have been together my game has only gone upward. All credit to him." "I'm without words, I don't know what to say... I gave it all today."@elise_mertens goes on! She's the first ???????? to make an #AusOpen SF since @Clijsterskim in 2012. pic.twitter.com/ckDSeFCaP5 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018 × Mertens made all the initial running, returning aggressively and mixing up her game cleverly, taking every opportunity to approach the net and cut off Svitolina's passing avenues. She broke the world number four in the third game and then again for a 5-2 lead. Serving for the set, Mertens tightened and a double fault on break point handed the Ukrainian a way back. Mertens still had a second chance to serve out. Another double fault allowed Svitolina a glimmer at 15-30, but Mertens composed herself and landed three first serves to secure the set 6-4. The Belgian had powered 16 winners to Svitolina's eight and significantly won nine of 12 points at the net. Svitolina was immediately in trouble at 0-40 at the start of the second. She saved those but a weak forehand into the net gave a fourth and Mertens landed an overhead smack on the sideline to secure the break. Another break followed, and the third courtesy of a sumptuous backhand pass took Mertens to the brink of the last four at 5-0. She completed the humbling of Svitolina with little fuss and will face either second seed Caroline Wozniacki or unseeded Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in Saturday's final. If she makes it she will emulate Clijsters, who won at Melbourne Park in 2011. Mertens had a message for her countrywoman and tennis great who she said would be following the match in the middle of the night back home. "Kim, thanks for watching and don't get too stressed."

Australian Open: Elise Mertens continues Cinderella run, beats Elina Svitolina

Angelique Kerber d&nbsp;Madison Keys,&nbsp;Madison Keys

Well deserved Angie!!!

Angelique Kerber entered the semi-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of US Open finalist Madison Keys on Wednesday&nbsp;on Rod Laver Arena.

The German 21st seed took just 51 minutes to crush the American 17th seed and will face either world number one Simona Halep or sixth seed Karolina Pliskova for a place in Saturday&#39;s final.

Madison Keys&nbsp;lost many chances in the first set and&nbsp;opened with two double faults and from there itself, Kerber led the game and brushed Keys away in a one-sided game.

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&ldquo;I love to play here, there&rsquo;s so many great memories&hellip; I&rsquo;m just happy to get through and make the semis again here.&rdquo;⁰⁰ 
 
- <a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AngeliqueKerber</a>. Can anyone stop her? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/f4nyBfaRgr">pic.twitter.com/f4nyBfaRgr</a>
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&ldquo;I love to play here, there are so many great memories&hellip; I&rsquo;m just happy to get through and make the semis again here.&rdquo;

&quot;It&#39;s always tough to play against Madison,&quot; said Kerber, who also won the US Open in 2016.

&quot;She is hitting the ball so hard and I was just trying from the beginning, like I played the whole week, just to play my game.&nbsp;

&quot;I love playing in Australia and on Rod Laver Arena. I have so many good memories here.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;m just happy to get through and be here in the semis.&quot;

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Back where she belongs.<a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AngeliqueKerber</a> will return to the top 10 at the end of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> 2018. <a href="https://t.co/2Rqt8Yhf2q">pic.twitter.com/2Rqt8Yhf2q</a>
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Kerber will face either world number one Simona Halep or sixth seed Karolina Pliskova for a place in Saturday's final

Angelique Kerber d Madison Keys, Madison Keys Well deserved Angie!!! Angelique Kerber entered the semi-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of US Open finalist Madison Keys on Wednesday on Rod Laver Arena. The German 21st seed took just 51 minutes to crush the American 17th seed and will face either world number one Simona Halep or sixth seed Karolina Pliskova for a place in Saturday's final. Madison Keys lost many chances in the first set and opened with two double faults and from there itself, Kerber led the game and brushed Keys away in a one-sided game. “I love to play here, there’s so many great memories… I’m just happy to get through and make the semis again here.”⁰⁰ - @AngeliqueKerber. Can anyone stop her? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/f4nyBfaRgr — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 × “I love to play here, there are so many great memories… I’m just happy to get through and make the semis again here.” "It's always tough to play against Madison," said Kerber, who also won the US Open in 2016. "She is hitting the ball so hard and I was just trying from the beginning, like I played the whole week, just to play my game. "I love playing in Australia and on Rod Laver Arena. I have so many good memories here." "I'm just happy to get through and be here in the semis." Back where she belongs.@AngeliqueKerber will return to the top 10 at the end of #AusOpen 2018. pic.twitter.com/2Rqt8Yhf2q — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 ×

Australian Open: Angelique Kerber outplays Madison Keys, races to semi-final

Mate Pavic won his second Australian Open title in 24 hours Sunday, pairing with Gabriela Dabrowski to beat Timea Babos and Rohan Bopanna 2-6, 6-4, 11-9 in the mixed doubles final.&nbsp;

The eighth seeds saw off the Hungarian/Indian fifth seeds in 1hr 8min on Rod Laver Arena.

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Put your hands up for a Grand Slam!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/7hgsfmeAsL">pic.twitter.com/7hgsfmeAsL</a>
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The win for Croat Pavic came a day after he triumphed in the men&#39;s doubles final with Austrian partner Oliver Marach in a night match on Saturday.

It was Pavic&#39;s third career Grand Slam title having also won the US Open mixed doubles in 2016, while Canadian Dabrowski won her first Slam at last year&#39;s French Open.

&nbsp;

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Hungary&#39;s Timea Babos (L) and India&#39;s Rohan Bopanna pose with their runner-up plates. (AFP)
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Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrowski beat Timea Babos and Rohan Bopanna 2-6, 6-4, 11-9 in the mixed doubles final

Mate Pavic won his second Australian Open title in 24 hours Sunday, pairing with Gabriela Dabrowski to beat Timea Babos and Rohan Bopanna 2-6, 6-4, 11-9 in the mixed doubles final. The eighth seeds saw off the Hungarian/Indian fifth seeds in 1hr 8min on Rod Laver Arena. Put your hands up for a Grand Slam!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/7hgsfmeAsL — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018 × The win for Croat Pavic came a day after he triumphed in the men's doubles final with Austrian partner Oliver Marach in a night match on Saturday. It was Pavic's third career Grand Slam title having also won the US Open mixed doubles in 2016, while Canadian Dabrowski won her first Slam at last year's French Open. Hungary's Timea Babos (L) and India's Rohan Bopanna pose with their runner-up plates. (AFP) ×

Australian Open: Pavic, Dabrowski win mixed doubles

Switzerland&#39;s Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia&#39;s Marin Cilic on Sunday.

The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set.

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Roger Federer captures his 20th Grand Slam title beating Marin Cilic 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> (File pic) <a href="https://t.co/RwuirXLlfX">pic.twitter.com/RwuirXLlfX</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/957579092924051457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Federer looked vulnerable at the start of the deciding set but once he fought off a break point in the first game he re-established control and surged to his 20th grand slam title.

The roof was closed over Rod Laver Arena as the tournament`s heat policy was implemented amid evening temperatures of 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).

Cilic`s serve came under immediate pressure with a whipping backhand return winner for break point which the Croatian followed with a smash into the net for a break in the opening game.

The Croat was finding it difficult to settle and changed racquets in his second service game, but it had no obvious benefit as he dropped serve again after three break points to trail 0-3.

He finally held serve to get on to the board and trail 4-1 with Federer hitting the ball cleanly.

The Swiss star served out the first set in just 24 minutes after a double break and a shaky Cilic opening.

Federer, playing in his 30th Grand Slam final, joined Novak Djokovic and Australian great Roy Emerson as joint top for the most Australian Open men`s titles.

The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes

Switzerland's Roger Federer claimed a record-equalling sixth Australian Open title with a 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Croatia's Marin Cilic on Sunday. The 36-year-old defending champion won the opening set in 24 minutes under the Rod Laver Arena roof before Cilic, playing his first final in Melbourne, found his range with a barrage of big hitting to drag the showpiece match into a deciding set. Roger Federer captures his 20th Grand Slam title beating Marin Cilic 6-2 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 6-1 #AusOpen (File pic) pic.twitter.com/RwuirXLlfX — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018 × Federer looked vulnerable at the start of the deciding set but once he fought off a break point in the first game he re-established control and surged to his 20th grand slam title. The roof was closed over Rod Laver Arena as the tournament`s heat policy was implemented amid evening temperatures of 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit). Cilic`s serve came under immediate pressure with a whipping backhand return winner for break point which the Croatian followed with a smash into the net for a break in the opening game. The Croat was finding it difficult to settle and changed racquets in his second service game, but it had no obvious benefit as he dropped serve again after three break points to trail 0-3. He finally held serve to get on to the board and trail 4-1 with Federer hitting the ball cleanly. The Swiss star served out the first set in just 24 minutes after a double break and a shaky Cilic opening. Federer, playing in his 30th Grand Slam final, joined Novak Djokovic and Australian great Roy Emerson as joint top for the most Australian Open men`s titles.

Roger Federer wins Australian Open 2018 Men's Singles

Veteran Indian doubles legend Leander Paes and Purav Raja have crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to Juan Cabal and Robert Farah in Men`s Double third round on January 21 at Court 8.

The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match.

Paes and Raja, who won two Challenger-level titles to close the 2017 season, were playing their second Grand Slam together. At the 2017 US Open, they had fallen in the second round.

The last time 44-year-old Paes played a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam was in 2016 at French Open.

He recently posted on social media, &quot;Thank you to all of you for your consistent&nbsp;support !&nbsp;We&rsquo;re still improving as a team &amp; I just want to say always work hard towards your goals. Don&rsquo;t rest on past laurels or get bowed down by what critics say. Take it in your stride and keep going. Age is just a number&quot;

Now, Rohan Bopanna, along with Hungarian tennis player Timea Babos, will play the Australian duo of Ellen Perez and Andrew Whittington in the first round of Mixed Doubles later today.

The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match

Veteran Indian doubles legend Leander Paes and Purav Raja have crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to Juan Cabal and Robert Farah in Men`s Double third round on January 21 at Court 8. The Indian pair lost to the 11th seeded Colombian duo 1-6, 2-6, in an hour-and-nine-minute-long match. Paes and Raja, who won two Challenger-level titles to close the 2017 season, were playing their second Grand Slam together. At the 2017 US Open, they had fallen in the second round. The last time 44-year-old Paes played a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam was in 2016 at French Open. He recently posted on social media, "Thank you to all of you for your consistent support ! We’re still improving as a team & I just want to say always work hard towards your goals. Don’t rest on past laurels or get bowed down by what critics say. Take it in your stride and keep going. Age is just a number" Now, Rohan Bopanna, along with Hungarian tennis player Timea Babos, will play the Australian duo of Ellen Perez and Andrew Whittington in the first round of Mixed Doubles later today.

Australian Open: Indian duo Leander Paes Purav Raja crash out

Rafael Nadal d&nbsp;Diego Schwartzman,&nbsp;16,&nbsp;6-3, 6-7 (4/7)

Rafael Nadal saw off&nbsp;Argentine Diego Schwartzman to win in the fourth round,&nbsp;6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3&nbsp;on Rod Laver Arena.

To showcase the abilities of a world&nbsp;number one, he&nbsp;broke in the eighth game on the way to taking the opening set.

He encountered stiff resistance in the second set but fought back to take one more step towards the title.

With this win, he ensured that he will be&nbsp;world number one&nbsp;when the new rankings will release.

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Relief. 
 
After almost four hours on court, that&#39;s the best way to describe <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a>&#39;s feeling right now...<a href="https://twitter.com/Kia_Motors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kia_Motors</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KiaTennis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KiaTennis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ex6ixCMGvw">pic.twitter.com/Ex6ixCMGvw</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/954994941331058688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Of course, I feel&nbsp;little&nbsp;bit tired, but yeah good. I was able to keep fighting until the end,&quot; he said.

&quot;It is the first big match I played in 2018. I started later than usual so a match like this probably helps because you know that helps confidence in myself.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s confidence for myself - knowing that I can resist almost four hours on court at a good intensity so quarterfinals already... I&rsquo;m very happy for that,&rdquo; he added.

This is his 10th Australian Open quarter-final appearance and he will face Croatia&#39;s sixth seed Marin Cilic.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-caroline-wozniacki-books-quarter-finals-berth-30206">&nbsp;Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth</a>

&nbsp;

Rafa was taken to four gruelling sets in almost four hours before winning 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena

Rafael Nadal d Diego Schwartzman, 16, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7) Rafael Nadal saw off Argentine Diego Schwartzman to win in the fourth round, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena. To showcase the abilities of a world number one, he broke in the eighth game on the way to taking the opening set. He encountered stiff resistance in the second set but fought back to take one more step towards the title. With this win, he ensured that he will be world number one when the new rankings will release. Relief. After almost four hours on court, that's the best way to describe @RafaelNadal's feeling right now...@Kia_Motors #KiaTennis #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Ex6ixCMGvw — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2018 × "Of course, I feel little bit tired, but yeah good. I was able to keep fighting until the end," he said. "It is the first big match I played in 2018. I started later than usual so a match like this probably helps because you know that helps confidence in myself. “That’s confidence for myself - knowing that I can resist almost four hours on court at a good intensity so quarterfinals already... I’m very happy for that,” he added. This is his 10th Australian Open quarter-final appearance and he will face Croatia's sixth seed Marin Cilic. Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal through to quarterfinals

Yesterday, Nadal&#39;s ouster was quite a shocker for Australian Open fans and spectators.

The Spanish world No.1 was struggling with a muscle injury in his upper right leg and that became the major reason for his&nbsp;exit playing against&nbsp;Marin Cilic the quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena.

On Wednesday, world number one&nbsp;Roger Federer and Simona Halep will rally to reach the semi-finals.&nbsp;Whereas, one&nbsp;unseeded player will make the Australian Open semi-finals in the men singles.

Determined&nbsp;Halep is carrying a painful ankle injury as she takes&nbsp;on Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova.

&quot;It is going to be a new match. You never know what&#39;s going to happen,&quot; Halep said after her tiring run to the last eight.

Giantkillers Chung Hyeon and Tennys Sandgren face off in a last-eight showdown no one expected on Rod Laver Arena, with Federer lining up against old foe Tomas Berdych in the evening.

&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to playing against him. He seems in good shape and I&#39;m happy he&#39;s over the back issues that he also had at the end of last year,&quot; said Federer, who is targeting a 20th Grand Slam title.

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As cool as they come. 
 
It&#39;s all business for Chung as he takes the first set on <a href="https://twitter.com/RodLaverArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RodLaverArena</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/kRhZKLhR3a">pic.twitter.com/kRhZKLhR3a</a>
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Semifinal smiles for <a href="https://twitter.com/kyle8edmund?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kyle8edmund</a> ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/4rwkduZEqB">pic.twitter.com/4rwkduZEqB</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955998787989684224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Giantkillers Chung Hyeon and Tennys Sandgren face off in a last-eight showdown no one expected on Rod Laver Arena

Yesterday, Nadal's ouster was quite a shocker for Australian Open fans and spectators. The Spanish world No.1 was struggling with a muscle injury in his upper right leg and that became the major reason for his exit playing against Marin Cilic the quarter-final on Rod Laver Arena. On Wednesday, world number one Roger Federer and Simona Halep will rally to reach the semi-finals. Whereas, one unseeded player will make the Australian Open semi-finals in the men singles. Determined Halep is carrying a painful ankle injury as she takes on Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova. "It is going to be a new match. You never know what's going to happen," Halep said after her tiring run to the last eight. Giantkillers Chung Hyeon and Tennys Sandgren face off in a last-eight showdown no one expected on Rod Laver Arena, with Federer lining up against old foe Tomas Berdych in the evening. "I'm looking forward to playing against him. He seems in good shape and I'm happy he's over the back issues that he also had at the end of last year," said Federer, who is targeting a 20th Grand Slam title. As cool as they come. It's all business for Chung as he takes the first set on @RodLaverArena. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/kRhZKLhR3a — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 × Semifinal smiles for @kyle8edmund ????#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/4rwkduZEqB — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 ×

Australian Open: Chung Hyeon, Tennys Sandgren, Federer, Halep, Pliskova Berdych target semis

Denmark&#39;s Caroline Wozniacki beat Spain&#39;s Carla Suarez Navarro in a tough three-set encounter to enter the semi-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Wozniacki won the first set easily 6-0 but lost the second set in a tie-breaker 6-7(3-7), but came back strongly to win the final set 6-2.

The Danish players committed just three unforced errors but lost her way in the second set. The second seed, however, came back strongly in the final set to finish the game.

&quot;Another semi-final here, I&#39;m excited,&quot; Wozniacki said after a marathon two-hour battle. 
&nbsp;

Wozniacki won the first set easily 6-0 but lost the second set in a tie-breaker 6-7(3-7)

Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki beat Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro in a tough three-set encounter to enter the semi-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Wozniacki won the first set easily 6-0 but lost the second set in a tie-breaker 6-7(3-7), but came back strongly to win the final set 6-2. The Danish players committed just three unforced errors but lost her way in the second set. The second seed, however, came back strongly in the final set to finish the game. "Another semi-final here, I'm excited," Wozniacki said after a marathon two-hour battle.

Australian Open: Wozniacki beats Navarro, enters semi-final

Former world number one Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising defeat by world number 58 Hyeon Chung in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The 21-year-old South Korean defeated Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 7-6 to reach the quarter-final stage of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

Djokovic is the most successful player in the history of the tournament, having won six times in Melbourne.&nbsp;

But he has not won a Grand Slam since the 2016 French Open having struggled with injuries and poor form.&nbsp;

Djovick was hampered by the elbow injury which had kept him out of tennis for six months after Wimbledon.

Djokovic is the most successful player in the history of the tournament, having won six times in Melbourne

Former world number one Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising defeat by world number 58 Hyeon Chung in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 21-year-old South Korean defeated Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 7-6 to reach the quarter-final stage of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Djokovic is the most successful player in the history of the tournament, having won six times in Melbourne. But he has not won a Grand Slam since the 2016 French Open having struggled with injuries and poor form. Djovick was hampered by the elbow injury which had kept him out of tennis for six months after Wimbledon.

Injured Novak Djokovic knocked out by Hyeon Chung in Australian Open

India&#39;s Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan lost their respective men&#39;s doubles third round matches in the Australian Open here today.

Combining with Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France, Bopanna lost to Oliver Marach of Austria and Croatia&#39;s Mate Pavic 6-4 6-7 (5) 3-6 at the Melbourne Park.

The match lasted a little over two hours and saw the Indo-French duo convert one out of two break points, while their opponents converted three out of 12 break points.

Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin had two aces compared to their opponents&#39; seven.

In an earlier match, the duo of Sharan and Rajeev Ram from the USA suffered a 6-3 6-7 (4) 4-6 defeat at the hands of Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Brazil&#39;s world number one Marcelo Melo.

While Sharan and Ram converted two out of six break points, Lukasz and his partner converted two out of four break points. The third round match lasted two hours and 12 minutes.

India's Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan lost their respective men's doubles third round matches in the Australian Open here today. Combining with Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France, Bopanna lost to Oliver Marach of Austria and Croatia's Mate Pavic 6-4 6-7 (5) 3-6 at the Melbourne Park. The match lasted a little over two hours and saw the Indo-French duo convert one out of two break points, while their opponents converted three out of 12 break points. Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin had two aces compared to their opponents' seven. In an earlier match, the duo of Sharan and Rajeev Ram from the USA suffered a 6-3 6-7 (4) 4-6 defeat at the hands of Lukasz Kubot of Poland and Brazil's world number one Marcelo Melo. While Sharan and Ram converted two out of six break points, Lukasz and his partner converted two out of four break points. The third round match lasted two hours and 12 minutes.

Bopanna, Sharan lose in men's doubles at Australian Open

1992 Australian Open Men&rsquo;s final. In a big clash with Swedish legend Stefan Edberg in the Men&rsquo;s final, Jim Courier celebrated his victory by taking a plunge in Yarra river. He repeated the act next year as well.

&nbsp;

The way players were struggling with extreme temperature might force them to take a dip in Yarra River time and again, not for celebrating though but to get some reprieve from the merciless heat. There is a cold wave in the northern hemisphere but the southern hemisphere is experiencing a scorching summer and, at the top of it, the synthetic courts at Melbourne Park make it feel like an oven for the players. The temperature was hitting 40-degree Celsius but the spirit of the game remained intact; some outstanding Tennis has already been played in Australian Open 2018.

&nbsp;

There has been all kind of moments. Some stars were humbled, few young players showcased themselves and few legends continued with their juggernaut.

&nbsp;

In the men&#39;s section, it has been smooth sailing so far 3 biggies, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal stormed into last eight and has lost just one set so far.&nbsp; He has been most convincing of all. In third round match, top-seeded Spaniard lost just 5 games. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The new version of Djokovic, who is sort of re-launching himself (with remodelled service), is doing well too. Federer hasn&rsquo;t dropped a set and he already is in the last sixteen. So with these three marching ahead; be ready for another magnum this week, something in line with last year&rsquo;s Men&rsquo;s final.

&nbsp;

Among upset, the biggest of all was that of another biggie and 2014 champion, Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka was easily tamed in the 2nd round.&nbsp; Another noticeable result in Men&rsquo;s section is the defeat of Alexander Zverev. The fourth-seeded lanky German was expected to make a mark but crashed out in the 3rd round.

&nbsp;

Seeded four Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov had nerves moment in first couple of matches but then he kept nerves and reached into the quarter-final only to be defeated by Kyle Edmund.

&nbsp;

But the player who made his presence felt was Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov. Shapovalov played in a match, which probably has been the most exciting match of Australian Open 2018 till now, It was his 2nd round encounter with Jo Tsonga. Though Shapovalov lost the five-set high-voltage nail-biter from a comfortable position in the fifth set, the lad has made a statement and made it clear that he would be the next big thing in Tennis. Shapovalov is complete package &ndash; a single-handed backhand, lovely forehand and lovely serve. He plays attacking game and alluring to watch.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US Open winner and last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic is playing fluent Tennis too and he is set to play Nadal in the quarter-final.

&nbsp;

Women&rsquo;s Tennis is looking at the next big name after William sisters for many years now. There is a pool of assorted players who have been winning Grand Slams, barring William sisters for past so many years. The top-seeded Simona Halep is yet to win a Grand Slam and that sums up the story that there is no clear-cut undisputed champion player in the WTA tour.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the Australian Open, veteran player Venus Williams crashed out in the 1st round. Another veteran Maria Sharapova created some buzz after winning first two matches but then lost out to 2016 winner Angelique Kerber. Among major upsets is G. Muguruza. The third-seeded Muguruza crashed out in the second round.

&nbsp;

However, one of the most sensational comebacks in the tournament was made by the second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki was 1-5 down in the third set and facing two match points. She rose to the occasion unprecedentedly. Not only she survived two match points, but also won six games in a row to sweep the match.

&nbsp;

And, yes, one special mention to the 15-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk; Kostyuk became the youngest woman to reach the 3rd round of a Grand Slam in 21 years.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It has been a mind-boggling week at the Australian Open with all sorts of ingredients. Some great Tennis is on the cards in a week to come. I expect that we are going to witness at least one epic encounters in Men&rsquo;s singles as likes of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Cilic and Dimitrov are in the fray.

&nbsp;

The air temperature at Melbourne is high but so is the spirit of players. Fasten your seat belt and be ready for some exciting action until 28th January. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It has been a mind-boggling week at the Australian Open with all sorts of ingredients. Some great Tennis is on the cards in a week to come.

1992 Australian Open Men’s final. In a big clash with Swedish legend Stefan Edberg in the Men’s final, Jim Courier celebrated his victory by taking a plunge in Yarra river. He repeated the act next year as well. The way players were struggling with extreme temperature might force them to take a dip in Yarra River time and again, not for celebrating though but to get some reprieve from the merciless heat. There is a cold wave in the northern hemisphere but the southern hemisphere is experiencing a scorching summer and, at the top of it, the synthetic courts at Melbourne Park make it feel like an oven for the players. The temperature was hitting 40-degree Celsius but the spirit of the game remained intact; some outstanding Tennis has already been played in Australian Open 2018. There has been all kind of moments. Some stars were humbled, few young players showcased themselves and few legends continued with their juggernaut. In the men's section, it has been smooth sailing so far 3 biggies, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal stormed into last eight and has lost just one set so far. He has been most convincing of all. In third round match, top-seeded Spaniard lost just 5 games. The new version of Djokovic, who is sort of re-launching himself (with remodelled service), is doing well too. Federer hasn’t dropped a set and he already is in the last sixteen. So with these three marching ahead; be ready for another magnum this week, something in line with last year’s Men’s final. Among upset, the biggest of all was that of another biggie and 2014 champion, Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka was easily tamed in the 2nd round. Another noticeable result in Men’s section is the defeat of Alexander Zverev. The fourth-seeded lanky German was expected to make a mark but crashed out in the 3rd round. Seeded four Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov had nerves moment in first couple of matches but then he kept nerves and reached into the quarter-final only to be defeated by Kyle Edmund. But the player who made his presence felt was Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov. Shapovalov played in a match, which probably has been the most exciting match of Australian Open 2018 till now, It was his 2nd round encounter with Jo Tsonga. Though Shapovalov lost the five-set high-voltage nail-biter from a comfortable position in the fifth set, the lad has made a statement and made it clear that he would be the next big thing in Tennis. Shapovalov is complete package – a single-handed backhand, lovely forehand and lovely serve. He plays attacking game and alluring to watch. US Open winner and last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic is playing fluent Tennis too and he is set to play Nadal in the quarter-final. Women’s Tennis is looking at the next big name after William sisters for many years now. There is a pool of assorted players who have been winning Grand Slams, barring William sisters for past so many years. The top-seeded Simona Halep is yet to win a Grand Slam and that sums up the story that there is no clear-cut undisputed champion player in the WTA tour. In the Australian Open, veteran player Venus Williams crashed out in the 1st round. Another veteran Maria Sharapova created some buzz after winning first two matches but then lost out to 2016 winner Angelique Kerber. Among major upsets is G. Muguruza. The third-seeded Muguruza crashed out in the second round. However, one of the most sensational comebacks in the tournament was made by the second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki was 1-5 down in the third set and facing two match points. She rose to the occasion unprecedentedly. Not only she survived two match points, but also won six games in a row to sweep the match. And, yes, one special mention to the 15-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk; Kostyuk became the youngest woman to reach the 3rd round of a Grand Slam in 21 years. It has been a mind-boggling week at the Australian Open with all sorts of ingredients. Some great Tennis is on the cards in a week to come. I expect that we are going to witness at least one epic encounters in Men’s singles as likes of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Cilic and Dimitrov are in the fray. The air temperature at Melbourne is high but so is the spirit of players. Fasten your seat belt and be ready for some exciting action until 28th January. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Air temperature is high as is the spirit of players at Australian Open 2018

Rod Laver Arena

Anett Kontaveit (EST) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Diego Schwartzmann (ARG)&nbsp;

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v Nick Kyrgios (AUS)

Denisa Allertova (CZE) vs Elina Svitolina (UKR)

Margaret Court Arena

Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) v Marin Cilic (CRO)

Petra Martic (CRO) v Elise Mertens (BEL)

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Petra Martic &amp; Anett Kontaveit are both looking to reach their first Grand Slam QF today...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/CZgnxrgdZO">pic.twitter.com/CZgnxrgdZO</a>
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Hisense Arena

Kyle Edmund (GBR) v Andreas Seppi (ITA)

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Day 7 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> is upon us ???????? 
 
Here are all the links you need to plan your day: 
 
Schedule: <a href="https://t.co/mRtN8jMegK">https://t.co/mRtN8jMegK</a> 
Live scores: <a href="https://t.co/JKaDyzkHHW">https://t.co/JKaDyzkHHW</a> 
Live blog: <a href="https://t.co/to7dCHXQCH">https://t.co/to7dCHXQCH</a> 
Watch online: <a href="https://t.co/GeMkr1xFs8">https://t.co/GeMkr1xFs8</a> 
Ticket sales: <a href="https://t.co/iEEPwCnigk">https://t.co/iEEPwCnigk</a> <a href="https://t.co/U9dOw38WWA">pic.twitter.com/U9dOw38WWA</a>
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&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal aims to reach quarter-finals&nbsp;for the 10th time and will face&nbsp;Argentina&#39;s 24th seed Diego Schwartzman in an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal understands the pressure and gearing up for the match.&nbsp;

&quot;He&#39;s won three matches here, playing at very high level. He&#39;s a complete player, he said before the fourth round match.

&quot;Need to be at my best to get past him,&quot; he added.

Nick Kyrgios and Grigor Dimitrov face off in an anticipated clash.

Elina Svitolina&nbsp;will face Denisa Allertova to pursue her dreams of the maiden slam.

&quot;I cannot be more prepared than I am now. I had an amazing run in Brisbane,&quot; Svitolina said.

&quot;I&#39;m just enjoying myself on the court. Every match is a big challenge for everyone in a Grand Slam. And, you know, I&#39;m just going to go out there and do my best,&quot; she added.

&nbsp;

Elina Svitolina will face Denisa Allertova to pursue her dreams of the maiden slam

Rod Laver Arena Anett Kontaveit (EST) v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Diego Schwartzmann (ARG) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v Nick Kyrgios (AUS) Denisa Allertova (CZE) vs Elina Svitolina (UKR) Margaret Court Arena Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) v Marin Cilic (CRO) Petra Martic (CRO) v Elise Mertens (BEL) Petra Martic & Anett Kontaveit are both looking to reach their first Grand Slam QF today...#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/CZgnxrgdZO — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 21, 2018 × Hisense Arena Kyle Edmund (GBR) v Andreas Seppi (ITA) Day 7 of the #AusOpen is upon us ???????? Here are all the links you need to plan your day: Schedule: https://t.co/mRtN8jMegK Live scores: https://t.co/JKaDyzkHHW Live blog: https://t.co/to7dCHXQCH Watch online: https://t.co/GeMkr1xFs8 Ticket sales: https://t.co/iEEPwCnigk pic.twitter.com/U9dOw38WWA — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018 × Rafael Nadal aims to reach quarter-finals for the 10th time and will face Argentina's 24th seed Diego Schwartzman in an afternoon match on Rod Laver Arena. Nadal understands the pressure and gearing up for the match. "He's won three matches here, playing at very high level. He's a complete player, he said before the fourth round match. "Need to be at my best to get past him," he added. Nick Kyrgios and Grigor Dimitrov face off in an anticipated clash. Elina Svitolina will face Denisa Allertova to pursue her dreams of the maiden slam. "I cannot be more prepared than I am now. I had an amazing run in Brisbane," Svitolina said. "I'm just enjoying myself on the court. Every match is a big challenge for everyone in a Grand Slam. And, you know, I'm just going to go out there and do my best," she added.

Day 7: Nadal, Dimitrov, Kyrgios, Wozniacki eye quarter-finals

Tomas Berdych d&nbsp;Juan Martin Del Potro,&nbsp;6-3, 6-3, 6-2

Veteran Tomas Berdych reached the round of 16 for the 10th time at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday.

The 32-year Czech eliminated the 12th-seeded Argentine 6-3, 6-3, 6-2&nbsp;in 2hr 16min on Hisense Arena.

Berdych, who has played in the semi-finals twice in Melbourne, will face Italian journeyman Fabio Fognini in their first Grand Slam match in Monday&#39;s fourth round.

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Czech-mate!<a href="https://twitter.com/tomasberdych?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomasberdych</a> hits 52 winners to d 12th seed Juan Martin <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DelPotro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DelPotro</a> 6-3 6-3 6-2 and becomes the first ???????? man in the Open Era to reach the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> round of 16 for the 10th time. <a href="https://t.co/l98KT5Tfx9">pic.twitter.com/l98KT5Tfx9</a>
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Berdych served up 20 aces, broke serve seven times and hit 52 winners with 28 unforced errors.

&quot;I think I was well prepared and I stuck with my plan and I&#39;m glad as I can stand here as a winner today,&quot; Berdych said on court.

&quot;Juan Martin is a great competitor and I&#39;m glad he is back after all the injuries that he&#39;s had. Tennis was missing him and it&#39;s great that he&#39;s back.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-simona-survives-an-epic-rally-beats-lauren-davis-4-6-6-4-15-13-30125" target="_blank">Australian Open: Simona survives epic rally, beats Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 15-13</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-karolina-pliskova-madison-keys-enter-fourth-round-30123" target="_blank">Australian Open: Karolina Pliskova &amp; Madison Keys enter fourth round</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-hyeon-chung-beats-alexander-zverev-enters-r16-30148" target="_blank">Australian Open: Hyeon Chung beats Alexander Zverev, enters R16</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-angelique-kerber-outplays-maria-sharapova-to-reach-r16-30149" target="_blank">Australian Open: Angelique Kerber outplays Maria Sharapova to reach R16</a>

&nbsp;

Berdych, who has played in the semi-finals twice in Melbourne, will face Italian Fabio Fognini in fourth round

Tomas Berdych d Juan Martin Del Potro, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 Veteran Tomas Berdych reached the round of 16 for the 10th time at the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday. The 32-year Czech eliminated the 12th-seeded Argentine 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 16min on Hisense Arena. Berdych, who has played in the semi-finals twice in Melbourne, will face Italian journeyman Fabio Fognini in their first Grand Slam match in Monday's fourth round. Czech-mate!@tomasberdych hits 52 winners to d 12th seed Juan Martin #DelPotro 6-3 6-3 6-2 and becomes the first ???????? man in the Open Era to reach the #AusOpen round of 16 for the 10th time. pic.twitter.com/l98KT5Tfx9 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018 × Berdych served up 20 aces, broke serve seven times and hit 52 winners with 28 unforced errors. "I think I was well prepared and I stuck with my plan and I'm glad as I can stand here as a winner today," Berdych said on court. "Juan Martin is a great competitor and I'm glad he is back after all the injuries that he's had. Tennis was missing him and it's great that he's back." Australian Open: Simona survives epic rally, beats Lauren Davis 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 Australian Open: Karolina Pliskova & Madison Keys enter fourth round Australian Open: Hyeon Chung beats Alexander Zverev, enters R16 Australian Open: Angelique Kerber outplays Maria Sharapova to reach R16

Australian Open: Tomas Berdych rallies past Del Potro to reach last 16

World number two Roger Federer and Serbian tennis maestro Novak Djokovic will aim to book their place in the pre-quarterfinals of the Australian Open when they play their respective third rounds of the men`s singles event here on Saturday.

While Federer will take on 29th seed Richard Gasquet of France, Djokovic will square off with 21st seed Albert Ramos Vinolas of Spain.

Earlier, 19-time Grand Slam champion Federer stormed into the third round of the first major of the season after defeating Germany`s Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets at the Melbourne Park.

The reigning Australia Open winner swept aside Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 in their last-64 clash.

Former world number one Djokovic, on the other hand, survived an early scare from France`s Gael Monfils to storm into the round of 32 of the season-opening Grand Slam for the 11th time.

The 14th seed, who is bidding to clinch his sixth Australian Open title, went down in the first set, but he rebounded strongly to eventually outplay Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in a thrilling second-round clash at the Melbourne Park.

On Tuesday, Djokovic played his first match since he was forced to retire during his Wimbledon quarter-final clash against Czech Republic`s Tomas Berdych.

The Serbian tennis maestro showed no signs of the elbow injury that cut short his 2017 season as he eased past Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in a one-sided opening round clash of the men`s singles event that lasted one hour and 51 minutes at the Margaret Court Arena.

The reigning Australia Open winner swept aside Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 in their last-64 clash.

World number two Roger Federer and Serbian tennis maestro Novak Djokovic will aim to book their place in the pre-quarterfinals of the Australian Open when they play their respective third rounds of the men`s singles event here on Saturday. While Federer will take on 29th seed Richard Gasquet of France, Djokovic will square off with 21st seed Albert Ramos Vinolas of Spain. Earlier, 19-time Grand Slam champion Federer stormed into the third round of the first major of the season after defeating Germany`s Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets at the Melbourne Park. The reigning Australia Open winner swept aside Struff 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 in their last-64 clash. Former world number one Djokovic, on the other hand, survived an early scare from France`s Gael Monfils to storm into the round of 32 of the season-opening Grand Slam for the 11th time. The 14th seed, who is bidding to clinch his sixth Australian Open title, went down in the first set, but he rebounded strongly to eventually outplay Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in a thrilling second-round clash at the Melbourne Park. On Tuesday, Djokovic played his first match since he was forced to retire during his Wimbledon quarter-final clash against Czech Republic`s Tomas Berdych. The Serbian tennis maestro showed no signs of the elbow injury that cut short his 2017 season as he eased past Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in a one-sided opening round clash of the men`s singles event that lasted one hour and 51 minutes at the Margaret Court Arena.

Australian Open: Federer, Djokovic eye pre-quarterfinal berths

Karolina Pliskova d&nbsp;Lucie Safarova,&nbsp;7-6 (8/6), 7-5

Karolina Pliskova defeated fellow Czech Lucie Safarova and enters fourth round of Australian Open women singles.

The sixth seed, looking to win her first Grand Slam, came through the tight match against her 29th seeded compatriot 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 in 1hr 37mins.

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Pumped up <a href="https://twitter.com/KaPliskova?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KaPliskova</a>! 
 
She&#39;s just taken the first set 7-6(6) against countrywoman Lucie Safarova.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/i7LTthFB3R">pic.twitter.com/i7LTthFB3R</a>
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&quot;It was a tough match, it always is against Lucie,&quot; said Pliskova, who made the quarter-finals last year.

&quot;I&#39;m happy I held my serve in the last game, It&#39;s a good sign because my serve is the most important key for me.&quot;

Madison Keys d&nbsp;Ana Bogdan,&nbsp;6-3, 6-4

Madison Keys continued her serene progress through the Australian Open draw with a 6-3, 6-4 win over unseeded Ana Bogdan on Saturday.

&quot;I&#39;m really excited. I definitely feel I&#39;m playing well,&quot; said Keys, who was one of only three Americans to make the round of 32.

&quot;Ana played great today and made me play my best tennis,&quot; Keys added.

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Lock <a href="https://twitter.com/Madison_Keys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Madison_Keys</a> in for 4R! ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/vPjotVhnwy">pic.twitter.com/vPjotVhnwy</a>
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The American will either face French eighth seed Caroline Garcia or Belarussian Alaksandra Sasnovich in the last 16.

&quot;Lindsay is amazing. We&#39;ve had three years together and she has taught me how to handle big moments like this,&quot; said Keys.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Karolina Pliskova defeated fellow Czech Lucie Safarova and enters fourth round of Australian Open women singles

Karolina Pliskova d Lucie Safarova, 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 Karolina Pliskova defeated fellow Czech Lucie Safarova and enters fourth round of Australian Open women singles. The sixth seed, looking to win her first Grand Slam, came through the tight match against her 29th seeded compatriot 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 in 1hr 37mins. Pumped up @KaPliskova! She's just taken the first set 7-6(6) against countrywoman Lucie Safarova.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/i7LTthFB3R — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018 × "It was a tough match, it always is against Lucie," said Pliskova, who made the quarter-finals last year. "I'm happy I held my serve in the last game, It's a good sign because my serve is the most important key for me." Madison Keys d Ana Bogdan, 6-3, 6-4 Madison Keys continued her serene progress through the Australian Open draw with a 6-3, 6-4 win over unseeded Ana Bogdan on Saturday. "I'm really excited. I definitely feel I'm playing well," said Keys, who was one of only three Americans to make the round of 32. "Ana played great today and made me play my best tennis," Keys added. Lock @Madison_Keys in for 4R! ????#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/vPjotVhnwy — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018 × The American will either face French eighth seed Caroline Garcia or Belarussian Alaksandra Sasnovich in the last 16. "Lindsay is amazing. We've had three years together and she has taught me how to handle big moments like this," said Keys.

Australian Open: Karolina Pliskova & Madison Keys enter fourth round

The Australian Open men`s singles final between champion Roger Federer and sixth seed Marin Cilic got underway on Sunday with the roof closed at Rod Laver Arena on a scorching day, triggering a hailstorm of criticism from former players.

The roofs of the main show courts at Melbourne Park are usually kept open unless the tournament`s extreme heat policy is invoked, when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) and a key humidity threshold has been surpassed.

The temperature was 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 F) when Cilic and Federer took the court.

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said the decision to close the roof would play straight into defending champion Federer`s hands.

&quot;It`s an outdoor tournament -- it`s like Wimbledon. Why is the roof closed?&quot; the Australian said during commentary for BBC radio.

&quot;The way Roger plays, he swings so hard at the ball and takes it so early, any wind or variation of the ball moving will take it away from him. It`s why he`s one of the best players ever indoors.&quot;

Other former players expressed disdain for the decision.

&quot;I can&rsquo;t believe they&rsquo;ve closed the roof,&quot; British doubles player Jamie Murray, the brother of three-times grand slam champion Andy Murray, tweeted.

&quot;Absolutely ridiculous that the roof is closed for the Australian Open. GS are outdoor events. Yes it&rsquo;s hot but the court is under shade and an evening match,&quot; tweeted British former U.S. Open finalist Greg Rusedski.

During the first week of the grand slam, players battled through two days of 40 degrees Celsius heat fully exposed to the conditions, as organisers declined to invoke the heat policy.

The roofs of the main show courts at Melbourne Park are usually kept open unless the tournament`s extreme heat policy is invoked

The Australian Open men`s singles final between champion Roger Federer and sixth seed Marin Cilic got underway on Sunday with the roof closed at Rod Laver Arena on a scorching day, triggering a hailstorm of criticism from former players. The roofs of the main show courts at Melbourne Park are usually kept open unless the tournament`s extreme heat policy is invoked, when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) and a key humidity threshold has been surpassed. The temperature was 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 F) when Cilic and Federer took the court. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said the decision to close the roof would play straight into defending champion Federer`s hands. "It`s an outdoor tournament -- it`s like Wimbledon. Why is the roof closed?" the Australian said during commentary for BBC radio. "The way Roger plays, he swings so hard at the ball and takes it so early, any wind or variation of the ball moving will take it away from him. It`s why he`s one of the best players ever indoors." Other former players expressed disdain for the decision. "I can’t believe they’ve closed the roof," British doubles player Jamie Murray, the brother of three-times grand slam champion Andy Murray, tweeted. "Absolutely ridiculous that the roof is closed for the Australian Open. GS are outdoor events. Yes it’s hot but the court is under shade and an evening match," tweeted British former U.S. Open finalist Greg Rusedski. During the first week of the grand slam, players battled through two days of 40 degrees Celsius heat fully exposed to the conditions, as organisers declined to invoke the heat policy.

Closed roof for Australian Open final draws criticism

Australian Open men&#39;s final facts and figures ahead of Sunday&#39;s match (x denotes seeding):

Roger Federer (SUI x2) v Marin Cilic (CRO x6)

Head-to-head: Federer leads 8-1 (year, tournament, surface, round, winner, score):

2017 &nbsp;ATP Finals &nbsp;Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;RR &nbsp;&nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1

2017 &nbsp;Wimbledon &nbsp;&nbsp;Grass &nbsp;F &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-3, 6-1, 6-4

2016 &nbsp;Wimbledon &nbsp; Grass &nbsp;QF &nbsp; Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-7 (4/7), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9), 6-3

2014 &nbsp;US Open &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;SF &nbsp; Cilic &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6-3, 6-4, 6-4

2014 &nbsp;Toronto &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;R16 &nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;7-6 (7/5),&nbsp;6-7 (3/7),&nbsp;6-4&nbsp;

2012 &nbsp;Shanghai &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;QF &nbsp; Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-3,&nbsp;6-4&nbsp;

2011 &nbsp;US Open &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;R32 &nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-3,&nbsp;4-6,&nbsp;6-4,&nbsp;6-2&nbsp;

2011 &nbsp;Monte Carlo Clay &nbsp;&nbsp;R16 &nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-4,&nbsp;6-3&nbsp;

2008 &nbsp;Paris&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hard &nbsp;&nbsp;R16 &nbsp;Federer &nbsp;&nbsp;6-3,&nbsp;6-4

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May the best man win! ???? 
 
Cool pic, <a href="https://twitter.com/cilic_marin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cilic_marin</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/xqNlE5Zkyz">pic.twitter.com/xqNlE5Zkyz</a>
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Fast&nbsp;facts

Federer: Age - 36; World ranking - 2; Prize money - $111,885,682; Career titles - 95; Grand Slam titles - 19;&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;best - Winner (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017)

Penpix

Federer is aiming to add to his five&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;titles and in the process win a record 20th Grand Slam. It will be his seventh decider at Melbourne Park, a feat no one else has achieved. The Swiss great began his year at the Hopman Cup and won all four of his singles matches, putting him on a 10-match unbeaten streak. He will be the third oldest man to contest the Melbourne Park final and has extended his record for most Grand Slam final appearances to 30. Rafael Nadal is next on 23.

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Game on: It&#39;s Cilic v Federer. 
 
You ready?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/byUbt8iYyV">pic.twitter.com/byUbt8iYyV</a>
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Fast&nbsp;facts 

Cilic: Age - 29; World ranking - 6; Prize money - $20,944,791; Career titles - 17; Grand Slam titles - 1;&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;best - Final (2018)

Penpix

The towering Croat, one of the tallest men on tour at 6 feet 6 inches, won his first major title at the 2014 US Open, defeating Kei Nishikori in the final. He is at a career-high in the rankings and by beating Kyle Edmund in the semis will rise to number three in the world. Nicknamed &quot;Chila&quot;, he made the final at Wimbledon last year, losing to Roger Federer, and won an event in Istanbul to go with five semi-final appearances. Warmed up for the&nbsp;Australian Open&nbsp;by making the semi-finals in Pune. Previous best at Melbourne Park was the last four in 2010.

Paths to the final

Roger Federer

1st rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3

2nd rd: bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

3rd rd: bt Richard Gasquet (FRA x29) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4

4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 &nbsp;

Q-F: bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x19) 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4

S-F: bt Chung Hyeon (KOR) 6-1, 5-2 ret&nbsp;

Marin Cilic

1st rd: bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5)

2nd rd: bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-1, 7-5, 6-2

3rd rd: bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)

4th rd: bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x10) 6/7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3

Q-F: bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 2-0 ret&nbsp;

S-F: bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2

&nbsp;

Federer is aiming to add to his five Australian Open titles and in the process win a record 20th Grand Slam

Australian Open men's final facts and figures ahead of Sunday's match (x denotes seeding): Roger Federer (SUI x2) v Marin Cilic (CRO x6) Head-to-head: Federer leads 8-1 (year, tournament, surface, round, winner, score): 2017 ATP Finals Hard RR Federer 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1 2017 Wimbledon Grass F Federer 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 2016 Wimbledon Grass QF Federer 6-7 (4/7), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9), 6-3 2014 US Open Hard SF Cilic 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 2014 Toronto Hard R16 Federer 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 2012 Shanghai Hard QF Federer 6-3, 6-4 2011 US Open Hard R32 Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 2011 Monte Carlo Clay R16 Federer 6-4, 6-3 2008 Paris Hard R16 Federer 6-3, 6-4 May the best man win! ???? Cool pic, @cilic_marin! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/xqNlE5Zkyz — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018 × Fast facts Federer: Age - 36; World ranking - 2; Prize money - $111,885,682; Career titles - 95; Grand Slam titles - 19; Australian Open best - Winner (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017) Penpix Federer is aiming to add to his five Australian Open titles and in the process win a record 20th Grand Slam. It will be his seventh decider at Melbourne Park, a feat no one else has achieved. The Swiss great began his year at the Hopman Cup and won all four of his singles matches, putting him on a 10-match unbeaten streak. He will be the third oldest man to contest the Melbourne Park final and has extended his record for most Grand Slam final appearances to 30. Rafael Nadal is next on 23. Game on: It's Cilic v Federer. You ready?#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/byUbt8iYyV — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018 × Fast facts Cilic: Age - 29; World ranking - 6; Prize money - $20,944,791; Career titles - 17; Grand Slam titles - 1; Australian Open best - Final (2018) Penpix The towering Croat, one of the tallest men on tour at 6 feet 6 inches, won his first major title at the 2014 US Open, defeating Kei Nishikori in the final. He is at a career-high in the rankings and by beating Kyle Edmund in the semis will rise to number three in the world. Nicknamed "Chila", he made the final at Wimbledon last year, losing to Roger Federer, and won an event in Istanbul to go with five semi-final appearances. Warmed up for the Australian Open by making the semi-finals in Pune. Previous best at Melbourne Park was the last four in 2010. Paths to the final Roger Federer 1st rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 2nd rd: bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) 3rd rd: bt Richard Gasquet (FRA x29) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 Q-F: bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x19) 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-4 S-F: bt Chung Hyeon (KOR) 6-1, 5-2 ret Marin Cilic 1st rd: bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) 2nd rd: bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 3rd rd: bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) 4th rd: bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x10) 6/7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 Q-F: bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 2-0 ret S-F: bt Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2

Australian Open: Match facts of men's final, Roger Federer vs Marin Cilic

A business-like Marin Cilic defused the firepower of Kyle Edmund before crushing the ailing Briton 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-2 to become Croatia&#39;s first Australian Open finalist on Thursday.

The sixth seed had won his quarter-final when Rafael Nadal retired hurt in the fifth set, and was again ruthless against a hobbled opponent, ending the 49th-ranked Briton&#39;s dream run after just two hours and 18 minutes under the lights at Rod Laver Arena.

Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 US champion will bid for his second Grand Slam title against the winner of Roger Federer and South Korea&#39;s rising star Chung Hyeon.

He will enjoy two full days off after his centre court cakewalk which left the largely pro-Edmund crowd cold on a hazy, moist evening.

&quot;I noticed that just in the third game, the third set, when I broke him, he just let a couple of balls go past him,&quot; Cilic, racked in sweat, told Jim Courier in the on-court interview.

&quot;(He) had an extremely tough run to the semis, had a couple of five-setters and a couple of four-setters as well. Definitely, it left some scars on his body.&quot;

An agitated Edmund took a medical time-out after losing the first set and slowed noticeably in the third, labouring in vain to keep pace with Cilic&#39;s baseline missiles.

It was a deflating ending for a match that began with promise when the 23-year-old came out in a blaze of shot-making to grab break points off the Croatian.

The rangy Cilic had all the replies, however, and studiously avoided Edmund&#39;s bazooka forehand as much as he could.

Given little latitude to work on his favoured side, a frustrated Edmund unravelled in the sixth game. He slapped a backhand into the net tape and the rebound sent it wide, allowing Cilic the first service break.

There was no tightness in the Cilic&#39;s game, and he calmly broke Edmund again, wrapping up the set in 35 minutes with a rocketed forehand to the corner.

Edmund had only a single forehand winner to that point and he exited the court for a medical time-out.

He returned still troubled of mind, and shouted &quot;No!&quot; at himself after bashing into the net when serving at 2-1.

The Briton lost his temper at 15-0 in the following game, arguing with the umpire heatedly over a line call on Cilic&#39;s serve.

&quot;Get the referee, I&#39;m not having it,&quot; he snapped before being flat-batted by the second match official.

The blow-up seemed to help as he served out to love and kept snapping at Cilic&#39;s heels all the way to a tiebreak.

But from there the big Croatian played with sublime control, ratcheting up the pressure with an overhead smash and landing a pinpoint serve out wide to have three set points in a hurry.

Edmund saved one but moments later Cilic was roaring in celebration, after lacing a backhand winner down the line to move within a set of the final.

It looked bad for Edmund, who began hobbling in vain pursuit of Cilic&#39;s raids on his backhand.

At 1-1, having been tossed around like a rag doll across the court, Edmund was broken again, slicing a weak retrieve into the net.

Cilic quietly pumped his fist as the crowd was subdued and he quietened the terraces further by breaking the Briton again at 4-2.

An 11th ace and a volley put Cilic a point from the finish before he wound up his serve one last time to put Edmund out of his misery.

Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 US champion will bid for his second Grand Slam title against the winner of Roger Federer and South Korea's rising star Chung Hyeon

A business-like Marin Cilic defused the firepower of Kyle Edmund before crushing the ailing Briton 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-2 to become Croatia's first Australian Open finalist on Thursday. The sixth seed had won his quarter-final when Rafael Nadal retired hurt in the fifth set, and was again ruthless against a hobbled opponent, ending the 49th-ranked Briton's dream run after just two hours and 18 minutes under the lights at Rod Laver Arena. Sealing the match with a thumping serve, the 2014 US champion will bid for his second Grand Slam title against the winner of Roger Federer and South Korea's rising star Chung Hyeon. He will enjoy two full days off after his centre court cakewalk which left the largely pro-Edmund crowd cold on a hazy, moist evening. "I noticed that just in the third game, the third set, when I broke him, he just let a couple of balls go past him," Cilic, racked in sweat, told Jim Courier in the on-court interview. "(He) had an extremely tough run to the semis, had a couple of five-setters and a couple of four-setters as well. Definitely, it left some scars on his body." An agitated Edmund took a medical time-out after losing the first set and slowed noticeably in the third, labouring in vain to keep pace with Cilic's baseline missiles. It was a deflating ending for a match that began with promise when the 23-year-old came out in a blaze of shot-making to grab break points off the Croatian. The rangy Cilic had all the replies, however, and studiously avoided Edmund's bazooka forehand as much as he could. Given little latitude to work on his favoured side, a frustrated Edmund unravelled in the sixth game. He slapped a backhand into the net tape and the rebound sent it wide, allowing Cilic the first service break. There was no tightness in the Cilic's game, and he calmly broke Edmund again, wrapping up the set in 35 minutes with a rocketed forehand to the corner. Edmund had only a single forehand winner to that point and he exited the court for a medical time-out. He returned still troubled of mind, and shouted "No!" at himself after bashing into the net when serving at 2-1. The Briton lost his temper at 15-0 in the following game, arguing with the umpire heatedly over a line call on Cilic's serve. "Get the referee, I'm not having it," he snapped before being flat-batted by the second match official. The blow-up seemed to help as he served out to love and kept snapping at Cilic's heels all the way to a tiebreak. But from there the big Croatian played with sublime control, ratcheting up the pressure with an overhead smash and landing a pinpoint serve out wide to have three set points in a hurry. Edmund saved one but moments later Cilic was roaring in celebration, after lacing a backhand winner down the line to move within a set of the final. It looked bad for Edmund, who began hobbling in vain pursuit of Cilic's raids on his backhand. At 1-1, having been tossed around like a rag doll across the court, Edmund was broken again, slicing a weak retrieve into the net. Cilic quietly pumped his fist as the crowd was subdued and he quietened the terraces further by breaking the Briton again at 4-2. An 11th ace and a volley put Cilic a point from the finish before he wound up his serve one last time to put Edmund out of his misery.

Cilic tames Edmund to reach first Australian Open final

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal might be arch-rivals on the court but off it they are good friends and the compassionate Swiss star has been worried about the injured world number one.

The gutted Spaniard was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-nadal-retires-in-fifth-set-cilic-in-semi-final-30517" target="_blank">forced to retire</a> with a hip problem early in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarter-final against sixth seed Marin Cilic on Tuesday.

It deprived the opening Grand Slam of the year of a potential rematch of the vintage 2017 final where Federer beat Nadal in a heart-stopping five-setter.

Federer said it hard to see Nadal&#39;s campaign end that way and the last thing he did before falling asleep on Tuesday evening ahead of his own quarter-final against Tomas Berdych was reach out to his friend.

&quot;It&#39;s hard to watch someone go out in five sets and not being able to finish,&quot; he said of seeing Nadal struggle.

&quot;I wrote Rafa late last night (Tuesday) before I went to bed. Last thing I did. I said I have to write Rafa and see how he&#39;s doing.

&quot;I was hoping he was going to be OK with the scan, hoping the news was not terrible.

&quot;It was not nice to see a fellow rival and friend like this go out. Wish him well,&quot; he added of the 16-time Grand Slam champion.

Fortunately for Nadal, a scan showed only a torn inner hip muscle and not something more serious, and he is expected to be back in action in three to four weeks.

Federer&#39;s selflessness was hailed by former star James Blake, who said the Swiss maestro was the only player who wrote to him when he suffered a serious injury in 2004.

&quot;I got one note from a player in the hospital when I broke my neck. Roger Federer. Tennis is lucky to have such an amazing ambassador for the game,&quot; the American tweeted.

Federer plays fast-rising South Korean Chung Hyeon on Friday for a place in the Melbourne Park final as he chases a 20th Grand Slam title.

The gutted Spaniard was forced to retire with a hip problem early in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarter-final against sixth seed Marin Cilic on Tuesday

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal might be arch-rivals on the court but off it they are good friends and the compassionate Swiss star has been worried about the injured world number one. The gutted Spaniard was forced to retire with a hip problem early in the fifth set of his Australian Open quarter-final against sixth seed Marin Cilic on Tuesday. It deprived the opening Grand Slam of the year of a potential rematch of the vintage 2017 final where Federer beat Nadal in a heart-stopping five-setter. Federer said it hard to see Nadal's campaign end that way and the last thing he did before falling asleep on Tuesday evening ahead of his own quarter-final against Tomas Berdych was reach out to his friend. "It's hard to watch someone go out in five sets and not being able to finish," he said of seeing Nadal struggle. "I wrote Rafa late last night (Tuesday) before I went to bed. Last thing I did. I said I have to write Rafa and see how he's doing. "I was hoping he was going to be OK with the scan, hoping the news was not terrible. "It was not nice to see a fellow rival and friend like this go out. Wish him well," he added of the 16-time Grand Slam champion. Fortunately for Nadal, a scan showed only a torn inner hip muscle and not something more serious, and he is expected to be back in action in three to four weeks. Federer's selflessness was hailed by former star James Blake, who said the Swiss maestro was the only player who wrote to him when he suffered a serious injury in 2004. "I got one note from a player in the hospital when I broke my neck. Roger Federer. Tennis is lucky to have such an amazing ambassador for the game," the American tweeted. Federer plays fast-rising South Korean Chung Hyeon on Friday for a place in the Melbourne Park final as he chases a 20th Grand Slam title.

Federer wishes 'friend' Rafa speedy recovery

Caroline Wozniacki claimed her maiden grand slam title with a 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The second-seeded Dane also claimed the world number one ranking from Halep, exactly six years after relinquishing it at the 2012 Australian Open.&nbsp;

Caroline Wozniacki won the first set of the Australian Open women`s final 7-6 (7/2) against Simona Halep as she attempts to claim a first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday.

The imposing Dane got an early break to go 2-0 up and it went with serve until Halep pounced to break back for 4-5 and take it to a tiebreak.&nbsp;

Wozniacki quickly took charge, winning the tiebreak 7-2 when Halep sent a forehand into the net.

Halep and Wozniacki are looking for their first. They are both in their third major decider but have never won.

Wozniacki, 27, has long carried the unwanted moniker of best player never to claim a major, having reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010.

She is in her 43rd Grand Slam appearance and desperate to get off the mark.

The second-seeded Dane also claimed the world number one ranking from Halep

Caroline Wozniacki claimed her maiden grand slam title with a 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 win over top seed Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday. The second-seeded Dane also claimed the world number one ranking from Halep, exactly six years after relinquishing it at the 2012 Australian Open. Caroline Wozniacki won the first set of the Australian Open women`s final 7-6 (7/2) against Simona Halep as she attempts to claim a first-ever Grand Slam title on Saturday. The imposing Dane got an early break to go 2-0 up and it went with serve until Halep pounced to break back for 4-5 and take it to a tiebreak. Wozniacki quickly took charge, winning the tiebreak 7-2 when Halep sent a forehand into the net. Halep and Wozniacki are looking for their first. They are both in their third major decider but have never won. Wozniacki, 27, has long carried the unwanted moniker of best player never to claim a major, having reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010. She is in her 43rd Grand Slam appearance and desperate to get off the mark.

Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep to win Australian Open

Simona Halep d&nbsp;Karolina Pliskova,&nbsp;6-3, 6-2

World number one Simona Halep thrashed sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova to enter semifinals of Australian Open on Wednesday.

&quot;It&#39;s really nice to be in the semi-final. It was not my best start, but I knew I had to restart which I did,&quot; said the world number one after winning.

&quot;This was not my best&nbsp;start&nbsp;but I just knew&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;have&nbsp;to&nbsp;restart&nbsp;after few games to stop missing and to move better, which&nbsp;I&nbsp;did pretty well,&nbsp;I played my&nbsp;style&nbsp;and everything went pretty well for me.

It&#39;s nice to be here, it&#39;s nice to be here on this court,&quot; she added.

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&quot;It&#39;s really nice to be in the semis... For sure it wasn&#39;t my best start, but I knew I had to restart which I did.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/Simona_Halep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Simona_Halep</a> steams ahead to her first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> semifinal! <a href="https://t.co/7gXSSQNdgl">pic.twitter.com/7gXSSQNdgl</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/956051289854697472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I am pretty strong at the return and I always practice that. I read my opponent and want to make her&nbsp;stress herself so that I can dominate the game.

Romanian red beauty will face Angelique Kerber&nbsp;in the semi-final.&nbsp;

&quot;For sure its gonna be different, she is moving pretty well I have to be strong and calm against Kerber.&quot;

&quot;I am trying to enjoy the semis and not thinking about the results and play my best,&quot; she concluded.

The Romanian reeled off nine games in a row to recover from 0-3 en route to a 6-3, 6-2 victory and move into a showdown with in-form 2016 champion Angelique Kerber for a place in the final.

Match facts:

Halep - Pliskova

0 Aces 2

4 Double Faults 3

20 Winners 21

10 Unforced Errors 28

5/10 Break Point Conversions 1/4

69 Total Points Won 49

&nbsp;

Romanian beauty in "red dress" will face Angelique Kerber in the semi-final match of the first grand slam of 2018

Simona Halep d Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 6-2 World number one Simona Halep thrashed sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova to enter semifinals of Australian Open on Wednesday. "It's really nice to be in the semi-final. It was not my best start, but I knew I had to restart which I did," said the world number one after winning. "This was not my best start but I just knew that I have to restart after few games to stop missing and to move better, which I did pretty well, I played my style and everything went pretty well for me. It's nice to be here, it's nice to be here on this court," she added. "It's really nice to be in the semis... For sure it wasn't my best start, but I knew I had to restart which I did."@Simona_Halep steams ahead to her first #AusOpen semifinal! pic.twitter.com/7gXSSQNdgl — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018 × "I am pretty strong at the return and I always practice that. I read my opponent and want to make her stress herself so that I can dominate the game. Romanian red beauty will face Angelique Kerber in the semi-final. "For sure its gonna be different, she is moving pretty well I have to be strong and calm against Kerber." "I am trying to enjoy the semis and not thinking about the results and play my best," she concluded. The Romanian reeled off nine games in a row to recover from 0-3 en route to a 6-3, 6-2 victory and move into a showdown with in-form 2016 champion Angelique Kerber for a place in the final. Match facts: Halep - Pliskova 0 Aces 2 4 Double Faults 3 20 Winners 21 10 Unforced Errors 28 5/10 Break Point Conversions 1/4 69 Total Points Won 49

Australian Open: Simona Halep rattles Karolina Pliskova, reaches semi-finals

Rafael Nadal called on tour organisers to do more to halt injuries to top players after heartache at the Australian Open as he pulled out of his semi-final on Tuesday.

The Spanish world No.1 retired with a muscle injury in his upper right leg while trailing 0-2 to former US Open champion Marin Cilic in the fifth set of a titanic quarter-final struggle on Rod Laver Arena.

It is the second time he has been forced to pull out with injury in Melbourne after calling it quits in the third set of his 2010 quarter-final against Andy Murray with a knee problem.

The look on Nadal`s face said it all as he came to terms with missing a big opportunity to go after his 17th Grand Slam title after looking impressive in his early round matches.

&quot;Tough moments. Is not the first time an opportunity that is gone for me,&quot; he told reporters.

&quot;I am a positive person, but today is an opportunity lost to be in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam and fight for an important title for me.

&quot;This has already happened to me a couple of times in this tournament and it`s really tough to accept, especially after a tough December when I missed starting the season in Abu Dhabi and then Brisbane.&quot;

Nadal went into the year`s opening Grand Slam tournament with knee concerns, but ironically that wasn`t the problem that finally brought him undone in the heat of battle with Cilic.

&quot;I was playing okay. I was playing a match that anything could happen: could win, could lose. He was playing good, too,&quot; Nadal said.

&quot;But I was fighting for it. I was two sets to one up. Yeah, just have to accept, recover, go back home, stay with my people and keep going. That`s all.&quot;

Nadal said his problem was not hip-related, more a muscle issue high up on his right leg.

&quot;I can`t tell you exactly the muscle. It`s high on the leg. Tomorrow we`re going to communicate what`s going on after a MRI scan,&quot; he said.

&quot;Now is not the moment to say what`s going on because we really don`t know and the doctors really don`t know yet.&quot;

Nadal said tour organisers had to do something about the growing number of injuries among players after the withdrawals of Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori before the tournament and Novak Djokovic struggling ahead of his exit on Monday.

&quot;Somebody who is running the tour should think a little bit about what`s going on. Too many people are getting injured,&quot; Nadal said.

&quot;I don`t know if they think a little bit about the health of the players. I don`t know if we keep playing on these very hard surfaces what`s going to happen in the future with our lives.&quot;

Nadal said he was having no problems with the knee that forced him out of lead-up tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Brisbane.

&quot;I was playing three hours 50 minutes the other day. Today I was playing over three hours. I was running quite well.&quot;

&nbsp;

Croatia's Martin Cilic beats Nadal to enter Australian Open semi-final

Rafael Nadal called on tour organisers to do more to halt injuries to top players after heartache at the Australian Open as he pulled out of his semi-final on Tuesday. The Spanish world No.1 retired with a muscle injury in his upper right leg while trailing 0-2 to former US Open champion Marin Cilic in the fifth set of a titanic quarter-final struggle on Rod Laver Arena. It is the second time he has been forced to pull out with injury in Melbourne after calling it quits in the third set of his 2010 quarter-final against Andy Murray with a knee problem. The look on Nadal`s face said it all as he came to terms with missing a big opportunity to go after his 17th Grand Slam title after looking impressive in his early round matches. "Tough moments. Is not the first time an opportunity that is gone for me," he told reporters. "I am a positive person, but today is an opportunity lost to be in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam and fight for an important title for me. "This has already happened to me a couple of times in this tournament and it`s really tough to accept, especially after a tough December when I missed starting the season in Abu Dhabi and then Brisbane." Nadal went into the year`s opening Grand Slam tournament with knee concerns, but ironically that wasn`t the problem that finally brought him undone in the heat of battle with Cilic. "I was playing okay. I was playing a match that anything could happen: could win, could lose. He was playing good, too," Nadal said. "But I was fighting for it. I was two sets to one up. Yeah, just have to accept, recover, go back home, stay with my people and keep going. That`s all." Nadal said his problem was not hip-related, more a muscle issue high up on his right leg. "I can`t tell you exactly the muscle. It`s high on the leg. Tomorrow we`re going to communicate what`s going on after a MRI scan," he said. "Now is not the moment to say what`s going on because we really don`t know and the doctors really don`t know yet." Nadal said tour organisers had to do something about the growing number of injuries among players after the withdrawals of Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori before the tournament and Novak Djokovic struggling ahead of his exit on Monday. "Somebody who is running the tour should think a little bit about what`s going on. Too many people are getting injured," Nadal said. "I don`t know if they think a little bit about the health of the players. I don`t know if we keep playing on these very hard surfaces what`s going to happen in the future with our lives." Nadal said he was having no problems with the knee that forced him out of lead-up tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Brisbane. "I was playing three hours 50 minutes the other day. Today I was playing over three hours. I was running quite well."

Australian Open: Nadal retires in fifth set, Cilic in semi-final

Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) v Marin Cilic (CRO x6)

World number 1 Nadal, arrived in Australia with a lot of question marks over the state of his knees.

He was forced to withdraw mid-tournament from the ATP Finals in November.

But his current performance has no hint of injuries and discomforts.

On Tuesday, he will face sixth-seeded&nbsp;Marin Cilic to move one step towards the first grand slam of the year.

Although Cilic, last year&#39;s Wimbledon finalist, who also pursue the same dream, is not going to be an easy opponent.

Here are some facts related to the match.

Head-to-head: Nadal leads 5-1

Fast facts

Rafael Nadal: Age - 31; World ranking - 1; Prize money - $94,588,627; Career titles - 75; Grand Slam titles - 16; Australian Open best - Winner (2009)

Marin Cilic: Age - 29; World ranking - 6; Prize money - $20,944,791; Career titles - 17; Grand Slam titles - 1; Australian Open best - Semi-finals (2010)

Path to the quarter-final

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> has not lost to a Top 10 seed at a Grand Slam since falling to No.1 seed Djokovic in the quarterfinals at 2015 Roland-Garros. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/7Qu2uWArIp">pic.twitter.com/7Qu2uWArIp</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955718681744482305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Nadal

1st rd: bt Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1

2nd rd: bt Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

3rd rd: bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH x28) 6-1, 6-3, 6-1

4th rd: bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x24) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3

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Is <a href="https://twitter.com/cilic_marin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cilic_marin</a> the biggest threat to Nadal&#39;s tilt at another <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> title? 
 
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/3CbM2saDN0">https://t.co/3CbM2saDN0</a> <a href="https://t.co/s6GskgeIWx">pic.twitter.com/s6GskgeIWx</a>
&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955714826487001088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Cilic

1st rd: bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5)

2nd rd: bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-1, 7-5, 6-2

3rd rd: bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)

4th rd: bt Pablo Carreno Busta (URU x10) 6/7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3

&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal will face Marin Cilic to book a berth in semi-finals of the first grand slam of 2018

Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) v Marin Cilic (CRO x6) World number 1 Nadal, arrived in Australia with a lot of question marks over the state of his knees. He was forced to withdraw mid-tournament from the ATP Finals in November. But his current performance has no hint of injuries and discomforts. On Tuesday, he will face sixth-seeded Marin Cilic to move one step towards the first grand slam of the year. Although Cilic, last year's Wimbledon finalist, who also pursue the same dream, is not going to be an easy opponent. Here are some facts related to the match. Head-to-head: Nadal leads 5-1 Fast facts Rafael Nadal: Age - 31; World ranking - 1; Prize money - $94,588,627; Career titles - 75; Grand Slam titles - 16; Australian Open best - Winner (2009) Marin Cilic: Age - 29; World ranking - 6; Prize money - $20,944,791; Career titles - 17; Grand Slam titles - 1; Australian Open best - Semi-finals (2010) Path to the quarter-final .@RafaelNadal has not lost to a Top 10 seed at a Grand Slam since falling to No.1 seed Djokovic in the quarterfinals at 2015 Roland-Garros. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/7Qu2uWArIp — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018 × Nadal 1st rd: bt Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 2nd rd: bt Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) 3rd rd: bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH x28) 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 4th rd: bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x24) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 Is @cilic_marin the biggest threat to Nadal's tilt at another #AusOpen title? Read more: https://t.co/3CbM2saDN0 pic.twitter.com/s6GskgeIWx — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018 × Cilic 1st rd: bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) 2nd rd: bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 3rd rd: bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) 4th rd: bt Pablo Carreno Busta (URU x10) 6/7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 6-3

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal vs Marin Cilic, some match facts

Defending champion Roger Federer strolled into the Australian Open final in a bitter-sweet win after Chung Hyeon&#39;s retired injured in their semi-final on Friday.

The Swiss star was leading 6-1, 5-2 when the South Korean called it quits with foot blisters and will now face Marin Cilic in Sunday&#39;s final.

Chung, the first South Korean man or woman to play in a Grand Slam semi-final, was treated in a medical timeout for the left foot problem two games earlier.

But it came as a big surprise when the 21-year-old walked to the net at 30-30 and trailing 2-5 after 1hr 02mins in the second set to concede defeat.

It put Federer into his seventh Australian final as he chases his sixth Melbourne title and 20th Grand Slam victory.

Federer leads 2014 US Open champion Cilic 8-1 in their meetings.

The Swiss maestro now has a 30-13 win-loss record in Grand Slam semi-finals and has yet to drop a set in this year&#39;s Australian Open.

&quot;You couldn&#39;t tell until the end,&quot; he said of Chung&#39;s injury problems. &quot;That&#39;s probably why a lot of people are stunned (he retired).&nbsp;

&quot;I could tell something was wrong before he took the injury timeout, but he has a great composure.&nbsp;

&quot;I think he is already a great player, but we are talking next level excellence and I think he will achieve that.&nbsp;

&quot;We will see much more of him. Top 10 for sure. The rest we will see.&quot;

It was a muted semi-final with the Rod Laver Arena retractable roof closed for rain further improving Federer&#39;s chances given his indoor record.

He broke Chung&#39;s opening service and twice more to romp away with the first set in just 33 minutes as the Korean made a flurry of errors.

It got no better in the second set with Federer again breaking in the fourth game before the trainer was called on to the court to treat Chung for his foot blisters.

Chung only lasted a bit more than two games before pulling out to a stunned silence.

&quot;In the second set I felt he was starting to get a bit slower, fighting with a blister,&quot; Federer said.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve played with blisters in the past a lot, and it hurts a lot, and at one point it is just too much and you can&#39;t take it anymore.

&quot;That&#39;s when you realise there is no way you can come back and you make things really worse, it is better to stop. That&#39;s why this feels bitter-sweet.&nbsp;

&quot;Obviously I&#39;m incredibly happy to be in the finals, but not like this.&quot;

Federer broke Chung&#39;s serve four times off 11 break points and only had one break point on his own service.

The Swiss second seed hit 24 winners while Chung made 17 unforced errors in 14 games, eight of them off his normally potent forehand.

The Swiss star was leading 6-1, 5-2 when Chung called it quits with foot blisters and will face Marin Cilic in Sunday's final

Defending champion Roger Federer strolled into the Australian Open final in a bitter-sweet win after Chung Hyeon's retired injured in their semi-final on Friday. The Swiss star was leading 6-1, 5-2 when the South Korean called it quits with foot blisters and will now face Marin Cilic in Sunday's final. Chung, the first South Korean man or woman to play in a Grand Slam semi-final, was treated in a medical timeout for the left foot problem two games earlier. But it came as a big surprise when the 21-year-old walked to the net at 30-30 and trailing 2-5 after 1hr 02mins in the second set to concede defeat. It put Federer into his seventh Australian final as he chases his sixth Melbourne title and 20th Grand Slam victory. Federer leads 2014 US Open champion Cilic 8-1 in their meetings. The Swiss maestro now has a 30-13 win-loss record in Grand Slam semi-finals and has yet to drop a set in this year's Australian Open. "You couldn't tell until the end," he said of Chung's injury problems. "That's probably why a lot of people are stunned (he retired). "I could tell something was wrong before he took the injury timeout, but he has a great composure. "I think he is already a great player, but we are talking next level excellence and I think he will achieve that. "We will see much more of him. Top 10 for sure. The rest we will see." It was a muted semi-final with the Rod Laver Arena retractable roof closed for rain further improving Federer's chances given his indoor record. He broke Chung's opening service and twice more to romp away with the first set in just 33 minutes as the Korean made a flurry of errors. It got no better in the second set with Federer again breaking in the fourth game before the trainer was called on to the court to treat Chung for his foot blisters. Chung only lasted a bit more than two games before pulling out to a stunned silence. "In the second set I felt he was starting to get a bit slower, fighting with a blister," Federer said. "I've played with blisters in the past a lot, and it hurts a lot, and at one point it is just too much and you can't take it anymore. "That's when you realise there is no way you can come back and you make things really worse, it is better to stop. That's why this feels bitter-sweet. "Obviously I'm incredibly happy to be in the finals, but not like this." Federer broke Chung's serve four times off 11 break points and only had one break point on his own service. The Swiss second seed hit 24 winners while Chung made 17 unforced errors in 14 games, eight of them off his normally potent forehand.

Federer into Australian Open final as Chung retires injured

Karolina Pliskova d&nbsp;Barbora Strycova,&nbsp;6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2

Karolina Pliskova rallied from a set down to beat fellow Czech and 20th seed Barbora Strycova 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 and make the Australian Open quarter-finals early Tuesday.

Sixth seed Pliskova will face top-ranked Simona Halep for a place in the semis after coming through the late night match at Rod Laver Arena.

&quot;In the first set it was very close so I knew I needed to step up,&quot; said Pliskova, who reached her second last eight at the Australian Open. &quot;I needed to play more aggressive.&quot;

The contrast between the two Czech women is striking.

Tattoed Pliskova, 24, stands 1.86 metres tall (6ft 1in) and used her height to serve more aces than any other player on the WTA Tour last year.

Veteran Strycova, 31, is just 1.64 metres (5ft 4 1/2in) and scampers around the court sliding and diving to retrieve balls other players would have given up.

But there was nothing to separate them in the first set where neither&#39;s serve could be broken.

In the tiebreak, Pliskova netted a backhand on Strycova&#39;s second set point to concede it 7-5 after 69 minutes of attritional tennis.&nbsp;

It served to fire up Pliskova who made the first service break in the first game of the second set and began to negate Strycova&#39;s all-action approach before securing the set 6-3.

&quot;The quick break at the start of the second set helped me,&quot; said Pliskova.

As the clock ticked past 1:00 am in Melbourne it was Pliskova who made the move, going up 3-1 in the decider as Strycova&#39;s first serve deserted her, and she secured a date with the world number one.

&quot;The last we played in Paris I think it was very close,&quot; Pliskova said of the prospects of meeting Halep for a place in the semi-final&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Karolina Pliskova will face top-ranked Simona Halep for a place in the semis

Karolina Pliskova d Barbora Strycova, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 Karolina Pliskova rallied from a set down to beat fellow Czech and 20th seed Barbora Strycova 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 and make the Australian Open quarter-finals early Tuesday. Sixth seed Pliskova will face top-ranked Simona Halep for a place in the semis after coming through the late night match at Rod Laver Arena. "In the first set it was very close so I knew I needed to step up," said Pliskova, who reached her second last eight at the Australian Open. "I needed to play more aggressive." The contrast between the two Czech women is striking. Tattoed Pliskova, 24, stands 1.86 metres tall (6ft 1in) and used her height to serve more aces than any other player on the WTA Tour last year. Veteran Strycova, 31, is just 1.64 metres (5ft 4 1/2in) and scampers around the court sliding and diving to retrieve balls other players would have given up. But there was nothing to separate them in the first set where neither's serve could be broken. In the tiebreak, Pliskova netted a backhand on Strycova's second set point to concede it 7-5 after 69 minutes of attritional tennis. It served to fire up Pliskova who made the first service break in the first game of the second set and began to negate Strycova's all-action approach before securing the set 6-3. "The quick break at the start of the second set helped me," said Pliskova. As the clock ticked past 1:00 am in Melbourne it was Pliskova who made the move, going up 3-1 in the decider as Strycova's first serve deserted her, and she secured a date with the world number one. "The last we played in Paris I think it was very close," Pliskova said of the prospects of meeting Halep for a place in the semi-final

Australian Open: Pliskova rallies to reach Open quarter-finals

Madison Keys d&nbsp;Caroline Garcia,&nbsp;6-3, 6-2

US Open finalist Madison Keys steamrollered her way into the Australian Open quarter-finals Monday, flattening French eighth seed Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2 in 68 minutes in their fourth-round clash.

The American, who made the semis at Melbourne Park in 2015, has not dropped a set so far this year.

&quot;I&#39;m really excited because I think I&#39;m really playing well,&quot; said Keys of her run to the last eight.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m happy with the way I&#39;m handling the tight moments.&quot;

The 22-year-old will face 2016 champion Angelique Kerber or Taiwan&#39;s Hsieh Su-wei next.

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&quot;It made me realise how much I love it... I&#39;m really happy to be back here and not home in a cast.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/Madison_Keys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Madison_Keys</a> just sent a statement on the way to a second <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> QF! <a href="https://t.co/5VtM4DsleJ">pic.twitter.com/5VtM4DsleJ</a>
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Keys said she would let her coach, the 2000 Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport, do the scouting on her next opponent.

&quot;I just do what she tells me,&quot; she said, laughing.

A couple of breaks were exchanged early in a nervy start but back on serve at 3-2 Keys, who has skated almost unnoticed through the draw, struck a decisive blow.

Under pressure at 0-30, Garcia coughed up a second double fault.&nbsp;

Two points later a strong forehand return opened up the court for the American who made no mistake ripping her next groundstroke for a winner to go 4-2 up.

Behind her powerful serve -- Keys has only been broken four times in her four matches to date -- she closed out comfortably, sealing the set with her sixth ace after 36 minutes.&nbsp;

She broke the Frenchwoman twice again at the start of the second to charge into a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;

The 22-year-old dropped her serve at 4-1 to give Garcia a sniff, before reasserting her authority by immediately breaking back to love for 5-2.

The world number 20 then sealed a dominant win in which she struck 32 winners and nine aces to Garcia&#39;s nine winners and a single ace.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-rafael-nadal-through-to-quarterfinals-30230">Australian Open: Rafael Nadal through to quarterfinals</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-caroline-wozniacki-books-quarter-finals-berth-30206">Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-open-grigor-dimitrov-beats-nick-kyrgios-to-reach-quarter-finals-30257">Australia Open: Grigor Dimitrov beats Nick Kyrgios to reach quarter-finals</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/glam-quotient-australian-open-sharapova-wozniacki-co-set-court-on-fire-640">Glam quotient @ Australian Open: Sharapova, Wozniacki &amp; Co set court on fire</a>

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The world number 20 sealed a dominant win in which she struck 32 winners and nine aces to Garcia's nine winners and a single ace

Madison Keys d Caroline Garcia, 6-3, 6-2 US Open finalist Madison Keys steamrollered her way into the Australian Open quarter-finals Monday, flattening French eighth seed Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2 in 68 minutes in their fourth-round clash. The American, who made the semis at Melbourne Park in 2015, has not dropped a set so far this year. "I'm really excited because I think I'm really playing well," said Keys of her run to the last eight. "I'm happy with the way I'm handling the tight moments." The 22-year-old will face 2016 champion Angelique Kerber or Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei next. "It made me realise how much I love it... I'm really happy to be back here and not home in a cast."@Madison_Keys just sent a statement on the way to a second #AusOpen QF! pic.twitter.com/5VtM4DsleJ — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018 × Keys said she would let her coach, the 2000 Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport, do the scouting on her next opponent. "I just do what she tells me," she said, laughing. A couple of breaks were exchanged early in a nervy start but back on serve at 3-2 Keys, who has skated almost unnoticed through the draw, struck a decisive blow. Under pressure at 0-30, Garcia coughed up a second double fault. Two points later a strong forehand return opened up the court for the American who made no mistake ripping her next groundstroke for a winner to go 4-2 up. Behind her powerful serve -- Keys has only been broken four times in her four matches to date -- she closed out comfortably, sealing the set with her sixth ace after 36 minutes. She broke the Frenchwoman twice again at the start of the second to charge into a 3-0 lead. The 22-year-old dropped her serve at 4-1 to give Garcia a sniff, before reasserting her authority by immediately breaking back to love for 5-2. The world number 20 then sealed a dominant win in which she struck 32 winners and nine aces to Garcia's nine winners and a single ace. Australian Open: Rafael Nadal through to quarterfinals Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki books quarter-finals berth Australia Open: Grigor Dimitrov beats Nick Kyrgios to reach quarter-finals Glam quotient @ Australian Open: Sharapova, Wozniacki & Co set court on fire

Australian Open: Madison Keys defeats Caroline Garcia to enter quarterfinals

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