Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty took contrasting paths to the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Barty needed just 63 minutes to dispatch Jessica Pegula after Nadal had battled for more than four hours in the Melbourne sun to see off Denis Shapovalov before becoming embroiled in an argument about time-wasting.
Barty will next face Madison Keys, who upset Barbora Krejcikova, while Nadal takes on seventh seed Matteo Berrettini after the Italian came through his own five-setter against Gael Monfils.
Picture of the day
Tweet of the day
Wow. I’m forever grateful. My purpose today and everyday is to change perceptions so people with disability can live the lives they deserve to live. I’ll do my best to make you all proud as your Australian of the Year xx pic.twitter.com/KWmMPvpSsh
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) January 25, 2022
Quote of the day
Bowing out
Thank you for the memories, @MirzaSania ❤️
The two-time #AusOpen doubles champion has played her final match in Melbourne.#AO2022 pic.twitter.com/YdgH9CsnF0— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2022
Fallen seeds
Women: Barbora Krejcikova (4), Jessica Pegula (21)
Men: Denis Shapovalov (14), Gael Monfils (17)
Who’s up next?
— Daniil Medvedev (@DaniilMedwed) January 24, 2022
Title favourite Daniil Medvedev faces his biggest test so far against in-form ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Having survived a five-setter against Taylor Fritz on Sunday, Stefanos Tsitsipas takes on 11th seed Jannik Sinner, while, in the women’s last eight, seventh seed Iga Swiatek takes on Kaia Kanepi and first-time quarter-finalist Alize Cornet meets Danielle Collins.
British hopes are high in doubles, where Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram and Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof play their respective quarter-finals. The winners will meet in the semi-finals.
