Australian Tennis Championship: Djokovic beats Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals, and Sabalenka continues the dream of the triple | International sports

Al Malaeb Newspaper – Serbia's Novak Djokovic, ranked seventh in the world, continued his brilliance to beat Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz III after falling a set behind to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6- today, Tuesday. 4 in the Australian Open, the first of the four major tournaments, reaching the semi-finals with the Belarusian Arena, being the first among women, and she continued her dream of a third title in a row to win.

Djokovic, 37, reminded the crowd of his time at Rod Laver Arena, the scene of his greatest achievements, as he sought his 11th title in Melbourne and a record 25th major tournament title.

The Serbian renewed his victory over Alcaraz (21 years old), who failed to qualify for the semi-finals for the fourth time, within three hours and 37 minutes, achieving his fifth victory over his opponent in eight confrontations, including his victory in the final showdown that brought them together in the final of the Paris Olympics.

He said after reaching the semi-finals for the twelfth time in Melbourne and the fiftieth in major tournaments (a record performance, four times better than Swiss Roger Federer), that he “wished this was the last match”, and praised the “great person” Alcaraz, against whom he played “one of the “The best games I have played in this stadium, in any stadium.”

Djokovic started the encounter with a 2-0 lead after grabbing his opponent's serve in the second game, but the latter responded in kind in the next game to level the score at 2-2, then 3-3 and 4-4 before he created. the difference in the ninth game, which he took from the Serbian, which decided the group at 6-4.

The same scenario repeated itself in the second set, where Djokovic led 2-0 and then 3-0, but he lost his serve in the fifth game, opening the way for Alcaraz to return and tie the match at 3-3 and 4-4 before the Serbian settled matters on the Spaniard's serve in the tenth game, ending the set 6-4.

As in the first two sets, Djokovic advanced by breaking his opponent's serve in the third, but he lost his fourth serve and quickly resolved the issue by winning the eighth game via Alcaraz's fourth serve and then his fifth serve, making it 6-3. .

The Serb did it again and this time won the first game of the fourth set on the serve of Alcaraz, who fought and tried to break Djokovic's third serve in vain, leaving him 2-4 before narrowly winning the next serve amid great results. encouragement from the audience (3-4).

But Djokovic continued his brilliance despite the enthusiasm of the young Spaniard, who promised to wear a kangaroo tattoo if he was crowned champion, and won the set 6-4.

Djokovic will play with German Alexander Zverev II, who defeated American Tommy Paul XII 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-0), 2-6, 6-1.

Zverev for the second time in a row

Zverev (27 years old) qualified for the round of four for the second time in a row after struggling to resolve the first and second sets, needing a tiebreak on both a hot and windy day and losing the match 2-6 before regaining strength in the fourth to easily win it 6-1.

This is the third time Zverev has reached the semi-finals in Melbourne, after the first in 2020 when he lost to Austrian Dominic Thiem, and the second time last year when he fell to Russian Daniil Medvedev in five sets after winning the first two sets. .

His best result in the Grand Slam remains reaching the finals of Flushing Meadows 2020 and Roland Garros 2024, when he lost to Thiem and Alcaraz respectively.

Zverev, who is aiming to become the first German to win a Grand Slam tournament since Boris Becker in 1996, said: “To be honest, I could have been two sets down, I didn't play great, and I think that was the case. ..but somehow I won the first set.” Somehow I won the second set… The fourth set was definitely the best I played and obviously I'm very happy to be in the semi-finals again.”

Badosa ousts Gove

On the women's side, Sabalenka continued her successful journey to a third consecutive tournament title as she narrowly defeated Russia's Anastasia Pavlochenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

The 26-year-old Sabalenka put together a semi-final performance against Spain's Paula Badosa, 11th, who ousted American Coco Gauff, ranked third, when she beat her 7-5, 6-4.

Sabalenka has met Badosa seven times so far, with the Belarusian winning five times, while the Spanish, who will play her first Grand Slam semi-final the day after tomorrow, won twice.

It is the nineteenth consecutive victory for Sabalenka at Melbourne Park, and she is just two wins away from winning a third consecutive title in Melbourne, a feat not achieved since 1999, when Switzerland's Martina Hingis did so (1997, 1998 and 1999). .

“Honestly, I was just praying and trying to get the ball back in these difficult conditions,” Sabalenka said, adding: “It was difficult to play… I'm very happy to be on one somehow I was able to magically win this match. way.”

In the second, after being on the verge of retirement last year due to a chronic back injury, Badosa defeated Gauff, third in the world and 2023 Flushing Meadows champion, in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, and reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Badosa took an hour and 42 minutes to achieve her feat, and she fell to the ground after the end of the match to celebrate.

Badosa became the first Spanish woman to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam since Garbiñe Muguruza, also in Melbourne, in 2020.

Qualification for the semi-finals marks a stunning return for the world number 12 to the yellow ball courts after being left out of the top 100 players a year ago after suffering a stress fracture in her back.