Tsitsipas to face Khachanov in semi-final

Karen Khachanov reacted to a winning point in his victory over American Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday. Martin Kip/AFP

Seeing Tsitsipas appear in the last four matches in Melbourne has now become a habit. For the fourth time, after 2019, 2021 and 2022, the 24-year-old Greek made it to the semi-finals of the Australian Major and confirms his status as a contender for the first place in the world, which he will achieve for the first time in his career if he wins.

To do this, Tsitsipas had to work and develop his best tennis in order to defeat the unexpected guest of the quarterfinals Czech Jiří Lehecka, ranked 71st in the ATP rankings, which he dominated in three rounds with a score of 6-3. , 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.

Without shaking, the Greek won the first set, where he quickly broke into a 3-0 lead and kept the lead. But in the second game, the opponent gave him a lot of trouble, as in the fourth game, where Tsitsipas saved five break points. But two players came to a decisive game, which was easily won by the current 4th player in the world.

“In the tiebreak, it was a question for him if he would come back into the game or, for me, really get the upper hand,” he stressed, explaining the intensity of the moment and the level of play he has. .

Another key moment was at 3-3 in the third set, when he was 0/40 behind and scored five points in a row. “I came out of it with experience and with the right attitude,” he commented on that game.

Throughout the match, Tsitsipas saved the eight break points he had to defend. Overall, “this is one of my toughest matches in the tournament. He hasn’t been playing at this level for long and I wish him all the best,” Tsitsipas commented on his Czech opponent, who was unexpected at this stage in Melbourne, but missed three seeds for this (Coric, Norrie and Auger-Aliassime).

On Friday, the Greek will try to secure a ticket to his second major final after playing and losing at Roland Garros in 2021 to Novak Djokovic, whom he will have a good chance of finding, given the level the Serb has shown recently. seemingly without hip injury.

“I couldn’t hold the racket anymore”

But before planning a possible rematch, Tsitsipas will have a hard time against Karen Khachanov, who has been in top form since the start of the two-week Australian tournament.

In the quarter-finals, the Russian, ranked 20th in the ATP, took advantage of Sebastian Korda’s right wrist problems, having to give up in the middle of the third set to join the last four. A first for him, who has never made it past the third round in Melbourne.

“Obviously I didn’t want the match to end like this,” the 26-year-old Russian said, noting that “up to a certain point, the game was close.” “He beat my buddy Daniil (Medvedev) in three sets and Hubert (Gurkach) in five, so we know he’s playing well,” Khachanov added of Korda.

Already a semi-finalist at the last US Open, he continues to gain momentum last season and shows a more than interesting level of play. Dominating the first set, the Russian nonetheless lost some service when he served 5-3 to win the set. Enough to allow the American to catch up with Khachanov and take him to the decisive game. The latter had three set points and ended in third.

From the very beginning of the second set, Korda was under threat from Khachanov. He had to save a break point in the first game, then two in the third. But late in the fifth, with a 3-2 lead, the American was forced to call a doctor to treat his right wrist.

From that point on, the tide turned and Khachanov easily won the next seven games before Korda threw in the towel: “I hit forehand in exchange for a serve early in the second set, and then, at times, I couldn’t hold my racket any longer,” he said. he.

“I had anxiety in Adelaide (before the Australian Open, approx. ed.), but it was over. And I haven’t had any problems in the tournament so far. Before that bad retaliation. It started and it only got worse,” he added.

At 22, he played his first major quarter-final in Melbourne and, despite retiring, said he had “more pros than cons” in the tournament. “I will continue with my head held high and continue to work,” he concluded.

Support for Nagorno-Karabakh that does not pass

After the victory, the 20th player in the world, whose name is not on the Russian flag on the scoreboard, was once again spoken out of court because of his political positions.

After refusing to mention the sanctions that hit him like a Russian on a chain, he showed his support for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh: “Artsakh, hold on! or even: “Keep believing until the end!” Artsakh remains strong! “, – wrote Khachanov on the lenses of cameras filming the exit from the court at the Australian Open.

A gesture that follows other messages of support to the Armenian people after his victory over Francis Tiafoe in the third round and the second after his victory over Yoshihito Nishioka in the eighth final.

During his match against Sebastian Korda on Tuesday in the quarter-finals, the flags of this predominantly Armenian region, which Azerbaijan is trying to take back by force, were displayed in the stands of the Rod Laver Arena stadium.

“I have Armenian roots. On my father’s side, my grandfather, but also on my mother’s side. I am half Armenian,” the 26-year-old explained on Tuesday. “I wanted to show my support to my people, give them strength, that’s all,” he added.

In his opinion, the political forum will stop there. “I don’t want to go any further” in the comments and explanations, he decided. But the Azerbaijani federation did not like his position and has already protested to the International Federation (ITF), qualifying Khachanov’s messages as “unacceptable attacks.”

The Azerbaijani authorities are calling for “tougher measures to punish the player in order to avoid similar incidents in the future.” On Tuesday, the player said, a little embarrassed, that he had no feedback “yet”.

Uncertainty with Wimbledon

At the entrance to Melbourne Park, signs warn the public that Russian flags are not allowed on the complex.

Permitted at the start of the tournament, “provided that it does not cause difficulties”, white-blue-red banners were unfurled in the stands. This provoked the ire of Ukraine, the official reaction of its ambassador to Australia and, ultimately, the banning of these flags.

Another Russian player playing in Melbourne, Andrey Rublev, was provoked by spectators waving the Ukrainian flag in front of him during his second round match against Emil Ruusuvuori. “Flag, okay, no problem. But they insult me,” he complained to the judge. With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to participate in most tournaments, provided that their nationality is not mentioned anywhere.

Only the British Federation, under pressure from the government, last year refused Russians and Belarusians, including Wimbledon, which suddenly lost ATP and WTA points.

The Major on grass has not yet made a decision for this year. And Khachanov is waiting, resigned.

“I don’t have a message to send (to the organizers). We will do what they decide. What can I do about it anyway? My words won’t change that, so I can shut up,” he explained.

Does he think the 2022 exclusion did something? “You should ask them, not me. »

UK with AFP

Source: L Orient Le Jour

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