Ore 15:04 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 | 3-2
We have reached 2h20′ of play. Sinner reaches 40.15 quite calmly and holds the round without suffering.
Ore 15:00 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 | 2-2
Rublev starts with an ace (n. 8), then escapes to 40-15 and equalizes without too many worries.
Ore 14:57 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 | 2-1
The first 15 of the game is a very long exchange, of 30 shots, which Rublev wins amidst the applause of the audience. Sinner finds himself chasing his opponent four times, also conceding the first break points of the set despite the tenth ace. He cancels both and closes the advantages well.
Ore 14:47 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 | 1-1
However, Rublev seems to recover on serve and holds serve at 15 in turn.
Ore 14:45 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 | 1-0
We start again from Jannik’s serve (who smiles): he escapes to 40-0, also taking advantage of the Russian’s anger and frustration, closing the game at 15.
Ore 14:41 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 7-6 |
With six consecutive points, Sinner takes a two sets to zero lead over Rublev. Impressive.
Sinner regains his conviction and also finds the equalizer with a very violent second to the body, then he even takes the lead by coming down to the net with a high volley. The set point even arrives at break!
The hemorrhage of points Sinner stops her for 2-5, then with a long and tiring exchange of 24 shots she manages the minibreak which she reiterates a few steps later, forcefully returning to the bottom.
Rublev escapes, running ahead by four points.
It’s the first tiebreak of the tournament for Sinner. Which gives up one of his two services.
Ore 14:30 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 6-6
Sinner once again finds himself trying to save the set and addresses the issue with another ace (8-6 score). Thanks to a ball on the tape thrown by the Russian he escapes to 30-0, then gets two balls for the six all but concedes the equalizer. It is the seventh game that goes to the advantage in this set, but Jannik closes it with another ace and it goes to the tiebreak.
Ore 14:24 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 5-6
Rublev keeps his turn scoreless. Two games without break points.
Ore 14:22 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 5-5
After a toilet break requested by Rublev, Sinner serves to stay in the set: he starts by serving his seventh ace, but also with his second double fault. He still holds serve at 30.
Ore 14:17 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 4-5
Andrey makes his service debut by making two free errors, then recovers to 30 all. Then he concedes yet another break point of this set, a great deep point from Sinner. Again, it is disallowed (fourth attempt for Jannik in the set). Ditto the next one (a huge point in response from the red baron).
Twice the Italian erases Rublev’s advantage in what becomes the longest game of the match. The third attempt is the good one.
Ore 14:07 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 4-4
In his turn of service Sinner finds himself chasing a 15 three times. In this case too he cancels a break point, but it is clear that the serve has lost momentum.
Ore 1401 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 3-4
Rublev finds his fifth ace, against six from Sinner and, also thanks to an error in concentration by the Italian, escapes ahead at 30-0. He ends the game at 30, also equalizing his ace count.
Ore 13:57 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 3-3
Rublev appears refreshed and gives battle, recovering from a 40-15 advantage and earning the third break point of the set. Sinner cancels it, but appears to be in pain in his right side and the grimace on his face is worrying. He then an ace and it’s 3-3.
Ore 13:49 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 2-3
Sinner gets a new break point but fails to exploit it, and Rublev holds serve.
Ore 13:44 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 2-2
Still difficulties on serve for Jannik, who also commits his first double fault but saves two break points and finds the new equalizer with an ace.
Ore 13:31 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 1-2
A very hard-fought game, with two break points for Jannik canceled out by a sequence of 4 points in a row from the Russian.
Ore 13:29 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 1-1
With some difficulty Jannik holds serve
Ore 13:23 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4 | 0-1
The Russian begins the second set with a series of big shots and holds serve
Ore 13:18 – Sinner-Rublev 6-4
Jannik holds serve at zero and wins the first set. The blue player plays in an extraordinary manner in all the decisive moments without leaving the Russian a chance.
Ore 13:16 – Sinner-Rublev 5-4
The Russian holds serve at zero.
Ore 13:13 – Sinner-Rublev 5-3
The first two forced errors arrive from Jannik, who leads 30-0 and suffers the Russian’s comeback. Then with two firsts to the body, Sinner closes easily.
Ore 13:08 – Sinner-Rublev 4-3
Rublev’s serve was still not very effective and he risked going down 15-30 before straightening out a complicated game.
Ore 13:05 – Sinner-Rublev 4-2
The Italian is relentless on serve: he gives up a 15 by calling the Russian forward, slides to another point, but otherwise does nothing wrong and flies to 4-2.
Ore 12:59 – Sinner-Rublev 3-2 break Sinner
Once the moment of difficulty was overcome, Jannik played a great game in response and flew to 0-40, giving himself three break points: the first was good. Three forehand errors by Rublev, seven points in a row for Sinner.
Ore 12:58 – Sinner-Rublev 2-2
Sinner is surprised by Rublev’s response and finds himself down 15-40 with the first two break points in favor of the Russian. He cancels both with long rallies, then taking the lead and closing at the first opportunity with an ace.
Ore 12:50 – Sinner-Rublev 1-2
With a backhand down the winning line, Rublev also holds the second round of serve.
Ore 12:47 – Sinner-Rublev 1-1
No problem even for Sinner for his first turn of serve, game to zero.
12.44pm – First game for Rublev
The Russian holds serve and wins the first game of the match.
Ore 12:21 – Sabalenka super Krejcikova
The quarter-final between Sabalenka and Krejcikova ends at 12.20, after 1h14′ of play. The Belarusian reigning champion wins 6-2, 6-3 and dominates. In about 20′ Sinner and Rublev should take the field.
12.02pm – Nadal leaves Doha again on February 19th
Rafael Nadal’s season should restart from Doha. After having withdrawn from the Australian Open due to a new muscle problem, the 37-year-old Spaniard has planned to return for the Qatar Open, ATP 250 scheduled from 19 to 24 February. In fact, he is registered in the Qatari tournament thanks to his protected ranking as number 9 in the world. Here he won in 2014, beating Monfils in three sets in the final, and played two other finals in 2010 and 2016. After the injury in Brisbane, Nadal returned to his Manacor (where he welcomed his friend Roger Federer) to treat the muscle microlaceration suffered in the match against Thompson.
The winner of 14 Roland Garros is currently no. 446 in the ATP ranking, but after the Australian Open he will slip out of the top 600 in the world (he is projected to be no. 633 with 187 positions lost). Despite being an ATP 250, the Doha tournament has a very high level entry list with two top 10, the Russians Daniil Medvedev (winner a year ago on Qatari hard courts) and Andrey Rublev. The cut-off is at no. 54 and among the members there are two Italians: Lorenzo Sonego and Lorenzo Musetti. Among the alternates also include Flavio Cobolli and Fabio Fognini, but they are currently far from entering the draw.
11.35am – Four years (and one day) ago Djokovic’s last defeat in Melbourne
11.11am – Djokovic’s numbers at the Australian Open
This is Nole Djokovic’s 11th semifinal in Melbourne. The statistics say that when he gets through the Melbourne quarter-finals he is unbeaten. There are therefore twenty successes obtained from the semi-finals onwards for the Serbian, who is hunting for his 25th Slam. And, overall, 48 semi-finals of major tournaments have been reached.
10.59 am – The controversy over timetables
Melbourne has a time zone 10 hours ahead of the Italian one. So Sinner and Rublev won’t take the field before 10 or 10.30 pm local time. In Australia this year they have introduced an extra day, the first Sunday, precisely to avoid meetings ending late at night. Yet today, a midday event between legends started late, and now the evening session hasn’t kicked off yet. It’s 9pm in Melbourne.
10.35 am – Now Sabalenka-Krejcikova
The match that precedes that of Sinner and Rublev will soon begin on the central court, at this point destined to start no earlier than 12.30.
10.29am – Djokovic first semi-finalist in the men’s draw
Novak Djokovic, beating the American Taylor Fritz in four sets, is the first semifinalist in the men’s draw and now awaits the winner of Sinner-Rublev. The scores of the 3h48′ of play are 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
08:33 – Gauff beats Kostyuk and goes to the semifinals
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff is the first semifinalist of the tournament: the American, seeded number 4, beat the Ukrainian Kostyuk in the quarterfinals in three sets with a score of 7-6(6) 6-7(3) 6-2 . She will face the winner of the match between the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, defending champion, and the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, numbers 2 and 9 in the seeding.
08:09 – Why Jannik is the favourite
(Gaia Piccardi) Jannik Sinner’s tournament, faithful to his role as favorite n.4, surges. Andrey Rublev, the Russian who follows him in the ranking (n.5) will try to tarnish the immaculate path of the red baron (zero sets lost in four matches). The semi-final is up for grabs. Read the full article.
07.59 am – Where to watch the Australian Open quarterfinal match