Sinner races into semis as Swiatek closes on first Melbourne crown / Photo: Yuichi YAMAZAKI - AFP
Sinner races into semis as Swiatek closes on first Melbourne crown
Defending champion Jannik Sinner raced into the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday in imperious fashion after Iga Swiatek was equally ruthless to close on a first Melbourne crown.
Italian world number one Sinner swept aside an out-classed home hope Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 to silence Rod Laver Arena and set up a meeting with 21st seed Ben Shelton.
The other semi-final is between 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and world number two Alexander Zverev, with both taking place on Friday.
Sinner had dizzy spells in the scorching heat of the afternoon during his four-set win against Holger Rune on Monday.
But in much cooler evening conditions the 23-year-old was back to his brilliant best against eighth seed De Minaur, who has still never beaten Sinner in 10 matches.
Sinner is bidding to defend a Grand Slam title for the first time after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final last year, and is also seeking to become the first Italian man to win three Grand Slam crowns.
He also won the US Open last year.
The 22-year-old American Shelton booked his place in the semi-finals in Melbourne for the first time with a battling 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) win over unseeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Left-hander Shelton put in an all-action display to match his best performance at a major, having reached the US Open semi-finals in 2023.
"I'm relieved right now," said Shelton, who unleashed the joint-fastest serve of the tournament, an ace clocked at 232kph (144mph).
- Ominous Swiatek -
Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek edged closer to a first Australian Open crown with an emphatic 6-1, 6-2 victory over American eighth seed Emma Navarro on a gusty Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-old world number two, who is building up a head of steam in her title charge, plays American 19th seed Madison Keys in the women's semi-finals, which both take place on Thursday evening.
Two-time defending champion and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka plays Spain's 11th seed Paula Badosa for the other final berth.
Swiatek looks ominous. She has yet to lose a set and has dropped only 14 games in her five matches -- seven of those in her first-round clash against Katerina Siniakova.
"Madison is a great player and experienced so you never know," Swiatek said of the American.
"It will be tricky, I will just be focused on myself. She has already played a good tournament here and we are well aware of how she can play."
Swiatek enjoyed a moment of good fortune at 2-2 in the second set against Navarro.
Navarro played a drop shot that forced the Pole into a desperate slide to get the ball, which she thought she did, until replays showed it bounced twice.
The American was left miffed when she requested the chair umpire use video review to check what happened.
But she was denied for waiting until the end of the point, rather than immediately challenging and stopping play.
"It's tough. I think we should be able to see it afterwards and make that call," said Navarro.
Keys stormed back from a set down to beat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in their quarter-final.
Keys moved into the last four at Melbourne Park for the third time, 10 years after her first.
Keys, who will be 30 next month, is on a 10-match unbeaten streak after lifting the Adelaide title.
"I felt like I kind of just had to start playing a little bit more aggressive and try to get to the net a little bit quicker," said Keys, who battled past former Melbourne finalists Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins on her way to the last eight.
R.Vercruysse--JdB
