Australian Open day nine wrap: Stefanos Tsitsipas tees up Karen Khachanov showdown

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Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas continued to look the most likely challenger to Novak Djokovic as he eased into the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

The third seed defeated young Czech Jiri Lehecka in straight sets and will next meet Russia’s Karen Khachanov, who benefited from Sebastian Korda’s mid-match retirement due to a wrist injury.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina won a power battle against Jelena Ostapenko to set up a last-four clash with Victoria Azarenka, who saw off third seed Jessica Pegula, who continues her campaign in the doubles.

Picture of the day

Jessica Pegula looks to her box during her defeat by Victoria Azarenka (Aaron Favila/AP)

Point of the day

https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1617758349889769472

Quote of the day

“Leo doesn’t really care so much that I play here [at the Australian Open], he worries more about his football and when are we going to play again,” Victoria Azarenka said of her football loving son.

“Obviously he is watching some matches and he wants his mom to be home. A few more days here and I’ll be back. It’s actually my dog’s birthday today. I miss my dog also so much, I have become a dog mom as well. I have two kids now.”

Dog days

Fallen seeds

Women: Jessica Pegula (3), Jelena Ostapenko (17)
Men: Sebastian Korda (29)

Australian Open day nine results

Collated results from Day 9 of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park on Tuesday:

Men’s singles

Quarter-finals

Karen Khachanov (RUS x18) bt Sebastian Korda (USA x29) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 3-0 ret

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x3) bt Jiri Lehecka (CZE) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4

Women’s singles

Quarter-finals

Elena Rybakina (KAZ x22) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x17) 6-2, 6-4

Victoria Azarenka (BLR x24) bt Jessica Pegula (USA x3) 6-4, 6-1

Who’s up next?

Novak Djokovic plays Andrey Rublev in the last eight (Aaron Favila/AP)
Novak Djokovic plays Andrey Rublev in the last eight (Aaron Favila/AP)

Djokovic will hope his fitness worries are now behind him as he takes on fifth seed Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

The winner of that contest is guaranteed to meet an unseeded American in the last four, with Tommy Paul facing 20-year-old Ben Shelton.

Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka will hope to keep her title hopes alive when she takes on Donna Vekic, while former world number one Karolina Pliskova plays Magda Linette.

Australian Open quarter-finals line-up (x denotes seed):

Men

Andrey Rublev (RUS x5) v Novak Djokovic (SRB x4)

Ben Shelton (USA) v Tommy Paul (USA)

Women

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x30) v Magda Linette (POL)

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x5) v Donna Vekic (CRO)

Novak Djokovic Stefanos Tsitsipas

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