Jan. 22 (UPI) — Carlos Alcaraz ensured that all of the Top 5 men’s tennis stars advanced to the 2024 Australian Open quarterfinals, with a straight sets victory Monday in Melbourne. Just three of the Top 10 women reached that stage.
Alcaraz needed just 109 minutes to eliminate Serbian foe Miomir Kecmanovic from the Grand Slam. The No. 2 Spaniard fired five aces, 43 winners and converted 5 of 9 break point opportunities in the 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win at Rod Laver Arena.
“I’m feeling better and better every day,” Alcaraz told reporters. “I’m feeling better every match that I play. I’m coming into the quarterfinal with a lot of confidence.”
Alcaraz, the Wimbledon 2023 champion, will meet No. 6 Alexander Zverev of Germany in his first Australian Open quarterfinal appearance. The winner will battle No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland or No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the semifinals.
Zverev needed a bit more time to win his fourth-round match. He edged No. 19 Cameron Norrie of England in 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3). He totaled 15 aces, 54 winners and converted 4 of 14 break points in the 4-hour, 5-minute match. Zverev logged 41 unforced errors, compared to Norrie’s 63.
Medvedev advanced with a four-set win over Nuno Borges of Portugal. Hurkacz beat Arthur Cazaux of France in straight sets.
No. 12 Zheng Qinwen of China was the highest-seeded woman to advance on Day 9. She beat Oceane Dodin of France 6-0, 6-3. Zheng will face Anna Kalinskaya of Russia in the quarterfinals.
The winner of that match will play Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic or Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine in the semifinals. Noskova, who beat No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland in the third round, advanced because of a fourth-round walkover from No. 19 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
Yastremska, a qualifier, upset No. 18 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Kalinskaya beat No. 26 Jasmine Paolini of Italy in straight sets.
No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States will be among the top players in action on Day 10. She will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in her quarterfinal. The winner of that match will battle No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in the semifinals.
No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will face No. 12 Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men’s singles circuit. The winner of that quarterfinal will meet No. 4 Jannik Sinner of Italy or No. 5 Andrey Rublev of Russia in the semifinals.
Quarterfinal coverage will start at 8 p.m. EST Monday on ESPN+ and at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. The women’s final will air at 3:30 a.m. Saturday on ESPN. The men’s final will air at the same time Sunday on ESPN.
