MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Open experienced a boiling hot day that turned into a suffocating night, culminating in Coco Gauff expressing her frustration by breaking her racket after a one-sided defeat to Elina Svitolina, eliminating her from the semifinals.
Day 10 of the tournament commenced with top seed Aryna Sabalenka defeating 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0. The Extreme Heat Policy was then activated, leading to the closure of the Rod Laver Arena roof.
The match saw No. 12 Svitolina pull off a surprising victory against third-seeded Gauff, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just 59 minutes. This win earned Svitolina a spot in the semifinal against Sabalenka.
The men’s quarterfinals were divided into daytime and nighttime sessions, with one match played indoors and the other under the night sky. Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz inched closer to a career Grand Slam with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Australia’s Alex de Minaur.
Alcaraz is set to face 2025 runner-up Alexander Zverev in his first semifinal appearance in Australia. Zverev defeated 20-year-old Learner Tien 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (3) in an earlier match. The head-to-head record stands at 6-6, with Zverev winning their previous encounter in Australia’s 2024 quarterfinals.
Svitolina’s Streak
After taking a mental health break, Svitolina is in the semifinals for the first time and is currently on a 10-match winning streak, beginning her season with a title in Auckland, New Zealand. This series of victories is expected to propel her back into the Top 10 next week.
“I’m very pleased with the tournament so far; it’s always been my dream to return to the Top 10 after maternity leave,” stated Svitolina, a 31-year-old Ukrainian participating in her 12th major tournament since her 2022 break. She and Gael Monfils, who is retiring this year, share parenthood of their child, Skai.
Heat Rule
The roof of the main stadium was opened again for the final match as the temperature dropped from a peak of over 42°C (108°F) at 5 p.m. local time, although it did not reach the forecasted high of 45°C (113°F).
Sabalenka-Jovic
Sabalenka, aiming for her third Australian Open title in four years, initially played outdoors despite extreme heat warnings, with the roof being closed after the heat index became excessive. “I guess as women, we are stronger than the guys,” she joked during her press conference.
Sabalenka quickly established her dominance against Jovic, who could not convert three breakpoints in a 10-minute ninth game. In the final game, Sabalenka delivered an ace during a break point and secured victory with another ace on match point, saving all five break points she faced.
The victory marked her second consecutive win over resilient teenagers, following her fourth-round success against 19-year-old Canadian Vicky Mboko. Sabalenka acknowledged the challenge, saying, “These teenagers have tested me in the last couple of rounds; it was a battle.”
