We know four of this year’s Australian Open quarter-finalists, including world No.1 Ash Barty and 20-time Slam winner Rafael Nadal.
Four others will join them on Wednesday, with the men’s title favourite and a fleet of women’s underdogs vying for the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ hopes of playing on Kia Arena have been ignored, with Tennis Australia shifting the rock star Australia duo to Rod Laver Arena for their doubles semi-final on Thursday.
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TENNIS AUSTRALIA SHIFTS AUSSIE DUO’S SEMI TO CENTRE COURT
It was less than 24 hours ago that Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis implored Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley to keep them out of the limelight.
“When we walk through this tunnel, there is nothing like it. We are seeing these stands packed. Everyone’s going [wild]. We don’t want anything else. This is perfect,” Kokkinakis said
“I haven’t played in a doubles match, even a singles match, with an atmosphere like this. Hopefully Craig is watching and keeps us on this court. The rowdier, the better from everyone, honestly.
“Sink piss and come here.”
But the Australian duo, who have worked up crowds into a frenzy, have had their requests denied, with their semi-final shifted to centre court.
TA have instead listened to the masses, moving them to the bigger Rod Laver Arena yet keeping the match available to any patron with a ground pass.
“They’re selling groundpasses like you can’t believe. That court is amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it,” former Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport told the Tennis Channel.
Tennis queen Martina Navratilova said Kyrgios hits shots like no-one else on the ATP Tour.
“Nick does a lot of talking, a lot of showmanship stuff, but the reason people come watch his play is because he hits great shots, he hits shots that no-one else hits and that’s why we go crazy (with him and say) why can’t you put this energy into your singles and training, most of all, but he brings the fans in,” Navratilova responded to Davenport.
“Maybe this will get him fired up, maybe he needs to play all the tournaments in Australia.”
Their doubles match — due to start at 2:30pm AEDT — will be followed by Dylan Alcott’s men’s wheelchair final, with Tiley intent on making the newly crowned Australian of the Year recipient the “most watched wheelchair tennis match in the history of the game”.
‘DRAMA QUEEN’ v STAR WHO SURVIVED ‘SCARY’ SURGERY OPENS DAY 10
A tennis journeywoman and a promising American derailed by injury kick off the second day of Australian Open quarter-finals.
Unseeded French veteran Alize Cornet, who is finally playing in a Slam quarter-final on her 63rd attempt, was in tears on-court after her win on Monday.
“I can’t hide my true nature; if I’m a drama queen for the people, then I am,” Cornet said.
“What I know is that I give everything I have on the court, and I think that’s why sometimes there is drama.”
In contrast Collins is bidding to repeat her 2019 run to the Australian Open semi-finals, when she established her name on the global stage.
But in early 2021 Collins required “scary” surgery for endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
“Super satisfying and rewarding, because I think any time you’re going to have a surgery like I had, I think any athlete would find it less than ideal and nerve-racking knowing how your body is going to recover after that type of surgery,” she said.
“It’s extremely painful and scary, because there is a lot of important things in life that you learn about during those surgeries.
“Yeah, I’m just very relieved that the surgery went well for me, and that now I’m able to perform more consistently from a physical standpoint. I think that’s helped me a lot mentally, knowing that.”
The winner of Collins vs Cornet will face the winner of the second day session match, Polish seventh seed Iga Swiatek against Estonian veteran Kaia Kanepi.
– with AFP
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AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY 10 – ORDER OF PLAY
Day session from 11am
Rod Laver Arena
[27] Danielle Collins (USA) vs Alize Cornet (FRA)
Not before 1pm
[7] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Not before 3pm
[11] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs [4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
Night session from 7:30pm
[9] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [2] Daniil Medvedev (RUS)
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