The fourth set was underway when Yannick Sinner served at bullet speed. The ball failed to cross the net. To keep the net taut, there is a metal plate in the middle, attached to the court with screws. Sinner’s serve hit the metal plate and broke the screw tie.

The match was stopped for about 20 minutes while the damage was repaired. Sinner and his opponent, Holger Rune, temporarily left the court. When they returned, it was Sinner, the top-ranked and defending champion of the Australian Open, who had the last laugh.

Sinner Faces Heat, Rune, and Delays

World number one Jannik Sinner was seen using a cold towel to combat the scorching heat, repeatedly splashing water on his neck. During a lengthy third-set delay, Sinner visited the locker room for medical assistance. However, he kept his composure to finish the match strongly. Despite the challenges, defending champion Sinner secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 13th seed Rune, advancing to the quarterfinals. Sinner will now face eighth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia in the quarterfinals. De Minaur defeated unseeded Alex Michelsen of the US 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Lorenzo Sonego Sets Up Clash with Ben Shelton

Italy’s 55th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego dispatched American qualifier Lerner Tien 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Sonego’s next challenge will be America’s Ben Shelton, who advanced after a walkover victory against 38-year-old French veteran Gael Monfils. At the time of retirement, Shelton was leading 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 1-0.

Blockbuster Quarterfinals Await

The upcoming quarterfinal clashes are set to be thrilling. Novak Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz, while Alexander Zverev will go head-to-head with Tommy Paul. Tennis fans are eagerly awaiting these high-stakes matches.

Elina Svitolina Reaches Australian Open Quarterfinals After Six Years

Ukrainian 28th seed Elina Svitolina secured her spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time in six years by defeating Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 6-1 in the fourth round at Rod Laver Arena on Monday. Former world number three, Svitolina made history earlier in the tournament by becoming the first Ukrainian to win 100 matches in Grand Slams. This marks the 12th Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance of her career.

Svitolina Faces Madison Keys in the Quarterfinals

Svitolina will now face world number 19 Madison Keys, who defeated 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a thrilling three-set match 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Despite being a mother, Svitolina’s game has remained impressive. She married France’s Gaël Monfils in 2021, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Skai, in 2022. This is Svitolina’s fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal since becoming a mother.

Comeback Performance After Injury and Surgery

Svitolina reached consecutive quarterfinals at the Australian Open in 2018 and 2019. However, last year she retired due to a back injury after playing just three games in her fourth-round match against Linda Noskova. The injury, combined with foot issues, led her to undergo surgery and take a break from the sport after the US Open. This Australian Open marks her return to competitive tennis following the surgery.

A Strong Comeback Against Kudermetova

Svitolina faced a challenging start in her match against Kudermetova, as the former world number nine took an early 4-1 lead. However, Svitolina found her rhythm, winning five consecutive games to claim the first set. She then dominated the second set, securing a comfortable 6-1 victory and wrapping up the match in just 83 minutes.

Local Broadcasters Apologize to Novak Djokovic

A public apology was issued to 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic by local broadcasters on Monday for allegedly insulting him during a broadcast. Djokovic, who refused to give interviews following his Sunday match, stated that a broadcaster employee had disrespected him and his fans.

After demanding a public apology, the issue was resolved. Djokovic, who accepted the broadcasters’ apology, is now focused on his highly anticipated quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz. A statement from Tennis Australia confirmed:

“Novak has accepted the public apology from the broadcasters. He is now concentrating on his next match.”