Australian Open: Azarenka, Rybakina and Kachanov in the last four

We already know the three semi-finalists of the first round of the Grand Slam 2023.10, Elena Ostapenko (No. 17) of Latvia and Jessica Pegula of the USA (No. 3), in straight sets (6-2, 6-4 and 6-4, 6-1) . In the men’s draw, Karen Khachanov (No. 18) dealt with the American Sebastian Korda (No. 29), who surrendered in the 3rd set (7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 3-0). . Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas on the court against Czech Jiri Lehecki.

A two-time winner in 2012 and 2013, Azarenka made a splash against the chess player, who still has not left her opponents a single set: “I knew from the very beginning that it would be difficult and that she would take advantage of all her chances. I executed my game plan perfectly and am happy to reach the semi-finals,” commented the 33-year-old, who donned a PSG jersey, before answering questions on the court.

Since her quarter-final in 2016, Victoria Azarenka has not passed stage eight in Melbourne, achieved last year. She was absent in 2017, 2018 and 2020 and was eliminated from the first round in 2019 and 2021. On Thursday, for a place in the final, she will fight with Kazakhstani Elena Rybakina, 25th in the world and the winner of the last Wimbledon: I am very glad that I reached the semi-finals here for the first time. I was nervous in the last game, but not as nervous as before the game. So I am very happy that I was able to cope with my emotions and play very well,” commented the 23-year-old player.

In the other two quarter-finals, Czech Karolina Pliskova (No. 30) will play Poland’s Magda Linett the night before the fight between Belarus’ Arina Sobolenko (No. 5) and Croatia’s Donna Vekic.

In the men’s draw, Karen Khachanov, a semi-finalist at the last US Open, won from the withdrawal of American Sebastian Kord (31st) with a wrist injury. “Obviously I didn’t want the match to end like this,” said the 26-year-old Russian, ranked 20th in the world. The game was closed until a certain point. He (Korda) beat my friend Daniil (Medvedev) in three sets and Hubert (Gurkach) in five, so we know he is playing well. “I hit for the right in exchange for serving at the beginning of the second set, and then at times I could no longer hold the racket,” said the American.

His next opponent could be Stefanos Tsitsipas, who won the first set against Jiri Leheki. But the playbill of these quarter-finals, of course, remains the confrontation between Novak Djokovic (No. 4) and Russian Andrey Rublev (No. 5), also on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.