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Federer, Djokovic, Barty, Jabeur for Australian Open quarter-finals

By Jacob Akindele
27 January 2020   |   4:01 am
Roger Federer reached another milestone because his victory over Hungarian Marton Fucsovics placed him in a 15th appearance in the last eight at the Australian Open.

Roger Federer reached another milestone because his victory over Hungarian Marton Fucsovics placed him in a 15th appearance in the last eight at the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic proved too strong for speedy-footed Argentinean Diego Schwartzman as Ashleigh Barty delighted the host country when she outlasted American Alison Riske 6/3; 1/; 6/4. However, Coco Gauff’s Cinderella run was terminated by fellow American Sofia Kenin, 6/7; 6/3; 6/0.

Diego justified himself in the battle of ground-strokes, on account of his famed court coverage. Djokovic won the first set 6/3 on a single break of serve. Diego lost his serve in the opening game of the second set but he broke back immediately and held to lead 2-1. Diego clinched his serve to take the fifth game after a 23-shot rally that ended with his forehand passing shot. After Djokovic leveled, a second break of serve had him serve out the set 6-4.

Diego shot ahead 2-1 in the third set. In the fourth game, Djokovic ran around a net-cord ball and made a winner to take the fourth game. He broke serve to lead 3-2 and extended the lead in the sixth game. From then, on, games progressed routinely with serves and Djokovic won 6-4 for the match.

Marton Fucsovics outlasted battled Federer in the first set 6/4 but his opponent ran through the next three sets 6/1; 6/2; 6/2 to win the match after two hours and 11 minutes. The Swiss star’s 15th quarter-final appearance is a record for the Grand Slam in Australia.

In the first set of their match, Coco Gauff had four set points in the tie breaker but Sofia Kenin cancelled three before the teenager won the tie break seven points to five. However, Gauff was quickly down 2-5 in the second set. She battled in the eighth game and reduced the tally 5-3. Kenin double-faulted at 40-0 but she won the game and set 6/3 on a bad choice of shot by Gauff. Coco did not win a single game in the deciding third set.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur took the first set from Qiang Wang; by winning the tie break seven points to five. The second set was a one-way run for Jabeur as Wang got only one game in losing 6/1.

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