Tuesday 24 / December / 2024
Melbourne: Dominic Thiem knocked out of the Australian Open in the fourth round after losing to Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.
Reigning US Open champion lost to Bulgarian in straight sets by 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 that lasted for over two hours. Dimitrov was on the top since the beginning of the clash as he won back-to-back sets and kept Thiem under pressure. In the third set, Dimitrov took full control of the match and claimed the set without losing a single point.
The 29-year-old Dimitrov hit 25 winners, including 10 aces, while Thiem committed 41 unforced errors and won just nine of 28 points on his second serve.
Dimitrov will now take on Russia’s Aslan Karatsev in the quarterfinal match. Bulgarian will be contesting his sixth Grand Slam championship quarter-final.
American tennis player Serena Williams on Sunday advanced to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Australian Open after winning her fourth-round match.
The 39-year-old defeated Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at the Rod Laver Arena, and as a result, she remains in a chance of winning yet another Grand Slam. Serena emerged triumphant in the first set and she displayed her trademark game to not give Sabalenka any chance in the first set. The American took the first set 6-4.
In the second set, Sabalenka managed to change her fortunes around and she gave Serena no respite. Sabalenka managed to gain a 5-1 lead in the second set and Serena faced an uphill task. In the end, Sabalenka managed to take the second set 6-2.
In the third and final set, Serena had managed to take a 4-2 lead, but Sabalenka came back strongly and the scoreline was levelled at 4-4. In the end, Serena managed to maintain her composure and she sailed into the quarter-finals.
The 39-year-old Serena needs one more major win to equal Margaret Court’s record Grand Slam tally. She has not added to her Grand Slam tally since beating her sister Venus in the Australian Open final in 2017.
Earlier in the day, Japan’s tennis player and world number three, Naomi Osaka progressed to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Australian Open as she emerged victorious in her fourth-round match. Osaka defeated Spain’s Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the fourth round at the Rod Laver Arena to make it to the quarterfinals.
