Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score and game-by-game updates from the Australian Open as Alex de Minaur takes on Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
Coco Gauff unleashes her fury on her racket!
Coco Gauff fumed backstage after walking off the court.
It was a very disappointing defeat from Gauff, who struck only three winners and made 26 unforced errors during the match.
And after the match, she exploded in the tunnel, smashing her racket on the ground at least seven times in a fit of rage.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Jamie Murray said: ‘A very disappointing performance from Coco. Rightfully took it out on the racket at the end of that.’
Laura Robson then suggested that Gauff could have smashed her racket on court, claiming that that could have got her fired up.
‘Not that we advocate this… Do you think that she could have chucked the racket on the court to release some tension?’ Robson said.
British tennis legend Tim Henman replied: ‘It could sort of kick start you into action. I think that she was playing so badly and this result hasn’t come overnight and we know that she’s been struggling. There’s so much focus and attention. And I think we all sympathise with Coco because she is such a great competitor. To get through to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam and have a match like this.
‘That must do damage mentally and there has to be some scar tissue and you can’t just sort of say: “Oh, we’ll forget about that and we’ll move on…”
‘She hit three winners and 26 unforced errors in the match and that is impossible to compete at any level. It was hardly surprising to see her frustrated at the end…’
‘It means the world to me’: Svitolina
Svitolina now advances back into the top-10 on the WTA Tour rankings after victory over Gauff.
It comes after Svitolina, who became a mum back in 2023, bested world No 7 Mirra Andreeva in the fourth-round.
‘Not a bad [day at the office],’ Svitolina said after the match.
‘I’m very pleased with the tournament so far. It’s always been my dream to come back after maternity leave. It was always my dream to make the top-10 again. It’s always been my goal.’
‘Unfortunately, it didn’t happen last year. I stopped after September and then when we were training in the off-season, I wanted to get back into the top-10 so this was my goal for the year.
‘It means the world to me. I try to push myself. Very pleased with my tournament here in Australia,’ she added.
Svitolina advances to the semi-final
That was a domination and a big upset by Elina Svitolina, who will advance to the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time in her career after demolishing world No 3 Coco Gauff in under an hour.
Gauff was miles off her best form today, with Svitolina blasting her way past the American 6-1, 6-2.
The world No 3 conceded 26 unforced errors in the match and simply struggled to match her opponent’s power, winning only 29 per cent of Svitolina’s first service returns.
Svitolina will now take on world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
Svitolina takes a commanding lead against Gauff
Before De Minaur and Alcaraz get underway at Rod Laver Arena, Elina Svitolina and Coco Gauff have gone head-to-head in what’s been an enthralling battle.
The Ukrainian star has taken a commanding lead against the world No 3 after demolishing her American opponent 6-1 in the first set.
The pair traded breaks early on, but the world No 12 put her foot on the gas pedal at 2-1, using her power to win the following four games.
Svitolina continued to heap pressure on her opponent, going 3-0 up in the second set, but Gauff fought back.
She saved a break point to hold serve at 1-3, but is running out of time to mount a comeback, having now gone 1-4 down.
‘Go, go, Coco, go go,’ the crowd cheers.
And Coco holds another game to pull the second set back to 2-4.
You feel the match may just be starting to get away from her, but if she can pull back another break here, she has a chance.
Svitolina has, meanwhile, never reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, and is two games away from booking a tie with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Can Alex de Minaur finally beat Carlos Alcaraz?
The atmosphere is building nicely around Melbourne Park ahead of this evening’s crunch men’s singles quarter-finals match.
Hometown hero Alex de Minaur takes on world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz at Rod Laver Arena in just under 30 minutes time.
Neither player has reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, with the victor set to square off against Alexander Zverev in the next round.
Alcaraz can take a step closer to securing his first Career Grand Slam if he can best De Minaur tonight. Meanwhile, the hard-running Australian has never advanced past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam in his career.
The pair have met five times previously but De Minaur has never once beaten Alcaraz.
Can he do it tonight?
