Dabrowski advances to quarterfinals at Australian Open, Fernandez bounced from doubles
Gabriela Dabrowski, hailing from Ottawa, and her partner Erin Routliffe from New Zealand showcased an impressive performance at the Australian Open, advancing to the women’s doubles quarterfinals. Their victory came after a hard-fought match against Laura Siegemund from Germany and Beatriz Haddad Maia from Brazil, which lasted nearly 2 and a half hours. Despite a slow start, Dabrowski and Routliffe displayed resilience and strength as the match progressed, finishing with three aces and an impressive 73% winning percentage on first serves. They saved six out of seven break points and won 43 points while receiving. The duo is now set to face Miyu Kato from Japan and Renata Zarazua in the upcoming quarterfinals.
On the other hand, Leylah Fernandez’s journey at the Open came to an end as she and her partner Nadiia Kichenok from Ukraine lost their third-round women’s doubles match in straight sets. American Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova from Czechia dominated the match, defeating Fernandez and Kichenok 6-3, 6-0. Fernandez and Kichenok struggled to find their rhythm, failing to secure any aces and going 0-for-3 on breakpoints. They only managed to win 14 service points and three service games, while Townsend and Siniakova showcased a strong performance with four aces, 20 receiving points won, and 34 service points.
Moving on to the singles matches, Jannik Sinner faced tough challenges during his match against Holger Rune, with both players requiring medical timeouts due to the scorching heat. In a bizarre turn of events, a 20-minute delay occurred when the net at Rod Laver Arena detached from the court after being hit by a powerful serve from Sinner. Despite these interruptions, Sinner managed to secure a victory over Rune with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, advancing to the quarterfinals. Sinner’s resilience and determination were evident throughout the match, extending his winning streak to 18 consecutive tour-level matches.
In the women’s fourth round, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek delivered impressive performances, securing their spots in the quarterfinals. Keys defeated Elena Rybakina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, setting up a match against Elina Svitolina, while Swiatek breezed past Eva Lys with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in just 59 minutes. Swiatek, who has been dominating the tournament with her exceptional gameplay, will face Emma Navarro in the next round.
Off the court, Swiatek’s one-month suspension for failing a drug test will not be appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, as her explanation was deemed plausible. On the other hand, WADA appealed the exoneration of Sinner, with a hearing scheduled at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in April. Sinner was not suspended following positive tests for an anabolic steroid in March, as the ITIA concluded that he was not negligent.
Overall, the Australian Open continues to showcase thrilling matches and exceptional performances from top players, setting the stage for exciting quarterfinal matchups. Stay tuned for more updates on the action-packed tournament.
