‘War crimes and genocide’: Pro-Palestine outcry rocks Aus Open

The fourth-round clash between Alexander Zverev and Cameron Norries was briefly interrupted by a masked protester who threw anti-war flyers onto Margaret Court Arena.

As pointed out by James Gray of I Sport the papers read “WAR CRIMES AND GENOCIDE” and “FREE PALESTINE.”

The clash quickly moved on as two members of the public dragged her away.

EARLIER: AUS OPEN CHAMP BOOTED FROM PRIME TIME AGAIN

– Sam Landsberger

Novak Djokovic has once again been dumped from his desired timeslot … and this time the world No. 1 will have to sweat through a predicted 29C afternoon under the Melbourne sun to reach the semi-finals.

Djokovic, 36, has been given back-to-back day matches on Rod Laver Arena after enjoying a run of 1075 days of not playing at Melbourne Park before 7pm.

The 10-time champion’s quarter-final against American Taylor Fritz is scheduled to start at 2.30pm at the earliest on Tuesday.

Djokovic holds an 8-0 record against the No. 12 seed.

It is certain to be the final time Djokovic lights up the day time at this year’s event, with victory against Fritz set to secure a Thursday night semi-final.

The night slot on Rod Laver Arena will feature defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka against Barbora Krejcikova, followed by Janik Sinner against Andrey Rublev.

6.45PM: ZVEREV CLOSES IN ON FINAL EIGHT

Alexander Zverev now holds a two sets to one lead on Margaret Court Arena, winning the third 6-3 over Cam Norrie.

After Norrie took the second stanza, Zverev came back hard to press ahead in this clash.

Norrie however will not go down without a fight, with the rangy left-hander almost stealing the German’s opening service game to start the fourth.

6.10PM: HURKACZ CRUISES TO QUARTERS

– Sam Landsberger

Humble Hubert Hurkacz is officially poles in front of his history of compatriots after becoming the first Polish man to reach the quarter-finals at the Australian Open.

Hurkacz, 26, made history with his 30th Grand Slam victory on Monday as he ousted wildcard Arthur Cazaux 7-6 7-6 6-4.

It was bound to be a historic day on John Cain Arena either way. Cazaux was one wain away from becoming the first wildcard to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals in the open era.

Hurkacz is one of five Polish men to ever reach a men’s singles quarter-final at a Grand Slam. He has become the second Polish man to reach the quarter-finals at a Slam on multiple occasions.

Hurkacz has reached the last eight this week as well as the 2021 Wimbledon semi-final while Wojtek Fibak made it to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros (1977, 1980), Wimbledon and the US Open (both 1980).

The other Polish men to go this deep are Jerzy Janowicz, Lukasz Kubot (both 2013 Wimbledon), and Ignacy Tloczynski (1939 French Championships).

6.00PM: MEDVEDEV RACES THROUGH AFTER MISFIRE

Well, the botched third set may have served as just pure cardio for Daniil Medvedev, who powered on to claim victory in four sets, 6-3 7-6 (4) 5-7 6-1 in just over three hours.

The Russian shook off the concerns in his post-match interview, saying his late finish in the third round the other night had no impact.

“Third set was tough physically because he was playing really aggressively,” he said.

“End of the third set, I didn’t play long enough for good enough.

“Before the match I was good, now again I am pretty tired.”

5.40PM: MEDVEDEV FALTERS AT FINAL HURDLE

What looked like a soon-to-be easy win has just gotten that much harder for Daniil Medvedev, after he dropped the third set to Nuno Borges on Rod Laver Arena.

The former AO runner-up was serving before the match, before a spirited fightback pushed this to at least one extra set.

Medvedev’s quest to become the 13th man in the Open era to reach to the Australian Open final has taken what looks like only a short detour, racing to a three-game lead in the last set.

5.30PM: HURKACZ ONE STEP AWAY FROM ENDING FAIRYTALE

Ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz is one set away from the final eight at the Australian Open, claiming his second tie-breaker of the encounter against Arthur Cazaux of France.

Cazaux stunned the eighth-seeded Holger Rune in round two of the tournament, and is bidding to be the first wildcard to reach the Aus Open quarter-finals since Tomas Smid in 1983.

A win for Hurkacz would make him the first Polish man to reach the final eight at Melbourne Park.

Cazaux is currently seeking treatment for a stomach complaint between sets.

5.15PM: CONTROVERSIAL GERMAN CLAIMS OPENER AGAINST BRIT

He almost gave it away, but Alex Zverev has the first set in the bag against Britain’s Cam Norrie.

After 47 tough minutes, Zverev secured the late break, then held serve in a nervy last game to claim the early edge on Margaret Court Arena.

The winner of this clash will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Miomir Kecmanovic in the last eight.

4.40PM: MEDVEDEV CLOSES IN ON FINAL EIGHT

The quarter-finals are only a set away for Daniil Medvedev now, after claiming a marathon second set in a tie-breaker.

Unforced errors have been the difference today, with the Russian having less than five two sets in against his unseeded opponent.

A win will see the former Melbourne runner-up face either Hubert Hurkacz or Arthur Cazaux.

3.55PM: THROUGH THE LEGS!

Nuno Borges has won a thrilling point against Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian pulled out a shot between the legs in a race back to pick up a Borges lob but wasn’t able to seal the point.

Borges has looked more solid this set, holding Medvedev in each game.

Meanwhile, Arthur Cazaux and Herbert Hurkacz are on the court at John Cain Arena, with the pair battling out for a maiden quarter final berth.

3.25PM: MEDVEDEV GOES A SET UP

Russian Daniil Medvedev has taken the first set against Portuguese opponent Nuno Borges in their fourth-round match up.

Medvedev broke to go 4-2 up in the first after a few errors from Borges up at the net, and while Medvedev threatened to break to win the set 6-2, Borges held and forced the Russian to serve out the set.

However, former World No. 1 Medvedev has three double faults already in the first set.

2.45PM: TEEN STAR CAUGHT UP IN SOCIAL MEDIA WAR OF WORDS

Andy Murray may have graced Melbourne Park for the last time as an active player – and we’re not 100 per cent sure on that, because you can never write him off.

But if that is the case, it’s ok. As long as he never shuts down his Twitter account.

The British great’s dry sense of humour was at play again on Sunday, as he trolled English star Liam Broady in a debate over 16-year-old star Mirra Andreeva.

Broady had taken issue with Murray’s praise of the young Russian star, after she fought back from 5-1 in the deciding set to defeat Dianne Parry in the third round.

“Andreeva down 5-1 in third,” Murray had written.

“Commentator ‘she really needs to work on mental side of her game. she’s too hard on herself when she’s losing’. 30 minutes later 7-6 Andreeva wins.

“Maybe the reason she turned the match round is because of her mental strength. Maybe she turned the match around because she is hard on herself and demands more of herself when she’s losing/playing badly? Winner.”

Broady replied: “Mental strength is the wrong phrase,” he said. “To come from 5-1 down in the third in a slam at her age is great mental strength. But perhaps if she had greater mental composure she wouldn’t have gone 5-1 down in the third in the first place?”

Murray then hit back with, among other things, a clown emoji before doubling down on his trolling with another jab.

2.30PM: FORMER CHAMP KNOCKED OUT BY QUALIFIER

Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska has staged a centre court upset, eliminating former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

Yastremska stormed into her first grand slam quarter-final after her straight sets win over the No. 18 seed on Rod Laver Arena.

The world No. 93 won the first set in a tie break 7-6 (8-6) before wrapping up the second 6-4.

“I think I need to take a bit of a brief (moment) because my heart, I feel it’s going to jump out of my body,” she said shortly afterwards.

“I don’t know what to say really about this match because I think (while playing) this match, I imagined how I lost maybe 25 times.

“First set I was losing the tie-break, I was losing the second set, I was losing.

“So I always felt like I’m, I don’t know, running behind the train, you know. I don’t know how to explain it. But I think that because I’m a little bit fighter, that’s why I won this match.”

2.10PM: TEARY SVITOLINA RETIRES MID-MATCH

– By Rebecca Williams

A teary Elina Svitolina has had to forfeit her fourth-round clash against Linda Noskova.

The Ukrainian called for a medical time out at 2-0 down in the opening set for treatment on what appeared to be a back injury.

The No. 19 seed lasted one more game before she as forced to retire with Noskova leading 3-0 on Margaret Court Arena.

The result hands Czech teenager Noskova her first grand slam quarter-finals appearance.

Noskova put her name in lights at Melbourne Park when she defeated top seed Iga Swiatek in three sets in the third round.

Svitolina made her comeback to the tour in April last year after taking time off to have her first child, with fellow tennis star Gael Monfils.

She had a great impact upon her return, reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon and had her sights on a deep run in Melbourne before injury stood in the way.

2.05PM: 19th SEED IN SERIOUS TROUBLE IN QUARTER-FINAL

There’s real concerns about 19th seed Elina Svitolina, just two games into her fourth-round clash with Linda Noskova.

After a gruelling opening game, which was pushed to six deuces, Svitolina was broken by the giant-killer Czech – who took out Polish world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the third round.

Worse was to come for Svitolina, who required a medical time-out after going down 0-2 shortly after.

She appears to have some issues with her lower back, but has managed to drag herself back onto Margaret Court Arena after some treatment.

It hasn’t helped, however. With Noskova immediately snatching the double break and Svitolina in all sorts of trouble.

1.45PM: 17-YEAR-OLD SENDS DOWN OPEN’S FASTEST SERVE

Who is the owner of the fastest serve at this year’s Australian Open?

Alexander Zverev? Stefanos Tsitsipas? Or rising star Ben Shelton?

Well, it’s actually someone even younger than the 21-year-old Shelton: 17-year-old Polish boy Tomasz Berkieta.

1.30PM: QUALIFIER TAKES SEESAWING FIRST SET

Former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka has a fight on her hands in her fourth-round clash against Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska after dropping the opening set.

The two-time Melbourne Park champion clawed back from 3-1 down at the start of the set, but she continued to face resistance before falling in a first set tie break 7-6 (8-6) on Rod Laver Arena.

Serving for the set at 6-5, No. 18 seed Azarenka was unable to put Yastremska away in a drawn-out game before being forced into a deciding tie break.

It is only the second time Yastremska, ranked No. 93 in the world, has reached the fourth round of a grand slam and the first time at the Australian Open.

Yastremska has already defeated three top-50 players this tournament.

Azarenka, who won back-to-back Australian Open crowns in 2012 and 2013, is making her 19th appearance at Melbourne Park.

1.15PM: TRUTH BEHIND NOVAK’S ‘MAGIC’ SECRET POTION REVEALED

For years, fans and rivals alike have wondered what is in the secret potion which seems to give Novak Djokovic superhuman powers.

The winner of 24 grand slam titles transformed into an on-court killer long ago – with his supreme fitness and ability to find an extra gear deep into tournaments, and five-set marathons, something to behold.

Was it his fitness regime? The gluten-free diet? Simply the actions of a player with incredible mental strength and ability to push through the pain barrier?

All viable options. But another theory came in the form of his secret drinks, which have caught the attention of tennis fans for years.

In 2022, at the Paris Masters, the superstar’s physio was caught on camera, while in the stands, mixing a mystery drink which was then delivered to Djokovic via a ball girl.

It came in the middle of a victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and was labelled “bizarre” by prominent tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg.

“What does the Djokovic team think needs hiding?” Rothenberg asked.

“I think rivals (and the public and the officials governing the sport) should get to know. I don’t think there should be secret substances being ingested during competition.”

Well, now we have the answer.

On the eve of the Australian Open, Djokovic launched ‘SILA by Novak Djokovic’ – electrolyte drink cubes that contains no sugar and no caffeine.

“He’s finally letting the public in on some of his secret sauce,” said Jim Courier in commentary during Djokovic’s straight-sets annihilation of Adrian Mannarino.

The products, developed in a collaboration with Waterdrop, had been ten years in the making according to Djokovic.

They come in watermelon, grapefruit and melon flavours.

1.00PM: AZARENKA BOTCHES SHOT TO KILL OFF FIRST SET

Drama!

Serving for the first set, Victoria Azarenka has faltered badly.

A shocking drop-shot volley, with an open court in front of her, fails to reach the net, and gives Yastremska three break points to look at.

She only needs one, with Azarenka punching a forehand into the net and suddenly it’s back on serve at 5-5.

12.45PM: AZARENKA RIDING THE HIGHS IN ROLLERCOASTER SET

We’re at the halfway point in the third set of the opening match on RLA today, and already it’s been a rollercoaster ride.

Dayana Yastremska landed the first blow, grabbing the break in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead.

But the veteran Victoria Azarenka reached into her back of tricks to break straight back. A comfortable hold followed – in which Yastremska briefly lost her footing and crashed to the court – before Azarenka twisted the knife, securing another break.

She leads 4-3.

12.10PM: AZARENKA READY FOR ‘BATTLE’

There are only seven seeds remaining in the women’s draw – and few who have the pedigree of veteran Victoria Azarenka.

But the former Australian Open champion, who is about to jump on court with Ukranian Dayana Yastremska for a quarter-final appearance, isn’t fazed about the draw opening up for her.

“Every match is going to be a battle. There are no bad players in the fourth round of a Grand Slam,” Azarenka said.

“If they are here, that means they worked their butts off and they played well and they deserve to be here.

“I think right now the level of tennis is very, very competitive, and we have like a deep pool of players who can beat anybody on the given day. I think that’s what makes them more dangerous.

“I think that they fully deserve to be where they are. There are no easy matches in the Grand Slam.

“So you have to start the tournaments right away from the first round. The evidence of seeded players kind of being out early is that the quality and the level of other players is really high.”

11.40AM: SON OF AUS OPEN CHAMPION IN ACTION

The son of former Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport is in action in the junior boys’ singles at Melbourne Park.

Jagger Leach is playing Australian Hayden Jones on court eight.

The 16-year-old is competing in his first grand slam boys’ singles main draw.

Leach’s mum Davenport, a former world No. 1, won the Australian Open in 2000 and also claimed Wimbledon and US Open crowns.

No. 16 seed Jones took the opening set of their second-round match 6-4.

11.15AM: DEMON SLAYED OVER ‘CHEAP’ RING

In case he wasn’t feeling down enough after his Australian Open defeat at the hands of Andrey Rublev, we’re hoping he wasn’t watching breakfast TV this morning.

Because there was a busy debate about whether De Minaur had popped the question to long-time partner, and women’s star, Katie Boulter – who was sporting a new ring during the Australian’s fourth-round clash.

But, worse than that, was that Australian tennis star-turned-commentator Todd Woodbridge poured cold water over the speculation – because the ring looked too cheap.

“I’ll tell you what – Alex has been playing incredible tennis, he’s top-10 in the world … I went in close to have a look at the ring and I said ‘you know what? You can do better than that, Alex’,” Woodbridge said on Channel 9.

“An engagement ring? Surely we’re looking at four or five carats, not a couple of chips.”

Channel 9 host Karl Stefanovic then went for the jugular and hopefully De Minaur – who has banked $17 million in his short career – wasn’t tuned in.

“What you’re saying is that he’s cheap?” Stefanovic said.

10.45AM: STAR RAGES OVER ‘PRO-MURDER’ DELETED TWEET

Australian Open quarter-finalist Marta Kostyuk has demanded the “sports community stop using the tennis court to promote Russian peace” in a scathing social media post that will reignite locker room tensions between Ukrainian and Russian players.

Kostyuk, a Ukrainian star who has remained outspoken over the war in her home country, was enraged by a now-deleted post from the official US Open Instagram account on Sunday night that celebrated her straight-sets victory over Maria Timofeeva in the fourth round.

The graphic displayed a Russian flag next to Timofeeva’s name, despite the 20-year-old playing as a neutral athlete on the WTA Tour.

“Today, after my victory over the athlete from the aggressor country, the Russian flag was published on the official resource of one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world,” Kostyuk wrote.

“The sports world continues to promote a murderous country and a country that uses its athletes as part of its propaganda.

“I call on media representatives, officials and the sports community to stop using the tennis court to promote ‘Russian peace’.”

Tennis has become one of the major sporting battlegrounds of the war, with Kostyuk and other Ukrainian players regularly questioning why Russian and Belarusian players continue to be allowed to play on the WTA and ATP Tours – even under a neutral flag.

Kostyuk has used her post-match press conferences at the Australian Open this month as a platform to continue that conversation.

And the 21-year-old took her argument to Instagram when she lashed out at the post from the official US Open account.

“We have repeatedly asked the question, ‘What is the status of a neutral athlete?’ Because it actually does not exist,” Kostyuk wrote.

“These athletes have repeatedly said that everyone knows which countries they represent.

“Their government constantly says that these are their athletes and the world knows about it.

“The international media in their publications write that these are Russian and Belarusian athletes.

“Many athletes have their flag on social networks.”

Kostyuk has defeated two Russian-born players en route to her maiden final eight berth at a grand slam.

She will face American world No. 4 Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

If Kostyuk defeats Gauff, she could face Belarusian-born player and reigning Australian Open champion, Aryna Sabalenka, in the semi-finals.

Kostyuk last year said she “does not respect” Sabalenka, after refusing to shake her hand after their match at Roland Garros.

“Just to reject her responsibility of having an opinion on the most important things in the world – I can’t respect that,” Kostyuk said after the match.

Sabalenka responded to those comments by saying: “I said many times, nobody – Russian or Belarusian athletes – support the war. Of course won’t don’t support the war. If we could stop it, we would – but it’s not in our hands.” – Callum Dick

10.15AM: ‘YOU’RE GOING TO DIE TODAY’: RUBLEV’S BIZARRE INSPIRATION

When you hear Andrey Rublev speak like this, you start to wonder if Alex de Minaur ever stood a chance.

And, really, does anyone?

The world No. 5 was asked how he was able to pull the fifth-set comeback against De Minaur and, well, let’s leave the quotes to speak for themselves.

“I started to tell to myself ‘you’re going to die today but you will do everything’ and somehow I started to play better and better,” Rublev said.

“I found more energy and I was able to win

“He’s one of the fastest players, the way he moves with the legs, and takes the speed, it’s crazy. You could see it was super tough to play.

“I start to feel a bit of pain there, but it’s normal after four hours with intensity like this.

“[I told myself] don’t cry, don’t start to feel sorry for yourself.”

9.30AM: DEMON OPENS UP ON AUS OPEN HEARTBREAK

– Callum Dick

A deflated Alex de Minaur says he will not let his heartbreaking Australian Open fourth-round defeat to Andrey Rublev overshadow the positive progress he has made in his game over the past 12 months.

De Minaur, 24, cut a forlorn figure when he addressed the media on the stroke of midnight after his five-set fist fight with the No. 5 seed, which ended with the Russian overpowering the local hope 6-0 in the decider.

“Nothing about pressure, nothing about expectation, none of that – just he played too good in the moments,” De Minaur said.

“It’s tough because I thought he was hurting physically in the third and in the fourth (sets).

“He just let go. He started swinging. The balls went in.

“It’s not a match that I thought I lost physically. It was just that the racquet was taken out of my hand.”

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

9.00AM: CAN AZARENKA MAKE MOST OF CARNAGE IN WOMEN’S DRAW?

Victoria Azarenka, who kicks off the action on Rod Laver Arena and is dreaming of a third title, has not won the year’s opening Grand Slam since 2013, when she defended the title.

But with seven of the top-10 women’s seeds already out, she can see a pathway opening up, with the remaining top players all in a different part of the draw.

Next up for the 18th seed, 34, is a meeting with Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.

“In terms of my game, I think that people really compare results rather than actual evolution of yourself and your game,” said the Belarusian.

“I feel like I’ve definitely evolved as a player. The game itself evolved. You cannot really compare it as much.

“I think right now the level of tennis is very, very competitive, and we have like a deep pool of players who can beat anybody on the given day. I think that’s what makes them more dangerous.”

Also on the women’s side, China’s 12th seed Zheng Qinwen faces Oceane Dodin of France while Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, a former quarter-finalist, meets Czech player Linda Noskova, who knocked out top seed Iga Swiatek.

8.30AM: ALCARAZ HEADLINES DAY NINE MEN’S ACTION

Carlos Alcaraz faces unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic as he bids to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday.

The Spanish second seed has yet to be fully tested in Melbourne but has shown glimpses of his best.

Speaking after Saturday’s third-round match, during which Chinese teenager Shang Juncheng was forced to retire when trailing by two sets, Alcaraz said he was “feeling great”.

“Probably seven, eight (out of ten),” said the 20-year-old, giving himself marks.

“It’s a high note. But that’s how I feel.

“I think I’m improving every day. Every match that I’m playing, I’m feeling better and better. Moving, hitting the ball, and, of course I’m getting used to this court as well.” The Australian Open is doubling up as a shootout for the number one spot and defending champion Novak Djokovic has already laid down a marker, dropping just three games in his fourth-round match on Sunday.

Two-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz knows he will have to raise his game to new heights to stop the top seed winning a record 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne, where the Spaniard’s previous best run was the third round.

German sixth seed Alexander Zverev takes on Britain’s 19th-seeded Cameron Norrie in a match that could go the distance while third seed Daniil Medvedev faces Portugal’s Nuno Borges, ranked 69.