Australian Open, Paul in the semifinal, beat Shelton. Djokovic challenges Rublev

First career Grand Slam semifinal for Tommy Paul. The 25-year-old American, number 35 in the world, took off the ticket for the penultimate act of the Australian Open beating his compatriot in the quarterfinals in four sets Ben Shelton, 89 in the ATP ranking: 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 the final score in three hours and seven minutes. Paul, who brings the United States back to the semifinals in Melbourne after 14 years (Andy Roddick was the last to do so in 2009) and will enter the top 20 for the first time in his career on Monday (he’s currently number 19) will face the winner of the match between the Serbian Novak Djokovicworld number 5 and fourth seed and the Russian Andrey Rublevnumber 6 in the ATP ranking and 5 in seeding.

Sabalenka and Linette in the semifinals

In the women’s tournament Aryna Sabalenka and Magda Linette they will face each other in the semi-final of the lower part of the draw. The Belarusian, 5 in the world and on the scoreboard, confirms her great form: 6-3 6-2 to the Croatian Vekic woman and fourth career Grand Slam semifinal. Arriving in Melbourne with success in the first of the two tournaments held in Adelaide in her pocket, Sabalenka in this 2023 won nine out of nine matches without ever losing a set, giving up just 26 games in the Australian Grand Slam. Now chasing her to her first final at a Major, Linette permitting.

Linette’s exploit

The story of the 30-year-old Polish continues: after Kontaveit, Alexandrova and Garcia, also the former world number one Karolina Pliskova must surrender. Linette, number 45 in the world, prevails 6-3 7-5 in 87 minutes and for the first time in her career she reaches the semifinal of a Grand Slam, where she had never gone beyond the third round so far. “I still can’t believe it”, confesses the Pole, always defeated however in the previous two with Sabalenka, the last one at the Tokyo Games where the Belarusian prevailed 6-2 6-1. In the upper part of the draw, however, the two-time champion from Melbourne will compete for a place in the final, Victoria Azarenkaand the winner of the last Wimbledon, Elena Rybakina.