AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Melbourne

DAY 10/QUARTERFINALS

[2] Serena Williams (USA) defeated [9] Johanna Konta (GBR) 6-2, 6-3.  Her victory now makes it three American players in the semifinals (the first time since the 2002 US Open); thus, guaranteeing at least one American will be in the final.  Of course we are hoping that there will be two Americans competing for the title on Saturday.

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) defeated [5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to get to her second Major semifinal, her first since 1999.

[9] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated [3] Milos Raonic (CAN) 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 to get to his first Major semifinal since 2014.  He still has to get by Dimitrov in the semifinals and fresh in Nadal’s mind will be memories of his only loss to the Bulgarian late last season in Beijing.  Thus, Nadal knows this will be another battle since Dimitrov looks like he has rediscovered his top ten form of 2014. Can we get the dream final of Nadal versus Federer?  Why not?  This seems to be the tournament where the veterans are turning back the clock.

[15] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) def. [11] David Goffin (BEL) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

[1] Herbert/Mahut (FRA) lost to Polmans/Whittington (AUS) 6-7(2), 6-2, 4-6

[4] Kontinen/Peers (FIN/AUS)  def. Groth/Guccione (AUS) in progress 7-5, 6-3

Spears/Cabal (USA/COL) def. Krajicek/Klaasen (NED/RSA) 6-4, 6-3

[2] Mirza/Dodig (IND/CRO) def. Dabrowski/Bopanna (CAN/IND) 6-4, 3-6, 12-10

DAY 10/SEMIFINALS

[1] Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA) lost to [12] Hlavackova/Peng (CZE/CHN) 6-7(4), 2-6

[2] Mattek-Sands/Safarova (USA/CZE) avoided the upset bug and defeated Hozumi/Kato (JPN) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.  They are into their fourth Major final.

Both the French number one seeded teams in women and men’s doubles fell on the same day.  That was a surprise for the men; however, not unexpected for the women, whose opponents were ranked number 12 and quite a tough team.

SOURCE OF IMAGE: Zimbio