Australian Open, Day 9: Tsitsipas to meet Nadal in semis, Kvitova to face Collins

Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Roberto Baustista Agut in the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal clash with Rafael Nadal, who beat Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday.

Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after his Australian Open quarterfinal win against Roberto Bautista-Agut.

Welcome to Sportstar's live blog of the Australian Open 2019. Follow the updates and results of day nine's quarterfinal action.

 

• Nadal is through to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win against Tiafoe.
   
• Nadal has taken the second set 6-4 and is inching closer to a place in the semis. He is up 4-2 in the third set.
  
  

  Stop it @RafaelNadal#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/22qhcRT2Wo

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

  
   
• Rafael Nadal has taken the first set 6-3 against Frances Tiafoe and is up 4-3 in the second set. Another straight sets win for the Spaniard or can the American fight back?
   
• Petra Kvitova beats Asheligh Barty 6-1, 6-4 to enter the semifinals.

.@Petra_Kvitova is into her first Slam semifinal since a knife stabbing incident in late 2016 sidelined her from the sport.

Try not to tear up watching this #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/qugNPgQrC6

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

 

 

• Leander Paes and Sam Stosur go down 6-4, 4-6, 8-10 to Robert Farah and Anne-Lena Gronefeld in the mixed doubles round of 16.

Leander Paes and Sam Stosur in action in the mixed doubles round of 16 at the Australian Open.

 

• Collins wins it! After losing the first set and almost going down in the second, she comes back strong to win the match 2-6, 7-5, 6-1. And the world number 35 is into the semifinals.
  
  
   

In the semis, #Collins will face either #Barty or #Kvitova.

She says she'll be watching tonight's match...will you?#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/jb7ZEOpefB

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

 

• Danielle Collins pulls back from the brink of defeat to win the second set 7-5 and take the game into a the decider.

That's not a bad way to set up set point, Danielle #Collins!#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/BEzkyziHH8

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

 

• Pavlyuchenkova has it pretty easy in the first set against Danielle Collins; takes it 6-2.

Up next are two unseeded players - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova against Danielle Collins.

Collins reached the final with a comprehensive straight-set victory over Wimbledon 2018 champion Angelique Kerber. Pavlyuchenkova didn't have it as easy against Sloane Stephens in the fourth round, but she dominated her way into the quarters.

Bautista-Agut vs Tsitsipas

A star is born #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/wtYfrGDPFN

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

• Tsitsipas does it! The fourth set goes into a tiebreaker he wins it 7-2 and that's the match. 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) and he's into his first Grand Slam semifinal, where he'll either face Frances Tiafoe or Rafael Nadal.
  
  
  
  
  With that win the 20-year-old becomes the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since Novak Djokovic at the 2007 US Open.

 

The reaction says it all.

Take a bow, @StefTsitsipas! #AusOpenpic.twitter.com/5QKG2gnztY

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

 

• Stefanos Tsitsipas has turned it around in the third set. Bautista-Agut broke first but Tsitsipas quickly gathered his wits broke back, going on to clinch the set 6-4 with an impeccable backhand drop.
• Bautista-Agut wins the second set 6-4.
• Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken first game 7-5 and Bautista-Agut has come back stronger in the second, leading 4-2.

Everything going Stefanos' way.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/3mtgCkAMtH

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

Lethal.

After a slow start, @StefTsitsipas is in the zone.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/B5lALe2lLR

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2019

 

• Roberto Bautista-Agut has looked almost unbeatable this year, taking down big names like Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, albeit being pushed to five sets in three of his four matches in the tournament so far. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas, on the back of his career's biggest win, end Bautista-Agut's run?

 

Results

Day 8 Schedule