Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan are one match away from reaching their 30th Grand Slam doubles championship final (16-13) and their 10th title match at the Australian Open (6-3). The third-seeded twins, who are bidding to lift their 17th major trophy, knocked out No. 9 seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 26 minutes for a place in the semi-finals. Dodig and Granollers hit 73 winners, but the Bryans held their nerve on serve. The Americans have an outstanding 112-54 record in tour-level finals. The Bryans go on to face Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who had a battle to overcome Kiwis Alex Bolt and Bradley Mousley 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 in two...
Four-time former champion Roger Federer set up a blockbuster semi-final at the Australian Open against 2014 titlist and fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday night. Federer, the No. 17 seed, ended the dream run of Andy Murray’s conqueror, Mischa Zverev, 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 at Melbourne Park for a place in his 41st Grand Slam championship semi-final (and his 13th at the Australian Open). “I'm pleased with the way I started the match,” said Federer. “Right away, again, I got off to a great start against him, as I did against him a few years ago. After that, naturally everything's easier. The second set was definitely a key to shut it down for him. It was good that I was able...
Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka remains on course to add to his 2014 Australian Open title by cruising past No. 12 seed and 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 14 minutes on Tuesday. It was the 250th hard-court match win of his career. “It’s not easy to play against him,” said Wawrinka, during an on-court interview. “He’s a strong player. I think conditions were quite fast today [and] it was a bit windy. So not easy to control. I started to move a bit better, to be a bit more aggressive from the first shot and I think that’s made the difference.” The Swiss will next play his Swiss compatriot Roger Federer, the No. 17 seed...
Sometimes ATP World Tour professionals commit nice gestures and no one notices. Other times, they receive a touching thank-you letter that lets them know just how much they're appreciated. During his second-round match at the 2016 Australian Open, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga stopped play and helped a tearful ball girl who had just been hit in the face by a ball. The Frenchman walked over to the girl, who was standing behind him, wrapped her arm around his and walked her off the court so she could receive help. The gesture was lauded by journalists and on social media, and Tsonga was praised as a gentleman. “It's just normal. She was really in trouble and the eyes were a bit [teary]. It...
Will Stan The Man take the battle of big hitters against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga? Can Roger wind back the clock once more and play vintage Federer tennis against his old-school foe, Mischa Zverev, who will try to keep points as precise as possible? Tuesday's Australian Open quarter-final match-ups should feature two very different but equally as intriguing contests for fans. They'll also feature a bit of history. For only the second time in the Open Era, all eight Grand Slam quarter-finalists have lost two or more sets before their last-eight match-ups. The last time that happened was almost 45 years ago, at the 1972 US Open. No. 4 Stan Wawrinka (SUI) v No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) FedEx ATP Head2Head: Wawrinka...
