Australian Open | Roger Federer reaches quarters; Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem suffer upsets

Australian Open | Roger Federer reaches quarters; Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem suffer upsets

no photo

|

Getty Images

Roger Federer reached into the quarters of the Australian Open after registering straight sets win against Marton Fucsovics today. In the other games of the men’s singles, Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic faced loss to Tennys Sandgren and Hyeon Chung respectively to bring an end to their campaigns.

The match between Federer and Fucsovics lasted for two hours and four minutes where the latter tried to match the Swiss player as they shared the first eight games. But after he lost his serve in the seventh game of the set, Federer held his serve in the next game to secure the first set 6-4. The 25-year-old made a terrific comeback in the second set as he saved three break points which forced the set to go all the way to a tie-breaker and even managed to keep the score at 3-3. However, Federer won the next four points in a row to take a commanding 2-0 set score lead in the match. Unlike the opening two sets, the third was a one-sided affair for Federer who used his experience against the Hungarian to win it comfortably by a score of 6-2. 

After the tournament favorite booked his place in the last 8, the day suddenly turned into a day of upsets in Melbourne, including the end of the road for six time winner Djokovic. The Serbian failed to reach in the quarter-finals after facing a loss against unseeded Korean player Chung in the fourth-round in straight sets of 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). 

Even though the match ended in three sets, it took three hours and 24 minutes for Chung to finally see off the former World No. 1. The first set was a neck-to-neck encounter as after Chung raced away to a 4-0 lead, Djokovic pegged him back and forced a tie-breaker. However, it was the 21-year-old who held his nerve better in the tie breaker and secured the win. The win boosted Chung’s morale as he soon earned a 4-1 lead in the second set but 14th seeded Djokovic made a comeback win next three games to make it 4-4. But he lost his service at 5-6 which gave Chung a 2-0 lead as he rounded up the set 7-5. Djokovic wanted to stay alive in the match by winning the third set as he managed to inflict two breaks on Chung but the Korean did the same to the Serb to force yet another tie-breaker. The result was the same only this time Djokovic was able to win one less point as Chung became the first Korean to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam event. 

The day saw another big player’s early exit as Dominic Thiem was knocked out by World Number 97 Tennys Sandgren in a five-setter that ended 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-9), 6-3. It wasn’t an easy task for Sandgren as the match lasted almost for four hours. The 26-year-old started the match on a positive note as he showed his brilliant form in the first set where he earned two break points to take the first set 6-2. But the Austrian player was not in a mood to give up easily as he got a 3-1 lead and he shared next six games equally with his opponent and finished the second set by winning it 6-4.

After the match was level at 1-1, both players fought hard in the third set where they lost their service only once each. The set entered the tie-breaker where Thiem was completely outplayed by Sandgren who won it 7-6 (7-4). Even the fourth-set had to go all the way to a tie-breaker but it Thiem who came out on top to win the decider 9-7. In the final set of the match, the players were at 2-2 but after a break, Sandgren raced away to a 5-2 lead and ended the set 6-3 to reach in the quarter-finals.

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all