Daily Dose of Social Media: Emma Raducanu pays tribute to Kobe Bryant, sweet Djokovic’s moment with his children

The Australian Open quarterfinals have begun, and in a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at the best moments from Tuesday's matches, with the showdown between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as the standout highlight. From Djokovic’s surprise at seeing his children awake late into the night to Andy Murray consoling Carlos Alcaraz, there were plenty of memorable scenes.

On another note, Jessica Pegula joined Erin Routliffe's complaints about the lack of technology on the net during a doubles match, while Emma Raducanu reappeared to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant. Also, don’t miss the emotional reaction of Alex de Minaur’s mother after the local player broke a 10-year drought for Australian men in the quarterfinals of the Aussie Open.

“When are you gonna sleep tonight?”: Djokovic shares sweet moment with kids

Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge against Carlos Alcaraz, starting with a first set where the Spaniard took the lead. Alcaraz later struggled with physical issues in the second set, allowing Djokovic to take control of the match. The 24-time Grand Slam champion secured a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory, marking his 12th Australian Open semifinal appearance.

Emotions ran high as Djokovic celebrated his biggest win since defeating Alcaraz in the Roland Garros Olympic final. However, the joy turned to a lighter moment during the on-court interview when Djokovic noticed his children were still in his player box, even though it was already early morning. “I am surprised that my kids are still here. I mean, I love you. Thank you for supporting me, but it’s 1 am. When are you gonna sleep tonight?”

Murray consoles Alcaraz after Australian Open loss

Alcaraz’s loss was a hard pill to swallow, as he had been edging closer to completing the career Grand Slam and becoming the youngest player ever to do so. However, the 37-year-old Djokovic claimed the win, dashing Alcaraz’s hopes. Following the match, while Alcaraz was recovering on the gym bike, Djokovic’s coach, Andy Murray, approached the young Spaniard to congratulate him after a grueling battle with his player.

Alcaraz will have to overcome another defeat at Melbourne Park, the Grand Slam tournament that has been the most elusive for him so far. His next challenges begin in February with the ATP 500 Rotterdam Open and, two weeks later, the ATP 500 Doha Open, where he will be the second seed behind Jannik Sinner in both tournaments.

“Wow!”: Alcaraz reacts to Sabalenka’s impressive shot

Before his loss to Djokovic, Alcaraz was seen watching Aryna Sabalenka’s match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova while doing his pre-match gym routine. During the second set, Sabalenka stunned with an incredible slice that curved at an improbable angle, leaving Alcaraz visibly amazed. The four-time Grand Slam champion’s reaction to the world No. 1’s sensational shot was priceless, showcasing his appreciation for Sabalenka’s brilliance on the court.

Sabalenka advanced to the tournament semifinals after achieving a streak of 19 consecutive wins at Melbourne Park. She will face none other than her close friend Paula Badosa, who delivered Tuesday’s surprise by defeating world No. 3 Coco Gauff. The Spaniard is aiming to reach a Grand Slam final for the first time, while Sabalenka seems almost unstoppable as she pursues her third consecutive Australian Open title.

Raducanu pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant in Emotional Nike Campaign

Emma Raducanu shared a post about NBA legend Kobe Bryant, the iconic Los Angeles Lakers basketball player who tragically passed away in an accident in 2020. The 2021 US Open champion expressed her admiration for one of the greatest athletes in history as part of a Nike campaign honouring Bryant, named after his nickname, "Mamba Mentality," under the inspirational slogan attributed to the legendary basketball star: "Deciding to have the hardest year can be the greatest year of your life."

The world No. 61 had a strong showing at the Australian Open, at least in the early rounds, defeating 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and talented American Amanda Anisimova, both in straight sets. However, she was eliminated in the third round by world No. 2 Iga Swiatek with a resounding 1-6, 0-6 loss, as the Polish five-time Grand Slam champion dominated the match. Raducanu's next challenge will be at the WTA 250 Singapore Open, where she is the 5th seed in a draw led by Russia's Anna Kalinskaya (world No. 18).

Pegula reacts to Erin Routliffe's outburst over missing net technology

Jessica Pegula reacted on social media to a curious incident experienced by Erin Routliffe in the doubles draw of the Australian Open. The Australian was visibly frustrated during her recent doubles match when, alongside her partner Gabriela Dabrowski, they faced Laura Siegemund and Beatriz Haddad Maia while competing for a spot in the quarterfinals. Routlif

During the tiebreak of the first set, a peculiar moment occurred when Routliffe discovered that the net lacked a service let detection machine. The revelation left her outraged during a particularly tense part of the match, and she made her feelings known: "Oh my God, we have robots everywhere, and we don’t have them for the net?!"

The incident quickly gained attention on social media, where former doubles world No. 1 Jessica Pegula voiced her agreement with the Australian player. Pegula responded with a touch of irony, sharing the post on X. "“We have cameras in every player area and everywhere we turn but we don’t have a net machine?," the 2024 US Open runner-up posted.

Emotional ,ilestone: De Minaur's mother reacts to quarterfinal berth

Alex de Minaur achieved a historic milestone at the Australian Open, becoming the first male local player to reach the quarterfinals in 10 years since Nick Kyrgios in 2015. The World No. 8 advanced to the last eight for the first time at his home Grand Slam, the only one of the four majors where he had not previously reached this stage. He secured his place with a commanding 6-0, 7-6, 6-3 victory over World No. 42 Alex Michelsen, celebrating with a supportive crowd thrilled to see a local contender still in the race for the title.

In De Minaur’s box were his girlfriend, Katie Boulter—eliminated in the second round by Veronika Kudermetova—and his parents. Cameras captured the emotional reaction of his mother as De Minaur clinched the match point that guaranteed him another match in Melbourne.

De Minaur’s next challenge will be against the defending champion and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, against whom he has a 0-9 head-to-head record. However, he hopes this will be the moment to deliver a stunning upset. Check out his mother’s emotional reaction below.

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