"I'm feeling 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 and 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿!" 🎾 Carlos Alcaraz 'full of confidence' ahead of quarter-final against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne 🗣️ #AusOpen
Day 11 is here at the 2024 Australian Open and the remaining Quarter-Finals will be set on Wednesday albeit hopefully without the same scheduling woes as the day before as the line-up gets set.
Our preview looks ahead as ever to the four ties on offer and the main talking points going into them as Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in particular are the big names in action and the wide open top section of the WTA Draw heads towards its conclusion.
Unpredictable at the best of times, many wouldn't have seen what would've transpired in the top section of the WTA Draw with Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina in particular losing early and the other top names left including Victoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina who were expected to win through floundering in the Last 16.
This leaves four players left. All of whom have different stories but are all unexpected. The first clash on Rod Laver Arena sees Linda Noskova who vanquished Iga Swiatek and then received a slice of luck as Svitolina heartbreakingly had to retire due to a back problem continues to blaze a trail especially now Barbora Krejcikova is out of the reckoning. She faces Dayana Yastremska who herself is a former World No.21 but at the age of just 23 could yet have her best days ahead of her after a steady rise following a provisional suspension for doping.
Also she could feasibly continue this Emma Raducanu-esque story with Yastremska being the first since the Brit to reach the Quarter-Finals from qualifyng. Taking down Marketa Vondrousova, Emma Navarro and Azarenka in particular, it has been a stellar week and she will aim to continue that.
As will Qinwen Zheng who will now be favourite to take the final spot. The player with the best form and pedigree left of the four even though as that has been proven so far, it isn't a huge factor. But a player full of confidence and ready for her breakout and she could get that this week. She faces Russian ace Anna Kalinskaya who has had a torrid time with injury but like Yastremska in having troubles which have stopped her reaching her ceiling, she is also still young. All four players left have this huge chance but who seizes it?
Interspersed between those women's ties is a draw which has gone a bit more to form and what was expected as four players remain in the hunt for the remaining two semi-final spots with one match in particular standing out. That of course is Carlos Alcaraz facing off against Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz was ultra-impressive against Miomir Kecmanovic last time out after flattering to deceive despite showcasing incredible skill throughout. He has heated up nicely in this draw after a lack of match practice, while his next opponent has spent multiple matches in five set epics in Alexander Zverev. Most of the topic this fortnight has stemmed around his upcoming court case, but he has let his racquet do the talking and finds himself in another Grand Slam Quarter-Final. It is also a Head to Head he has success in sitting at 4-3 to the German. Their last meeting won by Zverev at the ATP Finals last year. A match pencilled in last and one that could go well into the night.
Something that Daniil Medvedev won't have to deal with after his prior farce against Emil Ruusuvuori where they went late into the night. He faces Hubert Hurkacz. Like Zverev's lopsided record against Alcaraz, it is also one that favours the Pole as he leads 3-2. Their last meeting though came back in 2022 in the Halle final won comfortably by Hurkacz. Two players who have gone narrowly under the radar much to the annoyance of Medvedev, they will get their chance to shine on Wednesday.
"I'm feeling 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 and 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿!" 🎾 Carlos Alcaraz 'full of confidence' ahead of quarter-final against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne 🗣️ #AusOpen
Rod Laver Arena
Day Session - from 02:00 CET
Linda Noskova (Czech Republic) v Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine)
(9) Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) v (3) Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
Night Session - from 09:15 CET
Anna Kalinskaya (Russia) v (12) Qinwen Zheng (China)
(6) Alexander Zverev (Germany) v (2) Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)