A frustrated Coco Gauff broke down in tears after her 7-5, 6-3 defeat by Jelena Ostapenko at the Australian Open on Sunday, with the 18-year-old American saying she just could not come up with the answers to the Latvian’s game.
Gauff came into the tournament having enjoyed a superb 2022 where she reached the French Open final but it was former Roland Garros champion Ostapenko who dominated the contest to set up a quarter-final meeting with Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
“I think every loss is somewhat in my control because I do feel like I’m a good player, but today she just played better,” Gauff, seeded seventh, told reporters.
Gauff began to tear up when asked to explain her frustrations.
“I think it’s because I worked really hard and I felt really good coming into the tournament and I still feel good,” Gauff said. “I still feel like I’ve improved a lot.
“But when you play a player like her and she plays really well, it’s like there’s nothing you can do.
Former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka reached her first Austalian Open quarter-final for seven years as she fended off China’s Zhu Lin 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the early hours of Monday.
Tsitsipas’ ‘home slam’
Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas described the Australian Open as his “home slam”, saying the conditions in Melbourne remind him of the Attic Peninsula.
Tsitsipas, a three-time semi-finalist at the Australian Open, reached the quarter finals on Sunday after he held firm to beat Italy’s Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3.
The 24-year-old was cheered on by his compatriots in the crowd, who showed their support by waving Greece’s flag and chanting about their tennis idol.
“I grew up in a climate that is very similar here. It always reminds me of home a little bit when I’m here,” Tsitsipas told reporters. With Melbourne boasting the largest Greek population in Australia, Tsitsipas said he always felt at home when competing at the season-opening major.
Tsitsipas will meet unseeded 21-year-old Czech Jiri Lehecka for a place in the semi-finals. Unseeded Lehecka toppled sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(3).
Korda on song
American Sebastian Korda reached the quarter finals of a grand slam for the first time after defeating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7).
Korda, who dumped 2021and 2022 runner-up DaniilMedvedev out in the third round, got off to a shaky start on Rod Laver Arena againstHurkacz but the 29th seed bounced back to take the second and third sets.
Hurkacz, seeded 10th, grabbed the fourth set before the decider went to a tie-breaker, where Korda won six consecutive points and wrapped up the victory with a backhand winner.
