Quarter-finals updates from day 11 at Melbourne Park
Djokovic through to semi-finals | Email Daniel here
*Shelton 1-1 Sinner A big serve makes 15-0, but a decent return on to the line incites a netted forehand. No matter, Shelton shows good variety in the next rally, an inside-out backhand clipping the sideline for a winner, before an ace makes 4-15. But caught at the net having not done enough with the volley, he’s passed, then a netted slice takes us to deuce, and pressure. Shelton cannot afford to be be broken in the first game; he punishes down an ace, but is immediately hauled back, then another big serve allows the clean-up forehand. Ach, but just when a fantastic serve out wide looks to have set up the point, an overhit forehand restores deuce, and Shelton, despite nailing 10/10 first serves in this game, is having to deploy his entire array of shots to hold. He makes advantage again, sends down a decent second serve with the wind behind it, and a quality return renders it useless; back to deuce we go, Sinner slowly extracting his soul, but this time, Shelton makes advantage and closes out the game. Already, this is a lot of fun.
Shelton 0-1 Sinner* (*denotes server) Sinner hooks a forehand long, a shot that looks pretty relative to the mustard trainers, olive top and white hat, shorts and socks he’s been handed – why do they continually dress him in nonsense? Why does he let them? He soon makes 30-15 and Shelton misses the chance to properly get after a short second serve … but a framed forehand sends the ball into orbit and at 30-all, he has the sniff of a sniff. And this is more like it, the American coning in off a deep forehand, and it earns him break point; here we go. Ahahahaha, but you know what’s coming next: yes, a service winner that makes it 23 out of 29 break points saved in the tournament, backed up with a succession of forehands which facilitate the overhead putaway then, when Shelton goes with a drop, but down the line, not cross, which allows Sinner to rush in and mete out forehand treatment. He’s into the match.
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