Australian Open: stuns Gauff, Sabalenka and Alcaraz advance

Elina Svitolina stunned Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 to reach her first Australian Open semifinal, extending her winning streak to 10 matches. Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz also advanced, with Alcaraz chasing a career Grand Slam and Sabalenka eyeing a third crown

Melbourne: A searing hot day turned into a sweltering night at the Australian Open, and eventually Coco Gauff let off steam, smashing her racket after a lopsided loss to Elina Svitolina that cost her a place in the semifinals.

Day 10 of the season-opening major began with top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beating 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday before the Extreme Heat Policy was activated and the roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena.

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The center court was still under cover when No 12 seed Svitolina stunned third-seeded Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in just 59 minutes to earn a semifinal against Sabalenka.

The men’s quarterfinals were split into day and night sessions, with one played under a roof and the other under the stars.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz moved within two wins of completing a career Grand Slam after a 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur. In his first semifinal in Melbourne, Alcaraz will face 2025 runner-up Alexander Zverev, who beat 20-year-old Learner Tien 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (3).

“They’re 6-6 in head-to-heads, with Zverev winning the quarterfinal here in 2024, their only meeting in Australia,” Alcaraz said. “It’s going to be a great battle. I’m looking forward to playing him here, taking revenge.”

Svitolina’s streak
Weeks into a return from a mental health break, Svitolina is in the semifinals here for the first time, riding a 10-match winning streak after starting the season with a title in Auckland.

The run will put her back into the Top 10 next week. “Very pleased with the tournament so far and, of course, always been my dream to come back after maternity leave in the Top 10,” said Svitolina, a 31-year-old Ukrainian.

She dominated Gauff from the outset. The American struggled with her serve, recording five double-faults in the first set and being broken four times. She finally held serve in the second set but it was too late.

After leaving the court, Gauff smashed her racket seven times against a concrete ramp. “I tried to find a place where there were no cameras to let out my frustrations,” she said.

Svitolina said she wanted to win for millions of Ukrainians enduring a tough winter. “I feel like I bring a little light, even just positive news to Ukrainian people.”

Heat rule
The roof was retracted for the last match after the temperature dropped from a peak of just over 42 Celsius (108 F). The forecast had been 45 Celsius (113 F), but it wasn’t reached at the venue.

Sabalenka-Jovic
Sabalenka is aiming for her third Australian Open crown in four years. She won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024 and lost last year’s final to Madison Keys.

She dominated Jovic, saving all five break points she faced and sealing the match with consecutive aces. “These teenagers have tested me in the last couple of rounds,” Sabalenka said. “Don’t look at the score. She played incredible tennis and pushed me to a one-step better level. It was a battle.”