Day 12 and we are now just 3 days off the end of the tournament. Yesterday was the turn of the men to play their semi-finals and it shaped up to be an interesting and exciting day of tennis.

The match which was played in the day session was between 18th seed, Khachanov and 3rd seed, Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas served 1st in what promised to be a great match as both players had been playing some outstanding tennis. He held comfortably and Khachanov managed to copy him with a comfortable hold of his own. Both players could now settle down in the opening set. Tsitsipas then held and then conjured up 2 break points on which he took the 1st one to lead 3-1. As the saying goes the best time to break back is the very next game after being broken and this saying came true again as Khachanov got himself 2 break points and he managed to take the 2nd one and we were back on serve in the 1st set. A few service holds later at 4-3 Tsitsipas, It was the Greeks turn to conjure up another break point and this one he took again to lead 5-3 and he was serving for the opening set. Tsitsipas however did not have a good service game at all and once again was broken just after he had managed to break. After this they both served well to send the opener into an important tiebreak. It was Tsitsipas who played another unbelievable tiebreak as he raced to a 6-1 lead and eventually took the set 7-2. The Greek led by a set. Khachanov served first in the 2nd and this set was very important for him in terms of the overall match. Khachanov and Tsitsipas served well for the opening 8 games of the set. Khachanov had a scare at 1-1 and Khachanov nearly broke when he led 4-3. However the score was 4-4. This was a tense game and it proved that way as Khachanov played a weak game on serve and was broken at 15-40 and Tsitsipas was now just a game away from a 2 sets to love lead. The Greek this time served the set out to love and he led 2 sets to love. Khachanov therefore served first in the 3rd set which now he needed to win or he was heading home. The 3rd game again proved tricky for the 18th seed and this time he couldn’t fend off the break points and Tsitsipas had the break in the 3rd set. Tsitsipas held the break all the way to 5-4 when he had to serve out the match. The Greek couldn’t do it as he was broken and the score was level at 5-5. The set ended up going to another tiebreak. Tsitsipas again was the first player to get a mini break and he led 5-3 and then 6-4 in the tiebreak. Somehow Khachanov hit 2 forehand winners to save those 2 match points and this through Tsitsipas off as he made to unforced errors to hand the 3rd set to Khachanov who had somehow sent this match into a 4th set. Tsitsipas served 1st in this set which woud’ve felt nice for the Greek who wouldn’t do the chasing in the set. He broke the Khachanov serve again early in the set and led 3-0. This time Tsitsipas kept the break and managed to serve the match out at 5-3 and he was in a grand slam final once again.

His opponent would be either Paul or Djokovic. Djokovic was playing some unreal tennis and it was going to take a mammoth effort from Paul in his 1st ever grand slam semi-final to beat the 9 time champ. The opening set was going to be the important one. Djokovic served first and 2 break points in his opening service game to lead 1-0. Paul it felt was in the match however in his first service game, the American was broken at 15-40 and Djokovic already looked comfortable. The Serb broke the American’s serve again and led 5-1 with a double break and would be serving for the opening set. However after conjuring up a set point, it was Paul who won 3 points on the trot on the Djokovic serve to break the Serb and it was 5-2. A love hold and Djokovic had a 2nd opportunity to serve out the set at 5-3. Once again he couldn’t and somehow it was Paul with the momentum as he broke and then held comfortably to level the opening set at 5-5. Djokovic found his rhythm once again and held to love to lead 6-5. This broke the American’s momentum and after serving so well in his past 3 service games, he gave Djokovic a break/set point which the Serb took and he led by a set. A long way back now for the American. Djokovic broke to lead 2-0 and nearly got broken but managed to hold to lead 3-0. He then broke and held to make it 5-0 and eventually the set was his at 6-1. Now it was an almost impossible task for the American to come back from 2 sets down against a man who has never lost a Australian Open semi-final. Paul got off to worst possible start in the 3rd set as he was broken 1st game. Djokovic then held and broke for a second time and once again Djokovic led by a double break in a set at 4-0. Paul then held his next 2 service games but so did Djokovic to take the 3rd set 6-2 and the with it the match. A big final on Sunday. The 3rd seed, Tsitsipas and the 4th seed, Djokovic will be going at it.

Onto the fantasy leaderboard and ‘Sinner’s Injuries’ extend their lead up front to 9 points over 2nd placed ‘Lynda’s Team’. ‘Down Under’ and ‘Groundstroke’ remain locked together in 3rd. However there has been a change in 5th with ‘Drop Shots’ moving back up into the top 5 as they move past ‘Live once Serve Twice’. Day 12 did see the elimination of 1 team and that team was ‘Double Pluggers’.

Results of Men’s Semi-finals

• Tsitsipas(3) beat Khachanov(18) – 7-6(2); 6-4; 6-7(6); 6-3
• Djokovic(4) beat Paul – 7-5; 6-1; 6-2

Ladies Final

• Sabalenka(5) vs Rybakina(22) (10:30)

Jared

Jared matriculated in 2020 from Wynberg Boys High School in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa. His passion for tennis afforded him the opportunity of travelling to Europe. He is a quizmaster and a tennis fantasy league organiser.http://Eishonline.co.za/jftl