Naomi Osaka aims to extend winning streak
The reigning US Open champion has not lost an official match since February 2020 and will attempt to win her 15th in a row when she plays Elise Mertens for a place in the WTA Gippsland Trophy final. That match will be the last on the MCA schedule for Saturday, preceded by the other semifinal between Ekaterina Alexandrova and Kaia Kanepi.
Earlier on the same court, Garbine Muguruza and Marketa Vondrousova will do battle in the WTA Yarra Valley semifinals for a shot at world No.1 Ash Barty, who progressed to the final after Serena Williams withdrew from their clash with a shoulder injury.
Heavyweight clash in ATP Cup semis
Headlining the Rod Laver Arena schedule on Saturday is the semifinal clash between Russia and Germany, anchored by a singles rubber between No.1 players Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. Medvedev is gunning for a 13th straight match win yet Zverev leads the head-to-head series 5-3 and will take confidence from pushing world No.1 Novak Djokovic to the brink in Friday’s Germany-Serbia tie.
MORE: Melbourne Summer Series Friday wrap
At John Cain Arena, Spain – missing top-ranked singles player Rafael Nadal – will do battle with Italy, a team spearheaded by in-form world No.10 Matteo Berrettini, undefeated in ATP Cup play so far in 2021. Prior to Berrettini’s match against Roberto Bautista Agut, Fabio Fognini and Pablo Carreno Busta will do battle.
Azarenka headlines Grampians quarterfinals
Two-time AO champion and former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka kicks off the MCA schedule at 11am against sixth seed Anett Kontaveit, playing for a place in the WTA Grampians trophy semifinals. There she could face another AO champ in Angelique Kerber, who must first get past No.5 seed Maria Sakkari at 1573 Arena.
Following the Kerber-Sakkari match on the same court are quarterfinals pitting Jennifer Brady – a US Open semifinalist last year – against Barbora Krejcikova, and Ann Li against Sorana Cirstea.
ATP’s Next Gen in action
The future of the men’s game will be on display in the semifinals of concurrent ATP 250 events at Melbourne Park.
On Court 6, Italian teenager Jannik Sinner will take on former world No.8 Karen Khachanov – a battle between the fourth and second seeds – for a place in the Great Ocean Road Open, where either Thiago Monteiro or Stefano Travaglia will await.
At the same time on Court 3, 20-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime will clash with 21-year-old Corentin Moutet of France with a place in the Murray River Open final on the line. The other semifinal in that tournament will pit Jeremy Chardy against Dan Evans.
