Australian Open 2018: Caroline Wozniacki defeats Carla Suarez Navarro, advances to semi-final

2008 hrs IST: Caroline Wozniacki defeats Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets. Wozniacki was solid throughout the match except in the second set. However, with this win, Wozniacki is through to the semifinals. She defeated Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-2. Her next opponent is Elise Mertens.

1945 hrs IST: A couple of unforced errors from Suarez Navarro helps Wozniacki edge 2-1 in the decider.

1928 hrs IST: Suarez Navarro wins the tie-breaker and the second set 7-6(3) and hence we are into the third set. Hold on to your seats.

1923 hrs IST: Its 6-6 and Suarez Navarro is really turning it on here. We are into the tie-breaker now.

1916 hrs IST: A thrilling phase in the second set as the game moves on to 6-5 in favour of Wozniacki.  Can Suarez Navarro hold on to the game?

1910 hrs IST:  Suarez Navarro doesn’t win another point and surrenders the break. 4-4 in the second set.

1900 hrs IST: The game is nicely in the balance in the second set after Wozniacki makes it 4-3 with her first ace of the game.

1855 hrs IST: Wozniacki losing focus as Suarez Navarro wins another game to lead 4-2.

1850 hrs IST: Carla Suarez Navarro levels at 2-2 in the second set. Its all square now.

1848 hrs IST: Three quick points and Wozniacki win the next game. It’s 2-1 now in the second set.

1843 hrs IST: We are in the second set and Suarez Navarro is showing some signs of a fight by a winning a game. 1-1 so far.

Confirmed 🍩@CaroWozniacki takes the first set 6-0!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Kw00d9V7HO

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 23 January 2018

1829 hrs IST: Caroline Wozniacki dominates Carla Suarez Navarro and wins first set 6-0 in just 34 minutes.

1818 hrs IST: Wozniacki is dominating the first set and is on course to win the first set on love.

1810 hrs IST: The action now shifts to Carla Suarez Navarro and Caroline Wozniacki who are on court now and warming up.

1728 hrs IST: NADAL PULLS OUT! CILIC IS INTO THE SEMIFINALS! 2-0 IN THE FIFTH. Rafa gets a loud ovation as he walks out of the Rod Laver Arena. Cilic in the on-court interview: “I was really paying attention to these first couple games, keep my intensity up…not looking across the net.”

https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/955773441541513216

1719 hrs IST: Cilic wins the fourth set 6-2. More importantly, Nadal is hobbling as Cilic holds to open the fifth set. Nadal trying to starve off Cilic’s attack and the break point chances piling up. Saved two, another one presents itself with a thundering Cilic forehand winner. Serve into the body and Cilic nets it. Deuce. Nadal gets a chance to hold but doesn’t connect neatly with the ball and it is deuce. The Spaniard tries to go for a little too much on the backhand. Tries to find the outside of the line but is well wide. Break point number five. Cilic with a forehand passing winner.

1658 hrs IST: Cilic consolidates his break despite Nadal’s best efforts. 4-1 in the fourth set and Nadal has called for the trainer. Physio asking for the towel to lie Rafa down. On his upper right thigh. And it is a medical timeout. 

1655 hrs IST: BREAK! Cilic with huge forehand winner and he gets the important break of serve in the fourth set. Says something when you can attack Nadal on just the second shot onwards. Cilic doing just that and getting rewarded for it. He goes 3-1 up.

1623 hrs IST: Thumping serving by both and quite reassured on the serve this set. Not so surprisingly we go into a tiebreak. Nadal to serve first. The serve is into Cilic’s forehand and he nets it. 1-0 Rafa. Poor that from Cilic. Goes down low to Nadal backhand slice reply but ends up netting it. Follows it up with a serve out wide and Nadal sends his backhand long. Rafa leads 2-1. Nadal approaches the net but there’s nothing he can do to a fantastic backhand pass by Cilic. Back on serve. 2-2. Nadal with short replies and it gives Cilic plenty of room to relax his arms. A 141 kmph backhand winner. Cilic gets the minibreak and leads 3-2. And Nadal gets the minibreak right back. 3-3 at the change of ends. Nadal with a lovely low dipping backhand return on the serve and Cilic’s volley is into the net. Minibreak for Rafa. 4-3. Cilic roars right back with a forehand winner and it is even stevens. 4-4. Nadal surges ahead after all the scampering. Cilic sends her backhand into the net. Nadal up 5-4. Cilic’s serve and Nadal almost picks up a drop volley. Almost. 5-5 now. Cilic had the point in his hands but he’s let it go by sending his forehand long. Had the court wide open and it has been sent long. 6-5 and second set point for Rafa. Nadal is delirious with joy as he smashes his way into the fourth set, takes this one 7-6 (5). Rafa goes two sets to one up!

.@RafaelNadal takes a 2️⃣ sets to 1️⃣ lead!

6-3 3-6 7-6(5) #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3Uj1UPDPQ7

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018

1556 hrs IST: Into the third set and it is 3-3. Only one break point so far this set which has gone to Cilic but not converted. Nadal’s deft touch on the move forward for a drop volley doesn’t clear the net and it is 40-30. Cilic makes it deuce with a thumping forehand down the line. This time he goes down the line on the backhand and another winner. Brings up a break point for the Croat. Good, deep serve by Rafa, into Cilic’s backhand and it straight into the net. Cilic is taking the attack on to Nadal, stretches the Spaniard on to the forehand and the reply is into the net. Second break point chance. This time Nadal gets back with a court opening forehand and then delivers a drop volley. Yells C’mon! repeatedly. Deuce. Cilic’s backhand hits the top of the net and fails to trickle over. Oh Cilic is not going to go away, is he? Thundering forehands side to side and Nadal can’t get the second one back. Deuce. Cilic makes an approach shot but Nadal’s backhand is into the Croat’s shoelaces. The volley fails to go over. And Cilic’s service reply is long. Big hold for Nadal this and he leads 4-3.

1518 hrs IST: Cilic serving for the second set at 5-3. Big serve and Nadal nets the backhand. Another strong serve and equally tame reply. 30-0. Cilic sends his backhand long just moments after almost getting an ace down the tee. 30-15. And here’s that down the tee ace he was looking for. 40-15, two set points. Nadal saves one as Cilic nets his backhand. Another chance. 40-30. Thundering serve out wide and that’s an unreturnable serve. Cilic takes the second set 6-3 to make it one set all

1516 hrs IST: For a second straight service game, Nadal is broken. Cilic has the Spaniard running around and the desperate attempt to find the angle back from way outside the court hits the top of the tape and stays inside his court. Cilic goes 5-3 up

1503 hrs IST: Nadal goes 0-30 in his attempt at consolidating the break. Makes it 15-30 and now 30-30. Playing consistently and percentage tennis to keep the point going against a rattled Croat. And rattled he is indeed, mishits a forehand and it goes long and wide. But Cilic is not going to go away without a fight either. Thundering forehands have Naadal pegged back and he makes it deuce with a winner. Nadal with a lovely serve down the tee, short reply gets whipped and then volley into the open court to bring up game point. Cilic gets things back to deuce by stretching Rafa who nets the forehand. Double fault and Cilic has a break back chance. And that chance goes begging with Cilic’s wild forehand attempt. Nadal with a forehand that is just wide and break point. Cilic continues to attack Nadal and a charged up Croat with a forehand winner on Nadal’s serve headed for his body. And that is BREAK BACK! 3-3 in the second set

1455 hrs IST: 2-2 all in the second. Both players have saved a break point each already. First Cilic and now Nadal but keeping things on serve for now. But this time Cilic is unable to hold through. Nadal has two break point chances and converts the first one to take a 3-2 lead. The Croat is clearly unhappy with how he’s playing. Gets a time violation warning too – against Nadal. That’s something!

1427 hrs IST: Nadal serving for the first set at 5-3. Good work by Cilic to prolong the rally even with Nadal running the show and it pays off. A shorter reply has Nadal stretching on the backhand and the bounce takes the ball away from him and produces an error. 15-15. Nadal’s backhand crosscourt kisses the line. Thin margins. 30-15. Cilic takes Nadal’s serve early and sends it for a winner – Rafa didn’t expect that. 30-30. Once again, serve out to Cilic’s forehand and backhand going the same way. Set point. Cilic doing really well to keep Nadal playing – twice it looked like the Spaniard had the point won but the Croat kept going and is rewarded with a winner. Deuce. But Nadal brings up a second set point with an ace. Another gorgeous backhand down the line winner from Cilic and we’re back to deuce. Nadal moving Cilic side to side, keeping the ball deep and ekes out a forehand error from the Croat. Third set point. Serve out wide to Cilic’s backhand, opens up the court and Nadal makes the most of it for a forehand winner. Nadal wins the opening set 6-3

1426 hrs IST: Two break point chances for Nadal and he needs just the one. Cilic had the opportunity to go into the open court or behind Nadal but too much angle into his forehand and the ball lands wide. BREAK!

1420 hrs IST: Now Nadal’s serve being tested. He saves the break point with a big serve and follows it up with another to bring up game point. Unlucky for Nadal there. Tries to go into the open court but hs shot hits the top of the net and falls kindly for Cilic to move in and dispatch a backhand winner. Nadal with some really smart attacking play on deuce – follows the play from the back with a drop volley. Holds with a big serve. 4-3 to Nadal

1410 hrs IST: Nadal serves first. It remains on serve till the sixth game where Cilic is being pushed by the World No 1. The Croat has saved three break points already to bring game back to deuce. Another break point chance for Rafa and another big serve out wide for Nadal to navigate which he isn’t able to return. Back to deuce. Cilic sends his forehand long and that is the 7th unforced error from Cilic. 5th break point chance for Nadal. Another one squandered by Rafa, sends the backhand return wide. Deuce number 7. There’s that wide serve again and Nadal’s desperate attempt to get it back fails as it goes long. Attacking play on game point and Cilic thumps away a smash to hold serve. 3-3 in the first set

1400 hrs IST: Time for us to shift focus to the evening session and the second quarterfinal of the men’s draw featuring Rafa Nadal and Marin Cilic. Nadal’s run to the last-8: Estrella-Burgos, Mayer, Dzumhur and Schwartzman. For the Croat it has been: Pospisil, Sousa, Harrison and Carreno Busta. These two have met six times with Nadal coming out on top five times. The last time Marin beat Nadal was back in 2009 on the Beijing hard courts. They had met in Melbourne back in 2011 in the fourth round where Nadal won in straight sets.

1230 hrs IST: On the outside courts, Rohan Bopanna and Timea Babos are in the second set of their mixed doubles match against King and Skugor. Bopanna and Babos won the opening set 6-4 and now lead 5-4 with the Indian serving. Match point opportunity and it is converted as Skugor nets the backhand. An hour and 4 minutes is all it took for the fifth seeds to move forward. Bopanna and Babos win 6-4, 6-4 to move into the quarterfinals

1210 hrs IST: He may be out injured (and playing crosswords with his mum!) but he’s still keeping an eye on the tennis…

Wow! @kyle8edmund

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 23, 2018

1158 hrs IST: Edmund to serve for the match at 5-4. MATCH POINT! Dimitrov’s sliced backhand is called long. The crowd errupts before going hush silent. This has been challenged and it is indeed out. EDMUND WINS IT 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and HE IS INTO THE SEMIFINALS! Former Great Britain number one Tim Henman applauds the effort

#AusOpen

Edmund becomes sixth British male to reach SF of a Slam in Open Era. First Brit male, besides Murray, to reach the last 4 in Melbourne since 1977

LIVE https://t.co/JT9LSote9n

— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) January 23, 2018

1157 hrs IST: Out! This is the thinnest of margins. Centimetres? No. Millimetres? Yes. That’s the distance between ball and the outside line on Edmund’s attempted down the line winner. But he still has two break points and fails to convert the first but does so on the second. Dimitrov is not pleased as his shot hits the top of the net. BREAK!

When you're one mark away from an A+… #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/WpLdOSyThm

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018

Forehand winners 2018 #AusOpen – Men

Edmund 127
Dimitrov 93
Seppi 90
Cilc 88

— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 23, 2018

1147 hrs IST: This is all going awry for Dimitrov. Moments after breaking back, Edmund has roared back wih thumping forehands and has a break chance again. Saved with a serve into the Edmund forehand and then again at deuce to change the complexion of the game. Another big serve and Dimitrov clenches his fist in jubilation. He holds and leads 4-3 in the fourth set

1142 hrs IST: Dimitrov with some spirited effort now. Much needed if he is to draw back in this match. Forces Edmund into a forehand error and it brings up two break points. Some effective backhand slices deep into the opposite court – moving Edmund right and left on alternate shots. And Edmund goes for a bit too much with an attempted winner and it is into the tramlines. BREAK BACK! 3-3 in the fourth set

1136 hrs IST: Dimitrov is not looking like the same player who beat Kyrgios the other day. This one is more erratic, making unforced errors at crucial junctures and Edmund is making the most of it. Fifth game of the fourth set and three shambolic forehands from him and Edmund gets the break handed to him. Leads 3-2

1115 hrs IST: Edmund serving for the third set at 5-3. The Briton with a good serve to open the game but Dimitrov claws back with some confident play – deep return, approaches the net and kills off the volley. 15-30. What big forehands by Edmund and if it were possible, there’d be fire coming out of his racket. 30-30. Dimitrov’s sliced backhand hits the top of the net and makes Edmund’s job easier to pick the direction and he goes to Dimitrov’s left. Set point. Big serve and Dimitrov’s return goes long. Edmund takes this 6-3 and he leads two sets to one

1113 hrs IST: Staying on serve in the third. 4-3 to Edmund but he now has a look on the Dimitrov serve. Two break point opportunities. Serve out wide and Edmund nets his outstretched forehand. One more break point chance. Uh-oh! Double fault and Edmund gets the all-important break. He leads 5-3 in the third set

1035 hrs IST: Quick hold by Edmund and Dimitrov will now serve for the second set. Big serve out wide and a deep return to the side, produces a lob which is spanked by Dimitrov for a smash with the sun in his eyes. Edmund with an error and it becomes 30-0. Dimitrov tries to whip a forehand across but is late to the ball. 30-15. Big, big hitting by both players from the back of the court but it is Edmund who dominates the point in the end. Backhand is behind Dimitrov and the push back goes long. 30-30. Edmund with a forehand into the net. Poor shot that. 40-30, set point. Good serve down the tee and Dimitrov holds to take the second set 6-3. One set all.

1030 hrs IST: Poor serve this one from Dimitrov. A shanked forehand into the net is followed by a double fault and it brings up break point for Edmund. Three big serves thereafter and Dimitrov maintains his one break advantage to go 5-2 up in the second

1008 hrs IST: Dimitrov with a strong start in the second set. Breaks Edmund early and consolidates the break to quickly race off to 3-0. And now he has another break point opportunity. Dimitrov bit annoyed with no call of Edmund serve who kills the point of with a serve and smash. Follows it up with same measure. But he errs on his forehand and back to deuce. Dimitrov with a deft volley after bringing Edmund out of position with a quick half volley forehand down the line. Edmund pushes Dimitrov way out of the court and the Bulgarian’s attempt at the backhand winner down the line fails to work out. Back to deuce. Edmund with an ace that Dimitrov challenges and HawkEye says it had kissed the line. Another chance to hold for Edmund. Beautiful return from Dimitrov – strong and flat, little Edmund can do but to scamper to his right and send it long. Deuce. Edmund takes Dimitrov out of the equation with an inside out forehand. Edmund with a deep backhand return and Dimitrov nets his reply. Edmund holds. Dimitrov leads 3-1 in the second set

Edmund finds the line, but Dimitrov is finding form.

The Bulgarian saves three break points to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/5dLQ2poYSv

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2018

0954 hrs IST: Edmund saves three break points and as Dimitrov nets a forehand service reply, the Briton has set point. Edmund goes for a deep backhand return but it is long. Back to deuce. Edmund with some positive play here. Moves in with Dimitrov on the stretch and places the volley into open court. Second set point is converted with a big serve on Dimitrov’s backhand. FIRST SET, KYLE EDMUND 6-4

0947 hrs IST: Edmund broke Dimitrov in the first game itself but was broken in the seventh game to restore parity. But he’s broken the Bulgarian in the ninth game with a bullet forehand and he will now serve for the opening set

0945 hrs IST: Grigor Dimitrov who came through a tough four setter against Nick Kyrgios is now up against Kyle Edmund of Great Britain. Edmund began his Australian Open by sending the US Open finalist Kevin Anderson packing and followed it up with wins over Istomin, Basilashvili and Seppi.

0915 hrs IST: UPSET! Elise Mertens stuns number 4 seed Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-0 to make her first Grand Slam semifinal. What an absolute carnage from the Belgian who trains at the Kim Clijsters academy. “She didn’t give me opportunities. All the credit to her, because she played really good tennis, I couldn’t really match it,” says Svitolina.

Great fighter, mover, all rounder. Agressive when she can, defensive when she has to. Right decisions on the right balls. And above all that, with her feet on the ground. That's @elise_mertens

— Kirsten Flipkens (@FlipperKF) January 23, 2018

0830 hrs IST: Hello and Good Morning for our live coverage and updates from Melbourne Park on this ninth day of the Australian Open. Today’s matchups include Elise Mertens taking on number four seed Elina Svitolina. This will be followed by Grigor Dimitrov against Britain’s Kyle Edmund. The evening session has the big match of the day in 2009 champion Nadal taking on Cilic while Caroline Wozniacki goes up against Carla Suarez Navarro.