Australian Open 2021 Day 8: Tsitsipas, Nadal, Medvedev and Rublev secure quarterfinals berths; Svitolina crashes out- World No.5 Stefanos Tsitsipas has progressed to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open 2021. His rival Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from his fourth-round match due to an abdominal strain. Tsitsipas will face World No.2 Rafael Nadal in the next round.
Rafa Nadal
Earlier today, Nadal booked his place in the quarterfinal berth after he defeated Fabio Fognini. The 34-year-old, who is eyeing record 21st Grand Slam title, defeated Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. With the win, into his 13th quarter-finals of the Australian Open. He will next face the winner of Tsitsipas and Berrettini match.
Andrey Rublev
Meanwhile, Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev has booked his place in the first Australian Open quarterfinal berth without losing a set as Casper Ruud crashed out after his abdominal injury. The game ended 6-2, 7-6(3) in favour of Rublev that lasted for an hour and 17 minutes. He will next face his compatriot Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals.
Daniil Medvedev
World No.4 Daniil Medvedev has entered the quarterfinal of the Australian after his win over Mackenzie McDonald of US. The Russian won the match 6-4, 6-2 and 6-3. He will face the winner of A Rublev and C. Ruud in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The No. 4-seeded Medvedev needed just 1.5 hours to stretch his winning streak to 18 matches with the 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory at Margaret Court Arena. Medvedev was the 2019 U.S. Open runner-up and reached the semifinals there last year.
Australian Open 2021: Elina Svitolina crashes out
In another match, Giant-killer Jessica Pegula continued her dream run at the Australian Open. She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal after a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in Rod Laver Arena.
Pegula, whose parents own Buffalo’s NFL and NHL franchises, struggled badly in the second set at a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena but regrouped in the decider to lock down her first win over a top 10 opponent.
The Buffalo-born Pegula comes from a wealthy family with strong ties to the sport. Her parents Terry and Kim are owners of NFL side the Buffalo Bills and NHL team the Buffalo Sabres.
Pegula is a 25-year-old who has won four matches at Melbourne Park over the past week after entering the tournament with a total of three Grand Slam match wins for her career. In the quarterfinals, the unseeded Pegula will play No. 22 Jennifer Brady of the United States or No. 28 Donna Vekic of Croatia.
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