World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz fears another “war” against unseeded Serb Miomir Kecmanovic as the 20-year-old sensation continues his quest for the Australian Open title tonight. Follow live!
The Spaniard, who has the benefit of being on the other side of the draw to top rivals Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, remains the favourite to make the final in the bottom half despite less-than-spectacular form since his Wimbledon triumph.
Alcaraz dropped a set to unseeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the second round but then advanced through the third round easily thanks to opponent Jerry Shang’s medical retirement.
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“Nobody wants to move on like this, but obviously in a Grand Slam if you want to do good results, these kind of matches, it’s less hours that you are on court is better to your body, to everything, to recover into the next match,” Alcaraz said after the match.
“I know that Kecmanovic had a few games to five sets, so I think it’s going to be better for me coming into the match. But I remember that match in 2022 in Miami. He played an unbelievable game. Myself as well.
“I think it’s going to be the same war. He has beaten big guys here in this tournament, so I have to be prepared to do war again. Hopefully to take in three sets, but no, nobody knows.”
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It will still be a massive test for Kecmanovic, who has played 14 sets through three rounds, including coming back to beat No.24 seed Jan-Lennard Struff and No.14 seed Tommy Paul in five sets.
In the second match of the Rod Laver Arena night session, 12th seed Qinwen Zheng’s golden opportunity at a first grand slam final continues against unseeded Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin.
Zheng is one of two seeds left in the top half of the draw, the other being No.26 Jasmine Paolini who battles the in-form Anna Kalinskaya on John Cain Arena in the evening.
NIGHT 9 ORDER OF PLAY (all times AEDT)
ROD LAVER ARENA
From 7pm: Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) vs No.2 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
Followed by: No.12 Qinwen Zheng (CHN) vs Oceane Dodin (FRA)
MARGARET COURT ARENA
No.6 Alexander Zverev (GER) vs No.19 Cameron Norrie (GBR)
JOHN CAIN ARENA
No.26 Jasmine Paolini (ITA) vs Anna Kalinskaya (RUS)
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