Australian Open 2024 semi-final preview: Gauff-Sabalenka, Djokovic-Sinner rematches to feature
Can anyone stop defending champs Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka from claiming back-to-back titles? Djokovic chases an 11th AO - and record 25th major. China's Zheng Qinwen is into her first Slam semi.
Tennis
Can Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka successfully defend their Australian Open titles?
The 2023 champions have reached the penultimate stage of the year's first tennis major, with both favoured to hoist the trophy once more this weekend.
But they each face stiff tests to get into the final, with Djokovic going up against rising young Italian Jannik Sinner, who has won two of their last three meetings, while Sabalenka faces a rematch of the US Open final against her American vanquisher, Coco Gauff.
Djokovic is chasing the all-time Grand Slam record, eyeing a 25th major, while he seeks a record-tying 11th AO triumph. The 36-year-old from Serbia has not lost at Melbourne Park since 2018, his quarter-final win over Taylor Fritz Tuesday (23 January) a 33rd in a row, tying Monica Seles' record from the 1990s.
On the other side of the draw, 2022 runner-up Daniil Medvedev is set to take on Olympic champion Alexander Zverev who ousted Wimbledon champ Carlos Alcaraz.
In the other women's semi, qualifier Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine, ranked world No.93, faces China's Zheng Qinwen, who is into her first major semi.
Yastremska is the first qualifer into a major semi-final since Emma Raducanu won the US Open in 2021. Zheng, meanwhile, has broken into the top 10 with her run, and has been inspired this week by the return of 2014 champion, her countrywoman, Li Na.
The women are set to take to Rod Laver Arena on Thursday (25 January) evening, while the men will play across Friday late afternoon into the night. You can see a full schedule of the action below.
Australian Open 2024: Semi-final schedule - Men's & women's singles
All times are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11 hours).
Thursday, 25 January
19:30 - [2] Aryna Sabalenka v [4] Coco Gauff (USA)
Followed by - [12] Zheng Qinwen (CHN) v [Q] Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
Friday, 26 January
Times and order of play to be announced
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v [4] Jannik Sinner (ITA)
[6] Alexander Zverev (GER) v [3] Daniil Medvedev
See the full Australian Open draws here.
Australian Open 2024: How to watch live
Channel 9 airs the action in Australia, with ESPN carrying first ball to last in the U.S.
A full list of broadcasters can be found here, with some of select territories listed below:
- Canada - TSN
- China - CCTV (among others)
- France, Germany, Italy, Serbia & U.K. - Eurosport
- India - Sony Sports
- Japan - WOWOW
- Mexico - ESPN International
- Tunisia - beIN Sports