AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY 13: MEN’S SINGLES SEMI-FINALS
THE TITANS OF MEN’S TENNIS COLLIDE ON FRIDAY
SINNER, DJOKOVIC, ALCARAZ AND ZVEREV
AUSSIES GADECKI AND PEERS IN MIXED DOUBLES FINAL
The titans of men’s tennis will collide on Australian Open Day 13, when the top four ranked players in the world fight for a place in the final, tomorrow - Friday, January 30 from 11.00am AEDT on the 9Network.
In the first of two scintillating men’s semi-finals, World no.1 Carlos Alcaraz will meet 2025 AO finalist Alexander Zverev during the day session.
Alcaraz is chasing a breakthrough title in Australia to complete a career grand slam at just 22 years of age. While Zverev is hunting a breakthrough grand slam win, after falling short in finals on three previous occasions.
In the night session, the heaviest hitters there is will duel when Novak Djokovic makes his 13th AO semi-final appearance, against two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner from 7.00pm AEDT.
Aussie mixed doubles pairing Olivia Gadecki and John Peers will kick start the on-court action for the day, when they chase their second consecutive AO mixed double title.
Facing the French pairing of Guinard and Mladenovic, if Peers and Gadecki win they’ll be the first all-Australian pair to win back-to-back titles in 62 years.
The Morning Serve is live from 11.00am AEDT before day session coverage kicks off live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now from 12.00pm AEDT.
Expert commentary throughout the tournament will be provided by Jim Courier, Jelena Dokic, John McEnroe, Todd Woodbridge, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, Dylan Alcott, John Millman, Casey Dellacqua, Sam Smith and Alicia Molik.
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Did Tipping Point still air in Syd/Melb?
Indeed, the first women’s doubles semifinal ended 5.51pm so they persisted with it.
The next semifinal was 19 minutes away at that time.
And still not shown on linear. What standards are they having?
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Sabalenka won her semi final against Svitolina right at 9pm AEDT (6pm AWST). A perfect lead in to 9News in Perth.
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Are we sure it didn’t get cut off by the 6:00:00 rule?
(Update: Per below, it might have been. Was very close.)
IIRC, excluding Olympics, the Australian Open previously delivered Nine News Perth its highest audience in some time and by a long margin, on 2022 Women’s Final night (Ash Barty), was over 200k.
Peter Psaltis calling tonight’s second women’s semi for Nine, with Casey Dellacqua and Jelena Dokic has remained.
Wonder if this means tomorrow afternoon’s first men’s semi final will be called by Brenton Speed? Presuming Todd Woodbridge calls the night match. That leaves Jim Courier, Lleyton Hewitt and John McEnroe.
My guess: daytime: Speedy, Courier, Hewitt and prime time: Todd, Courier and McEnroe (but replace McEnroe with Hewitt for the final on Sunday).
Sam Smith, Dokic and Alicia Molik called the first women’s semi final.
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Given Australia will be playing an away Davis Cup tie against Ecuador next weekend, I doubt Hewitt will be in the commentary bunker on Sunday evening (he also didn’t call last year’s men’s final for that reason).
Table updated as I learned about the new finals weekend format this year.
Why is Nine persisting with a midnight endtime even though if we’re being honest, it will be done and dusted by around 10-10.15pm (including trophy ceremony and all that)?
Depends what you refer to as “done and dusted”.
There’ll probably be a Champion’s interview at the desk, other analysis etc.
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I believe that the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Finals are on Saturday. Not sure if times have been determined yet, but one of them could be played after the Women’s Final? Hence the late scheduled finish time.
Men’s doubles final is midday. Women’s will follow.
I can understand the midnight endtime if one of those is after women’s final, but it isn’t.