Djokovic, Pouille enter SFs of Australian Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Six -time champion and top seed Novak Djokovic, 31, Serbia, and World No 31 Lucas Pouille, 24, France, entered the semi-finals of Australian Open (AO) in contrasting style on January 23, 2019. Bothe players will clash in the semi-finals on January 25, 2019.

Djokovic, winner of 14 Grand Slam singles title, entered the semi-finals after his quarter-finals opponent and World No 9 Kei Nishikori, 29, Japan, retired due to injury in the second set. Djokovic had won the first set 6-1 and was leading 4-1 in the second when Nishikori retired. Djokovic won 4 break points in the match besides winning 4 games in a row.

Pouille, on the other hand, beat World No 17 Milos Raonic, 28, Canada, in a tough four-set contest in the quarter-finals. Pouille defeated Raonic 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to enter the semi-finals of AO 2019.

Raonic though fired 25 Aces in the match to 14 by Pouille. He, however, also committed 6 double faults to 4 by Pouille. Raonic won just 1 break points while Pouille won 3. Pouille’s winning percentage on both his first and second serve was better than that of Raonic. Both players won 3 games each in a row in the match.  Raonic had reached semi-finals of AO in 2016 and also Wimbledon final the same year. Pouille had freached QFs of both Wimbledon and US Open in 2016.