By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday January 22, 2023
For the first time in Open Era in history the top two seeds on the men's and women's side have failed to reach the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam.
Photo Source: Getty
We are officially half way through the 2023 Australian Open. Blink and you missed it, right? The top half has quarterfinals set after a power-packed Day 7 – catch up on what you missed right here.
Also Read: AO Day 1 Wrap | AO Day 2 Wrap | AO Day 3 Wrap | AO Day 4 Wrap | AO Day 5 Wrap | AO Day 6 Wrap
Stat Check - No.1 and No.2 Seeds are out!
For the first time in Open Era history, the No.1 and No.2 seeds in both the men’s and women’s singles draws have failed to reach the quarterfinals. That was made official when Iga Swiatek was sent tumbling by Elena Rybakina on Sunday. Of course we could place an asterisk by the stat and say that Novak Djokovic was seeded fifth due to a very strange 2022, but then again, we could just leave as is…
Farewell, Shingo!
On of the greatest Grand Slam legends to ever live has called it quits on his legendary career. Japan's Shingo Kunieda, a 50-time Slam champion has ended is reign as the all-time Grand Slam king.
Jiri’s a heck of a player – Lehecka, that is
Have to love the performance of Jiri Lehecka at this year’s Australian Open, especially when juxtaposed with what he did at the majors in 2022. The promising Czech made his debut at all four majors in 2022, and came out without a single victory. This week in Australia, he’s made up for lost time and reached his first major quarterfinal, defeating No.12-seeded Cameron Norrie and No.6-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime in the process.
And the Netflix Curse Prevails
So every single player that was featured prominently in the first five episodes of “Break Point”, the Netflix docuseries, is OUT. Felix Auger-Aliassime was the last to go. He joins Ons Jabeur (round 2), Maria Sakkari (round 3), Nick Kyrgios (injured), Thanasi Kokkinakis (round 2), Matteo Berrettini (round 1), Paula Badosa (round 1), Ajla Tomljanovic (injured), Taylor Fritz (round 2), Casper Ruud (round 2).
Ruthless Khachanov
Suddenly Karen Khachanov is the can’t miss kid at the majors. The Russian has won nine of his last ten Grand Slam matches and he won his FIRST FOURTEEN GAMES against Yoshihito Nishioka in the pair’s round of 16 match on Sunday.
Nishioka summed it up well: “I know how I have to play against him, but yes, first of all, he was playing amazing. I was thinking he's going to mistake more, but he didn't.”
It’s just the fifth time that a men’s singles player won the first two sets of an Australian Open main draw match 6-0, 6-0 in the Open Era, and the first time since 2012.
Ha ha ha tennis makes Saturday Night Live
Gotta love seeing Andy Murray’s mug on SNL. Unfortunately we’re too knee-deep in the tennis to watch the program tonight, but thanks to Ben Rothenberg for looking out.