Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul - LIVE: Latest updates from Australian Open men’s semi-final
Follow live updates and scores from the Australian Open as Novak Djokovic beat Tommy Paul 7-5 6-1 6-2 to set up a final against Stefanos Tsitsipas
Novak Djokovic is through to his 10th Australian Open final after defeating Tommy Paul in straight-sets. The nine-time champion overcame a wobble midway through the opening set to win 7-5 6-1 6-2 and set up a final against the third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Djokovic made 24 errors in the first set and looked to be frustrated at his performance but put those mistakes behind him to swiftly put the match beyond the American Paul. It came after the 35-year-old has been dragged into further controversy in Melbourne after his father was filmed posing with Vladimir Putin supporters on Wednesday.
Srdjan Djokovic has insisted he was unwittingly caught up in the pro-Russian demonstration but has decided not to attend his son’s semi-final. Djokovic is yet to comment on the incident, which followed his straight-sets victory over Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas reached his first Australian Open final after the Greek defeated Karen Khachanov 7-6 6-4 6-7 6-3 in the earlier semi-final. Tsitsipas has been in excellent form in Melbourne and was defeated from two sets up in his only other grand slam final appearance, which came against Djokovic at the French Open in 2021.
Follow live scores and updates from the Australian Open, below.
Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic 1-0 Tommy Paul*
Ace from Djokovic out wide.
Ace from Djokovic down the middle.
He saves a couple of break points and gets on the board, but that was a chance for Paul. Djokovic does not often give away so many errors on serve.
Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic 0-0 Tommy Paul*
Paul attacks the return on the opening point but nets. Djokovic then makes a rare unforced error with a smash into the net.
It’s followed by another, as Djokovic nets on the backhand side. Paul leads and has a look at 15-30.
But Djokovic finds his first serve, Paul this time skidding the return into the bottom of the net.
Double fault from Djokovic! And Paul does get a look at a break point. Djokovic dismisses it with a serve followed by a forehand winner.
Paul fires long on the first baseline rally but then Djokovic makes the same error on the ad-side.
And Djokovic nets again on the backhand stretch! Djokovic is looking so sloppy to start with, and Paul has another break point chance.
Djokovic rejects it once more with the ace out wide.
*Denotes next server
Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul
Djokovic will serve first on what is his first career meeting with Tommy Paul, who is ranked 35 in the world but is set to break into the top 20.
Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul
Here come the players. Paul is out first, on what is his first ever grand slam semi-final, with Djokovic next onto court. You could not have picked to players with more contrasting levels of experience on this stage. Djokovic is nine for nine in Australian Open semi-finals.
Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic vs Tommy Paul
Novak Djokovic has not been limited by his hamstring in the past two victories over Alex De Minaur and Andrey Rublev, which has sent an ominous warning to the rest of the tournament.
Djokovic’s leg looked to his only weakness in the opening week but he has not required any medical timeouts in his last two matches. That said, the 35-year-old is still wearing lots of strapping.
Australian Open 2023
Novak Djokovic on facing Tommy Paul: “I know how he plays. I never faced him on the court. He’s been around for a few years. I watched him play quite a bit, especially during this tournament. He’s been playing probably tennis of his life. Very explosive, very dynamic player. Quick, very solid backhand. Likes to step in, dictate the point with the forehand. Great, great service motion. I think he can hit all the spots with the serve. Very complete player. He’s got the coach that has been around with some top players for many years. First semifinals for him, so of course he doesn’t have much to lose. I’m sure he’s going to go out trying to play his best tennis.”
Australian Open 2023
Tommy Paul on the challenge of facing Novak Djokovic: “I saw him in the locker room after I finished my match. He said congrats. I think we have practiced before. I mean, I’m sure we practiced before. But, yeah, we never played a match against each other. Obviously he’s pretty comfortable here in Australia. It’s going to be a challenging match. But I’m playing some of my best tennis, so it’s a good time.
On carrying the US hopes at a grand slam and being the first American to reach the Australian Open semi-finals since Andy Roddick: “It’s important to me. American tennis is, since I was young, that’s all we’ve been hearing, since like 14 years old. The coaches have been telling us, We need new Americans, we need new Americans.
“It’s kind of engraved in my head. We all want to perform. Obviously Frances [Tiafoe] was pretty damn close at US Open to getting past the semis. Who knows what would have happened in the finals. Yeah, I mean, I think we all want it pretty bad for ourselves, but we want it for US tennis, too.”
Australian Open 2023
Vasyl Myroshnychenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, tweeted in response to the Vladimir Putin supporters who appeared at the Australian Open: “It’s a full package. Among the Serbian flags, there is: a Russian flag, Putin, Z-symbol, so-called Donetsk People’s Republic flag. It’s such a disgrace…”
Australian Open 2023
Srdjan Djokovic’s encounter with the group while he was leaving the Rod Laver Arena has led to a statement from Tennis Australia. It said: “A small group of people displayed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards following a match on Wednesday night and were evicted. One patron is now assisting police with unrelated matters.
“Players and their teams have been briefed and reminded of the event policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that has the potential to disrupt. We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies.”
Russian flags have been banned from the tournament since one appeared in the crowd during the match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova last week.
Russian and Belarusian players were banned from competing at Wimbledon last summer following the invasion of Ukraine but they are allowed to play at the other three grand slams and on the men’s and women’s professional tours under a neutral flag.
Australian Open 2023
Novak Djokovic’s father has insisted he was unwittingly caught up in a pro-Russian demonstration at the Australian Open but has decided not to attend his son’s semi-final against Tommy Paul.
A video on a Russian activist’s YouTube channel emerged on Thursday showing Srdjan Djokovic standing with a man holding a Russian flag with Vladimir Putin’s face on it and wearing a t-shit bearing the Z symbol that demonstrates support for the war in Ukraine.
In a statement released by the tennis star’s representatives, Mr Djokovic senior said: “I am here to support my son only. I had no intention of causing such headlines or disruption.
“I was outside with Novak’s fans as I have done after all of my son’s matches to celebrate his wins and take pictures with them. I had no intention of being caught up in this.
“My family has lived through the horror of war, and we wish only for peace. So there is no disruption to tonight’s semi-final for my son or for the other player, I have chosen to watch from home. I wish for a great match and I will be cheering for my son, as always.”
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