China’s Zhang Shuai and India’s Rohan Bopanna faced a tough defeat in the Australian Open mixed doubles quarterfinals on Tuesday night, falling to Australian wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers in a nail-biting finish.
Gadecki and Peers, who entered the tournament as wildcards, secured their spot in the semifinals with a 2-6, 6-4, 11-9 victory after just over an hour of intense play.
Zhang and Bopanna dominated the first set, showcasing powerful serves and precise shots that left their opponents trailing. However, the Australian duo rallied back in the second set, leveling the match and setting the stage for a dramatic super tiebreak in the third.
In the decisive tiebreak, Zhang and Bopanna held a match point at 9-8 but couldn’t capitalize as Peers delivered a wide serve that caught them off guard. Peers then fired an ace to take a 10-9 lead, and the match concluded when Zhang’s volley sailed long, sealing the win for the Australians.
Reflecting on the thrilling finish, Peers said, “I knew if we hung around long enough, hopefully it would turn our way. Whether we like it or not, you have to win the last point, not the first point.”
Despite trailing early in the tiebreak, Zhang and Bopanna showcased resilience, with Zhang hitting a stunning forehand winner down the line to ignite a potential comeback. But Gadecki and Peers kept their composure, ultimately flipping the momentum once more to advance.
Gadecki and Peers will now face the second-seeded New Zealand pair of Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus in the semifinals. Their journey from wildcard entrants to semifinal contenders has been one of the standout stories of this year’s tournament.
Reference(s):
Zhang/Bopanna beaten in Australian Open mixed doubles quarterfinals
cgtn.com
