The focus of Indian fans on Day 11 of the Australian Open 2024 will be on Rohan Bopanna, who is on the cusp of reaching the pinnacle of men’s doubles.
Bopanna and his partner Matthew Ebden will be facing the Argentinian pair Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the quarterfinals, who are sixth-seeded. A win on Wednesday will see Bopanna claim the No.1 ranking in men’s doubles for the very first time in his career.
The Indian ace had earlier become the oldest player to reach a final in the Open era when he and Ebden made it to the final of the US Open last year. Regardless of a win on Wednesday, Bopanna and Ebden will finish the Australian Open bagging World No.2 ranking.
The quarterfinals will be progressing on the men’s and women’s singles side as well, with Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in action.
The evening’s showcase is headlined by the formidable talents of Zheng Qinwen and Alcaraz, who are primed to captivate audiences in their respective night session matches.
Earlier in the day, a historic encounter unfolds as Linda Noskova and Dayana Yastremska, both ranked outside the top 50, clash in a rare quarterfinal pairing not seen since 1990. Yastremska, a qualifier who has already outlasted three additional opponents, ousted the formidable No.18 seed Victoria Azarenka with a commanding performance. Noskova, however, carries her own momentum, having spectacularly ended the tournament run of the top-seeded Iga Swiatek, marking her as a player of exceptional promise.
The afternoon continues with a gripping matchup at Rod Laver Arena between Hubert Hurkacz, the No.9 seed, and Daniil Medvedev, the third seed and former finalist of the event. Their rivalry is closely contested, with Hurkacz narrowly leading their head-to-head record 3-2, having triumphed in their last two meetings. While Medvedev has faced challenges en route to the quarterfinals, including a grueling five-setter in the second round, Hurkacz has had a somewhat smoother journey, albeit with tough battles against French contenders in the preceding rounds.
As dusk falls and the lights ignite, the night session begins with Zheng Qinwen, the 12th seed, taking on World No.75 Anna Kalinskaya. Despite Kalinskaya holding a victory in their sole previous meeting, Zheng’s recent form suggests a fierce contest, highlighted by her swift fourth-round victory.
The quarterfinals culminate with a highly anticipated duel between the second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz and the sixth Alexander Zverev. This marks their eighth face-off, with Zverev seizing their last encounter at the ATP Finals. However, Zverev’s path to this stage has been fraught with challenges, including a marathon five-set match against Cameron Norrie. In stark contrast, Alcaraz has been a model of efficiency, breezing through his fourth-round match in under two hours.
Australian Open 2024, Day 11: Order of play
Court 3
Day session – From 5:30am IST
Men’s Doubles (Quarterfinals)
M. Gonzalez/A. Molteni vs R. Bopanna/ M. Ebden 2
Rod Laver Arena
Day session – From 6:30am IST
Women’s Singles (Quarterfinals)
L. Noskova vs D. Yastremska
Day session – Not before 8:00am IST
Men’s Singles (Quarterfinals)
H. Hurkacz vs D. Medvedev
Night session – From 1:45pm IST
Women’s Singles (Quarterfinals)
A. Kalinskaya vs Q. Zheng
Men’s Singles (Quarterfinals)
A. Zverev vs C. Alcaraz
