The Australian Open saw an exhilarating mixed doubles quarterfinal match as local wildcard entrants Olivia Gadecki and John Peers overcame China's Zhang Shuai and India's Rohan Bopanna in a nail-biting super tiebreak.
Gadecki and Peers clinched the victory with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-4, 11-9, finishing the match in just over an hour. Despite Zhang and Bopanna holding a match point at 9-8 in the decisive tiebreak, they couldn't convert their opportunity after a wide serve from Peers.
Peers, a seasoned two-time doubles Grand Slam champion, delivered a crucial ace to secure a 10-9 lead. The match turned tense as Zhang and Bopanna rallied, winning four of the next five points with a remarkable forehand winner down the line. However, the momentum swiftly shifted back to the Australian pair, allowing them to advance to the semifinals.
\"I knew if we hung around long enough hopefully it would turn our way,\" Peers remarked. \"Whether we like it or not, you have to win the last point, not the first point.\"
Gadecki and Peers are set to face the second-seeded New Zealand duo Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus in the upcoming semifinals, promising more high-stakes action on the court.
Reference(s):
Zhang/Bopanna beaten in Australian Open mixed doubles quarterfinals
cgtn.com
