The Adelaide International Tennis Tournament is heating up as top seeds emerge victorious and advance to the semifinals, showcasing their skills just days before the Australian Open.<\/p>
On Thursday, both Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul powered through their quarterfinal matches with straight-set victories, establishing themselves as formidable contenders. Pegula, the world number seven and last year’s US Open finalist, faced fellow American Ashlyn Krueger, who was feeling the effects of previous strenuous matches. Pegula triumphed 6-4, 2-0, with Krueger retiring midway through the match due to fatigue.
“It’s never fun to win with a retirement,” Pegula remarked, expressing her empathy for Krueger and acknowledging the physical toll the tournament had taken on her partner. “I knew she had a tough singles match yesterday, but when you come out to play, you can never predict what might happen.” Following this victory, Pegula looks forward to facing either Yulia Putintseva or world number 13 Diana Shnaider for the chance to compete for the title.
Meanwhile, Russian tennis star Liudmila Samsonova marked her place in the semifinals, earning her first victory over a top-10 player in over a year by defeating the second seed Emma Navarro, ranked eighth, with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Samsonova now awaits the winner of the match between Putintseva and Shnaider as she seeks to capitalize on her recent momentum.
On the men’s side, Tommy Paul made headlines by replicatively reaching the semifinals, echoing his success from 2020 with his 6-3, 6-4 defeat of local favorite Rinky Hijikata. Paul, mesmerized by his performance, stated, “That’s a big match ahead for me. The more time I spend on court, the more I feel I can keep building my game.” He will now take on Canadian fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced after narrowly overcoming American Marcos Giron with scores of 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
The matchup between Paul and Auger-Aliassime adds another layer of intrigue to the semifinals. Their last encounter at the 2023 Indian Wells Masters showcased high drama, where Auger-Aliassime saved six match points to edge out Paul. Auger-Aliassime, ranked 29th, has faced challenges lately, having logged only four wins out of his last 13 matches apart from the Davis Cup, making his advancement to the semifinals of the Adelaide International significant for his confidence.
“That’s what I’ve been working for,” Auger-Aliassime mentioned, optimistic about his chances against Paul. The matchup is expected to deliver intensity, especially as both players are gearing up for the Open.
Further increasing the competition’s stakes, second seed Sebastian Korda, who narrowly lost to Novak Djokovic last year at this very tournament, also advanced without much sweat due to Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis’s withdrawal—prompted by injury. Korda has only dropped one set during the tournament and is now set to face Miomir Kecmanovic, who has been quietly making strides with victories over notable players.
Kecmanovic has surged back to form this week with wins against Alexander Bublik, Christopher O’Connell, and Benjamin Bonzi, but he knows this next match will be another challenge entirely. Korda’s solid performances to date have positioned him firmly as the one to beat. “This title would mean so much to me, especially considering how close I was last year,” Korda said, reflecting on his near victory last season.
With all singles semi-final matches set for Friday morning, fans are buzzing with anticipation, eager to witness whether Pegula, Paul, Korda, and their respective opponents can maintain their momentum or if the underdogs will rise to the occasion. The depth of talent featured at this tournament highlights the fierce competition leading up to one of the sport's most prestigious events—the Australian Open, just around the corner.
The days leading up to the tournament's conclusion will surely offer tennis enthusiasts thrilling encounters and the emergence of potential champions as athletes vie for their place on the Australian Open stage.