Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal have both through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, although the Spaniard's quarter-final opponent has taken a shot at the treatment the 20 time grand slam champion receives.
Denis Shapovalov Photo: PHOTOSPORT
World number one Barty reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park for the second time in three years after blitzing American Jessica Pegula 6-2 6-0 in just over an hour.
After fulfilling a childhood dream by winning Wimbledon last year, Barty will now play another American in Madison Keys on Thursday for a spot in the final.
Barty, who is aiming to become the first local since Chris O'Neil in 1978 to win the Australian Open, is yet to drop a set in this tournament and is unbeaten in 2022.
Meanwhile Canadian Denis Shapovalov said Nadal "100%" receives preferential treatment from officials and benefited from favouritism during the Spaniard's five-set victory.
The 22-year-old Shapovalov, making his first appearance in the last eight in Melbourne, rallied from two sets down to level against Nadal before the Spaniard prevailed in the deciding set to win 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.
During the match, Shapovalov directed his frustration at chair umpire Carlos Bernardes for not handing Nadal a court violation for taking too much time between points. "Are you kidding me? You guys are all corrupt," he fumed.
"I misspoke when I said he's corrupt or whatever I said," Shapovalov clarified after the match. "It's definitely emotional but I do stand by my side. I think it's unfair, you know, how much Rafa is getting away with.
"... There's got to be some boundaries, some rules set. It's just so frustrating as a player. You know, you feel like you're not just playing against the player. You're playing against the umpires, you're playing against so much more.
Nadal, who stayed on course for a record 21st Grand Slam, refuted Shapovalov's claims and said he never felt he had an advantage on court.
"It's always in the mind that the top players get bigger advantages," said Nadal, "and honestly on court (it) is not true... I never feel that I had advantages on court, and I really believe that he's wrong in that case.
"I really believe that on the court you don't deserve better treatment than the others. And I really don't want it and I don't feel I have it.
"I think he played a great match for a long time. I wish him all the very best... I make a lot of mistakes too when I was younger, and probably he will understand later on after he thinks the proper way that probably he was not right today."
Rafael Nadal 1610 Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Nadal will next play seventh seed Matteo Berrettini, who became the first Italian to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
Berrettini found a higher gear in the face of a heroic fightback from France's Gael Monfils to script a 6-4 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-2 win.
The match was a repeat of the quarter-final clash from the 2019 U.S. Open, which Berrettini won in a final-set tiebreak to reach his first major semi-final.
In the women's draw barty will next meet Madison Keys, who says she's enjoying her underdog status after reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final in four years with an upset of fourth seed Barbora Krejcikova.
Keys continued her strong start to the season on Rod Laver Arena as she toppled the French Open champion 6-3 6-2 under the Melbourne sun to return to the semi-finals in Australia for only the second time.
The 26-year-old, who won only 11 matches in a dismal 2021 season, is on a 10-match winning streak this year and won the Adelaide International 2 warm-up tournament earlier this month.
"It's been kind of nice to be the underdog for the first time in a long time," said the American.
"I honestly feel pretty neutral ... I have gone into every match thinking I can absolutely win any match that I'm out on the court."
Keys previously made the semi-finals in Melbourne as a 19-year-old in 2015, where she lost to eventual winner and 23-time major champion Serena Williams.
- Reuters
