Athletes compete during a match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Andy Wong
Republished January 23, 2024 - 11:42 PM
Original Publication Date January 23, 2024 - 6:06 PM
MELBOURNE, Australia - The final score line reads 6-4, 6-2 and a quarterfinal victory for the favoured fourth seed.
But Robert Shaw of North Bay, Ont., had a legitimate shot at upsetting Guy Sasson of Israel in quad wheelchair singles on Tuesday at the Australian Open had it not been for some untimely service hiccups.
Shaw, who hopes to qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, was leading the first set 4-2 and looked in control when his serve let him down and allowed Sasson to rally from behind and eventually take the set in 38 minutes.
Sasson took the second set 6-2 in 61 minutes, but several games were locked at 40-40 with Shaw unable to convert on his opportunities.
Sasson finished with five aces, five double faults, 45 winners, 24 unforced errors, seven of 15 break points won, 32 return points won and 26 service points won.
Shaw had no aces, one double fault, 22 winners, 12 unforced errors, four of 11 break points won, 18 return points won.
Sasson advances to the semifinals to play top-seeded Niels Vink of Netherlands, who defeated Francisco Cayulef of Chile 6-2, 6-1.
Shaw advanced to the quarters with a 6-1, 6-0 win on Monday over Finn Broadbent of Australia, while Sasson bounced Ali Ataman of Turkey 6-0, 6-1.
Later Tuesday, Shaw teamed up with Heath Davidson of Australia to beat Broadbent and Britain's Gregory Slade 6-0, 6-0 in the men's wheelchair doubles quarterfinals. The match only took 47 minutes to play.
Shaw and Davidson finished with two aces, six winners, no double faults and only two unforced errors. They advance to the semifinals to play Britain's Andy Lapthorne and American David Wagner.
Keegan Rice of Regina, Sask., and American Roy Horovitz were beaten 6-2, 6-3 in their junior boys' doubles quarterfinal match against Americans Maxwell Exsted and Cooper Woestendick on Tuesday night.
The match, which took only 54 minutes to complete, was pretty one-sided in the stats department, too.
The Americans finished with three aces, one double fault, 15 winners, 30 service points won and only five unforced errors.
Rice and Horovitz had one ace, two double faults, eight winners, four unforced errors and only six service return points won.
The Australian Open runs until Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2024.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2024