Australian Open semi-finalist Ben Shelton has taken the Grand Slam’s on-court interviewers to task for being “disrespectful” to players.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner dismissed eighth seed Alex de Minaur 6-3 6-2 6-1 to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and extend the country’s decades-long wait for another homegrown singles winner at the Grand Slam yesterday.

Paula Badosa and Madison Keys will be out to prevent a dream Australian Open final when they face Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, respectively, in Thursday’s semi-finals at Melbourne Park.

A rampaging Iga Swiatek stormed into her second Australian Open semi-final with a 6-1 6-2 centre court demolition of eighth seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday as the world number two underlined her title credentials once again at Melbourne Park.

First came a visceral roar. Then a tender hug.

Novak Djokovic beat young rival Carlos Alcaraz 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in a gladiatorial battle worthy of a title clash to charge into the Australian Open semi-finals on Tuesday and remain in the hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said her Australian Open quarter-final loss to top seed Aryna Sabalenka would not blot her solid start to the season and the Russian hoped to carry the momentum forward.

Aryna Sabalenka will not let her friendship with Paula Badosa affect her quest to win a third successive Australian Open title when the best friends clash in the semi-finals, the defending champion said.

Alexander Zverev played his best tennis when it mattered most to down Tommy Paul 7-6(1) 7-6(0) 2-6 6-1 yesterday and reach his third Australian Open semi-final in five years, keeping alive his dream of finally landing a Grand Slam title.

Spain’s Paula Badosa stunned error-prone third seed Coco Gauff 7-5 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday to reach the last four at a Grand Slam for the first time.

lex De Minaur kept the home flag flying at the Australian Open as he beat rising American Alex Michelsen 6-0 7-6(5) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time on Monday.

Lucky loser Eva Lys felt like she had been hit by a train after a heavy defeat by world number two Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open fourth round on Monday but the German said she had enjoyed the journey in the best week of her life.