Britain’s Neal Skupski books Australian Open semi-final spot as 29-year-old Liverpudlian and mixed doubles partner Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez beat top seeds in match tie-break
- Neal Skupski will fly the flag for Britain in the semi-finals of the Australian Open
- Skupski and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez made progress in the mixed doubles
- They beat top seeds Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrowski on Court 3 in Melbourne
Great Britain’s Neal Skupski reached his first ever Grand Slam semi-final as he and Spanish partner Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez booked their place in the last four of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open.
Twenty-nine-year-old Liverpudlian Skupski and Martinez Sanchez, 36, overcame top seeds Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrowski on Court 3 at Melbourne Park.
The unseeded duo will now face Czech Barbora Krejcikova and American Rajeev Ram for a place in the final.
Great Britain will be represented in the semi-finals of the Australian Open by Neal Skupski, 29
Skupski and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 36, progressed to the last four of the mixed doubles
Skupski and leftie Martinez Sanchez stormed through the first set to take it 6-1 before losing the second 6-4.
That set up a first-to-10 tie-break and, after saving match point at 9-8, Skupski and Martinez Sanchez claimed victory 11-9.
Martinez Sanchez has reached five Grand Slam semis before this campaign — three in women’s doubles and two in mixed events — and has lost all five.
Liverpudlian Skupski and Spanish player Martinez Sanchez beat the top seeds on Wednesday
Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Croatian Mate Pavic were beaten 11-9 in a match tie-break