Polmans and Gadecki return to Australian Open mixed doubles semifinals
Aussie wildcards Marc Polmans and Olivia Gadecki reach the Australian Open mixed doubles semifinals for a second consecutive year.
Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2024 | Jackson Mansell
Marc Polmans and Olivia Gadecki have made their second-straight Australian Open semifinal, after causing yet another upset in the mixed doubles competition.
The Aussie wildcards defeated sixth seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Nathaniel Lammons 6-4 7-6(7) to advance to the final four.
In a match where players predominantly held serve, the 21-year-old Gadecki and 26-year-old Polmans secured the first break in the 10th game to clinch the opening set.
It was a similar case in the second set, where it took a tiebreak to split the pairs.
The North American duo, world No.7 Dabrowski and world No.25 Lammons, managed to save two match points, but the Aussies took their chance on their third to book a semifinal berth.
“It’s a good feeling to still be playing in the AO,” world No.237 Polmans said. “This is my last event of the tournament, so I’m stoked to be in the semis.
“I think our games gel well. We both like to serve and come to the net, so I think we’re connecting well on the court.
“Olivia is also a good up-and-coming singles player and she has a lot of experience at these events which is paying off.”
Polmans and world No.93 Gadecki will meet the second seeds, world No.16 Desirae Krawczyk and world No.10 Neal Skupski, in the semifinals.
The Aussie pair are hoping to better last year’s result, when they lost to the eventual championships in the semifinals after holding a match point.
Polmans said maintaining an attacking game would be key to success in their penultimate encounter.
“It’s definitely going to help having that experience from last year,” Polmans said.
“We have to take it on because they’re quality opponents and if we don’t take it on, they’re going to take it on.”
Another pair of Aussie wildcards, Jaimee Fourlis and Andrew Harris, will feature in the other semifinal.
> READ: Fourlis and Harris continue giant-killing run at Australian Open 2024
Aussies in action – Australian Open
TODAY’S RESULTS
Mixed doubles, quarterfinals
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Andrew Harris (AUS) d [5] Laura Siegemund (GER)/Sander Gille (BEL) 7-5 7-5
[WC] Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS) d [6] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)/Nathaniel Lammons (USA) 6-4 7-6(7)
COMING UP
Mixed doubles, semifinals
[WC] Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS) v [2] Desirae Krawczyk (USA)/Neal Skupski (GBR)
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Andrew Harris (AUS) v [3] Hsieh Su-wei (TPE)/Jan Zielinski (POL)
> VIEW: Australian Open 2024 mixed doubles draw
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