RICKY DIMON SHARES: SHINGO, FRITZ, FOGNINI AND OTHER THINGS YOU MISSED DURING MURRAY VS. BERDYCH

Written by: Staff on 29th January 2015

RICKY DIMON SHARES: SHINGO, FRITZ, FOGNINI AND OTHER THINGS YOU MISSED DURING MURRAY VS. BERDYCH

epa04593004 Rod Laver Arena full during the Andy Murray of Great Britain playing Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic semifinals match at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, 29 January 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

The singles semifinals, of course, stole all the headlines (well, except this one!) on Thursday at the Australian Open. That was always going to be the case with a lineup featuring Serena Williams vs. Madison Keys, Andy Murray vs. Tomas Berdych, and Maria Sharapova also in action.

Serena Williams of the US jubilates after winning against Madison Keys of the US in their semi-finals match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 29 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament, the first Grand Slam of the year, runs until 01 February 2015. EPA/Filip Singer

Andy Murray of Britain reacts during play against Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in their semi-final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 29 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament, the first Grand Slam of the year, runs until 01 February 2015 EPA/MADE NAGI

An epic first set between Williams and Keys, followed by plenty of drama and animosity in the Murray-Berdych, did even more to overshadow other happenings around the Melbourne Park grounds.

But there was plenty of entertainment beyond men’s and women’s singles.

Each of the two men’s doubles semifinals went three sets. Fabio Fognini–yes, Fabio Fognini–is in a Grand Slam final and essentially one win away from World Tour Finals qualification (is it too early to start thinking about that? No? Okay good!). The all-Italian pairing of Fognini and Simone Bolelli upset No. 6 seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

The other semifinal was even more dramatic. The French duo of Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert outlasted No. 4 seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(5) after staging multiple comebacks in the third set. Mahut and Herbert trailed 5-3 in the decider, broke back at 4-5, then also fell behind 5-2 in the tiebreaker before winning the last five points of the match.

Nicolas Mahut (L) and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, of France jubilate after winning their doubles semi-finals match against Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil, at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 29 Jnuary 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs until 01 February 2015. EPA/Barbara Walton

Similar tension could be found in set two of a boys singles showdown between Seong-chan Hong and Taylor Harry Fritz. After losing the first set, Hong led 5-1 in the second but twice failed to serve it out. Fritz managed to force a tiebreaker after saving nine set points, but the American ultimately lost 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-0.

In wheelchair singles, No. 1 seed and straight-up legend Shingo Kunieda had a rare scare. The Japanese star lost the first set to Gustavo Fernandez but stormed back to win 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. Kunieda is now through to both the singles and doubles wheelchair finals.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Andy Murray, Australian Open, Fabio Fognini, Ivan Dodig, Madison Keys, Marcelo Melo, Melbourne, Nicolas Mahut, Ricky Dimon, Serena Williams, Shingo Kunieda, Sports, Taylor Fritz, Tennis, Tomas Berdych

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10sBalls_com says:

January 29, 2015 at 1:11 pm

-@Dimonator SHARES: SHINGO, FRITZ, FOGNINI AND OTHER THINGS YOU MISSED DURING @andy_murray VS. @tomasberdych- http://t.co/YWN9tGjOt0
Dimonator says:

January 29, 2015 at 8:00 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator SHARES: SHINGO, FRITZ, FOGNINI AND OTHER THINGS YOU MISSED DURING @andy_murray VS. @tomasberdych- http://t.co…