'Monster win': Ash Barty and John Peers knock out top rivals
Australian mixed doubles pair Ash Barty and John Peers advanced to the semi-final after a thrilling victory in Tokyo.
Barty has endured a tough time in Tokyo after being knocked out in the first round of the singles event, before falling in the quarter-final stage in the doubles.
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But, the WTA World No.1 is one win away from a medal after taking control in the final match tiebreak to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari of Greece in the quarterfinals 6-4, 4-6 [10-6].
Both Barty and Peers are doubles Grand Slam champions and it immediately showed as they started on fire.
Sakkari and Tsitsipas fought back and raced to a 2-0 lead and hold on to take the second set.
At 1-1, the match was sent to a nerve-racking super tiebreak.
However, Barty and Peers stood up and took control when it mattered most to advance to the semi-final where they will take on Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of the ROC.
Fans started to get excited for Barty and Peers with a chance of a tennis medal in view after the important victory against two strong opponents.
How good 🙌
Superb net play from @ashbarty and @peers to keep Australia's campaign alive. They get up over Greece's Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, [10-6] to book a spot in the Mixed Doubles semifinals. #Tokyo2020 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/RYlrhXQxSl— 7Olympics (@7olympics) July 29, 2021
Semi-finals here we come! @ashbarty & John Peers have survived a tiebreak thriller to advance to the SFs of the Mixed Doubles here at #Tokyo2020.
They overcame 🇬🇷 Sakkari and Tsitsipas 6-4, 4-6, 10-6, and will face ROC's Rublev and Pavlyuchenkova tomorrow. #TokyoTogether pic.twitter.com/l6oaOmEiDV— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) July 29, 2021
Ash Barty and John Peers through to semis. Only one win away from a medal now #AUS #tennis #Tokyo2020
— Matt (@Mattys123) July 29, 2021
Barty the best player in this mixed doubles match by a long shot. Took the tiebreak away from Greece. Tsitsipas Sakkari Peers Aus vs Greece #OlympicGames
— Nick Kyrgios’s Coach (@ReidCoaching) July 29, 2021
You legend @ashbarty
You took control of that match tie-break.. so awesome to see #Tennis #Tokyo2020 #IntoSF
That’s why she’s No 1 🎾— Zane Bojack (@zanofc) July 29, 2021
A superb match tiebreaker from @ashbarty and John #Peers against @steftsitsipas and Maria #Sakkari puts them through to the medal rounds 6-4 4-6 (10-6). Great to see. #Tokyo2020
— Courtney Walsh (@walshcee) July 29, 2021
Fantastic to see Ash Barty + John Peers through to the mixed doubles semifinals 👊#olympics #tennis
— Bridget Lacy (@Lacytalks) July 29, 2021
That’s a monster win from @johnwpeers and @ashbarty just great doubles play in the match breaker. #tennis #olympics
— David Coutts (@dccoutta) July 29, 2021
Ash Barty suffers tough Tokyo campaign
Earlier this week, Ash Barty was knocked out of the doubles event at the Olympics in heartbreaking fashion after a close match-deciding tiebreak at the quarter-finals stage.
Barty and Storm Sanders couldn't hold off a spirited Czech pairing of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakov after falling in a match tiebreak in soaring heat.
This added to the World No.1's heartache in her first round singles loss on Monday, which took the Olympics by surprise.
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