Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Brisbane International in a major quarterfinal upset, while fellow top seed Aryna Sabalenka won through to the semifinals on Friday night.
Djokovic was beaten 7-6 (6), 6-3 by world number 293 Reilly Opelka in one hour and 40 minutes in a late-night match on the centre court while Sabalenka beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-4 in the women's section.
The big-serving American Opelka hit 16 aces, which helped him claim the largest victory of his career in what was his maiden ATP head-to-head series with Djokovic.
"The truth is we didn't have much to lose coming in playing him. He's the best player of all time so you sort of go out there and play a bit more free and you take a lot more risk because it's your only chance. If you play at your level, he's going to win every time," Opelka said post-match on court.
The result leaves the 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic with 99 career singles titles heading into the Australian Open, which he has won a record 10 times, reports Xinhua. Opelka will match up against another powerful server, France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, while second seed and reigning champion Grigor Dimitrov will face Jiri Lehecka.
In other quarterfinal matches on Friday, Dimitrov advanced to the last four stage after Australia's Jordan Thompson retired with Dimitrov holding 6-1, 2-1 lead.
Lehecka defeated Nicolas Jarry of Chile at Pat Rafter Arena 6-4, 6-4. The other quarter-final witnessed a real grueling fight with Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard getting better of Jakub Mensik of Czechia 7-5, 7-6(5).
Earlier in the night on Friday, world number one Sabalenka beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 44 minutes to set up a semifinal match against teen sensation Mirra Andreeva.
Bouzkova got off to a flying start against the two-time reigning Australian Open champion, breaking serve in the first game of the match but could not capitalize on the early advantage. In the other women's semifinal, world number 107 Polina Kudermetova will play Anhelina Kalinina.
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