Novak Djokovic limped into his 10th Australian Open final with a record-breaking 27th consecutive win in Melbourne against Tommy Paul on Friday.
Djokovic, who has never lost either a semi-final or a final at the first major of the season, came through 7-5 6-1 6-2 to eclipse the Andre Agassi win streak he had tied with a last-eight defeat of Andrey Rublev.
Despite a similar scoreline, however, this was not quite as straightforward as that prior match – particularly in a first set the nine-time champion threatened to throw away.
Djokovic also appeared to be suffering again with the hamstring injury that hampered his preparation for the tournament, but he now needs to come through just one more match, against Stefanos Tsitsipas, to add another title.
The semi ended as it started, with Djokovic in control, yet there was a blip when he looked to be coasting through the opener.
Having just passed up his first set point, Djokovic confronted the umpire when he was not allowed time to take a towel and appeared to lose his focus, allowing Paul to win the next seven points en route to consecutive breaks – the second clinched with a stunning 30-stroke rally.
Finally, with the set level, Djokovic regained some composure and soon enough took a long-awaited second set point before cupping his ear to the Melbourne crowd and being greeted with jeers in return.
It quickly became clear Paul had missed his chance as Djokovic cruised, his primary foe now that troublesome injury.
After stretching out his leg during the first-set collapse, the Serbian appeared in discomfort throughout a dominant second, asking for ice at 5-0 up ahead of Paul's sole hold in the set.
That ailment did not prove enough to derail Djokovic, though, as the third set followed a similar theme in an ultimately commanding semi success.
Data Slam: Djokovic closing on career-best streak
Now the sole owner of the longest Open Era winning streak in the main draw of the men's singles tournament at the Australian Open, Djokovic will match his best run at any grand slam if he beats Tsitsipas, having claimed 28 straight victories at Wimbledon.
Only Roger Federer (40 at the US Open and 40 at Wimbledon) and Bjorn Borg (41 at Wimbledon and 28 at the French Open) have previously had 27-match win sequences at two different majors.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 12/5
Paul – 4/0
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 31/39
Paul – 18/32
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 7/11
Paul – 2/9
Houston Dynamo FC v FC Dallas: Estevez hopes to take advantage of 'great opportunity'
Nico Estevez considers FC Dallas' trip to Houston Dynamo FC a "great opportunity" for his side to lay down a real marker.
Dallas defeated Austin FC 2-1 last time out and have now taken seven points from the last nine on offer on home soil.
Away from home, however, they have taken just one point from a possible 15 this season, with Estevez now after points plus performances in his side's fourth Copa Tejas outing of the campaign.
"I think the team is working well," he said. "They are energetic and we are improving both in results and the level of play.
"We have to continue growing. This game is a great opportunity to do so away from home; to be able to achieve something more than just points and to be able to achieve something important that will help us.
"We are going to have to do many things well to be able to win against a rival as important as Houston."
The Dynamo went down 1-0 to Austin late on in midweek, placing them eighth in the Western Conference and six points better off than their next opponents, having played a game more.
Houston have scored the fewest goals of any side in the West (11), which head coach Ben Olsen acknowledged is down to a lack of quality in front of goal.
"It's decision making and quality in the moment," he said at his pre-match press conference.
"It's not for the lack of getting in dangerous areas on the field. Checking boxes, you don't need a 2.0 expected goals to win games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston Dynamo - Amine Bassi
The Dynamo had 17 shots against Austin without finding the net, six of which were on target - and three of those via Bassi alone.
Bassi's 1.8 shots per game is bettered only by Ibrahim Aliyu (2.5) this season among Houston players, yet he has registered zero goals thus far. That is something that must be put right.
FC Dallas - Petar Musa
Musa played a part in both of Dallas' goals in their victory over Austin, as he scored the opener himself and then assisted Jesus Ferreira for what proved to be the decisive goal.
The Croatia international has now contributed to five of Dallas' last seven MLS goals - three goals and two assists - meaning he is the man for Houston to stop.
MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON WIN
Houston's loss to Austin was their fourth defeat in their past seven league matches, compared to just two losses across their previous 17 outings dating back to last July.
Dallas have won three of their past four games in all competitions, meanwhile, having won just three out of 17 prior to this upturn in form.
However, not since November 2020 have Dallas won three successive games across all competitions, while the home team in this fixture is unbeaten in the last 20 encounters between these sides - albeit 11 of those ending all square.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Houston - 42.2%
Draw - 29.3%
Dallas - 28.5%
Newcastle 'determined to finish on a high' at Brentford, Howe insists
Eddie Howe says Newcastle United are "determined to finish on a high" when they travel to Brentford on the final day.
The Magpies, who are seventh in the Premier League, travel to the Gtech Community Stadium still in the hunt to secure European football for a second successive season.
Howe's side trail sixth-place Chelsea by three points but, boasting a superior goal difference, can leapfrog the Blues if they beat Brentford and Mauricio Pochettino's men lose at home to Bournemouth.
The Newcastle head coach knows their destiny is not in their hands, but urged his players to be ready to pounce.
"It's a big last day for us, there's no denying that," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference. "We go into game knowing we have to do our part, which is win the game.
"That is no mean feat, it's going to be a tough game, and then we're in the hands of other clubs.
"The players are determined to finish on a high. We could have got more from the last two games and we didn't.
"We have to do everything we can to do our part. What we don't want to do is for the other teams to make a mistake and we're not there to capitalise on it."
Meanwhile 16th-place Brentford, who can climb to 15th by bettering Everton's result at title-chasing Arsenal, are set to finish in the bottom six - their lowest final position in the Premier League.
Although Thomas Frank admits his sights are set on achieving bigger and better with the Bees, the head coach insists it has been a fruitful campaign with the club's top-flight status assured for another year at least.
"This season has been a good success," he said. "Every year you are in the Premier League is a success if you are a club of our stature. I just hate saying that because we want so much more.
"We want to be an asset to the league, we want to dream big and we want to do something special. But I am an optimistic person, I am positive, and I believe so much in this club.
"The culture is good. There's a good atmosphere. We are pulling in the same direction, we are aligned."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brentford - Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo has been directly involved in more goals than any other Brentford player in the Premier League this season with 15 (nine goals, six assists).
That is despite the winger playing just 24 of the Bees' 37 matches during the campaign.
Newcastle United - Anthony Gordon
Gordon has had a hand in two goals (one goal, one assist) in Newcastle's last two away games, taking his overall tally of direct goal involvements for the season to 21 (11 goals, 10 assists).
With Alexander Isak also boasting 21 involvements (20 goals, one assist), it marks the first time two Magpies players have reached that mark in a Premier League campaign since 1996-97, when Alan Shearer (25 goals, seven assists) and Les Ferdinand (16 goals, eight assists) achieved the feat.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle have prevailed in each of the last four meetings between the sides, and are unbeaten in all five Premier League encounters.
Brentford have only faced Crystal Palace (six) more in the competition without ever winning than against the Magpies (five).
Newcastle have lost their final league game in just one of the last nine seasons (winning seven, drawing one), with that sole defeat coming against champions Liverpool in 2019-20.
The Magpies are also unbeaten on each of the last six occasions they have finished a league season in London (winning five, drawing one).
You must go back to a 3-2 reverse at Tottenham on the final day of the 1972-73 campaign for their last such defeat.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brentford - 37%
Newcastle United - 34.9%
Draw - 28.1%
Chicago Fire FC v Columbus Crew: Klopas says poor run is 'extremely difficult' to take
Frank Klopas admits he is finding things "extremely difficult" amid Chicago Fire FC's poor form as they prepare to welcome Columbus Crew to Soldier Field.
The Fire have lost three MLS games in a row, most recently going down 1-0 to Charlotte FC in midweek, and are now winless in six.
Without a win since early April, Chicago have slipped down to 14th in the Eastern Conference ahead of Saturday's visit of Columbus.
Klopas, who was appointed head coach in December after previous spells as caretaker and assistant, knows it is on him to turn things around.
"We need confidence - we're very low on that," he said. "It's not easy because I'm asked the same questions, and I'm trying to find solutions and answers. I know I keep saying it, but we have to keep going and find a way out of this.
"I love this club and felt I could help it, so it's a difficult one for me because I wouldn't do this for any other team. It's extremely difficult in this moment because I haven't found solutions. We'll keep trying."
Columbus are seventh in the East, eight points better off than their opponents, having played a game less, and enter this contest on the back of a 3-1 win at CF Montreal.
That snapped a seven-game winless run, culminating in a 2-1 home reverse to FC Cincinnati – a loss that may prove to be a turning point for the reigning league champions.
"After the game against Cincinnati, we discussed about a specific topic," head coach Wilfried Nancy said after the win against Montreal. "For me, that was a weird game, and I explained the situation.
"That's why we were able to score goals [against Montreal]. That's why we were able to control the game. That's why we had a really good performance."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fire - Hugo Cuypers
The Fire have failed to score in four successive home matches for the first time in their history. That leaves them just one blank short of equalling the all-time MLS record of five, set by Toronto FC in 2007 and matched by FC Cincinnati in 2020.
The onus is on the forward players to find a way past Columbus, with Hugo Cuypers registering three shots against Charlotte, each of which were on target but none finding the net. The Fire quite simply need Cuypers to find his range this weekend.
Columbus Crew - Steven Moreira
Defender Moreira proved to be Columbus' unlikely hero in the win over Montreal as he set up two goals - the first multi-assist game of a Crew career that spans 100 games in all competitions.
Moreira, who also netted in the recent 2-2 draw with Portland Timbers, is the only player to register multiple assists in a single game for Columbus in MLS this season.
MATCH PREDICTION - COLUMBUS CREW WIN
Columbus have won five of their past six meetings with Chicago, including the past three in a row. Never before have they won four straight regular-season meetings with the Fire.
Chicago's three-game losing run is their worst of the season and their worst since a five-match losing streak that ended in September last year.
The Fire's 10 points after 13 matches are the fewest they have ever registered at this stage, meanwhile, and it does not get any easier for them against a Columbus side that have won back-to-back games 3-1 on their travels.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fire - 32.6%
Draw - 29%
Columbus Crew - 38.4%
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