Australian Open 2025 day eight AS IT HAPPENED: Dutchman's cheeky bid for support despite knocking out Aussies Li Tu and Luke Saville
Updated . First published
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Good night!
Thanks for tuning into Wide World of Sports' coverage of day eight of the Australian Open.
We'll be back tomorrow, catch you then!
Saville's career ends
Luke Saville's tennis career has ended after he and Li Tu lost their doubles match against Sem Verbeek and André Göransson.
The Swede and Dutchman proved way too strong for the Aussie duo, winning 6-4, 6-3 to put themselves into the fourth round.
For Saville, it ends a career including appearances at all four grand slams and the 2021 Olympics.
Tribute to Saville from rival
The doubles loss marked the end for Luke Saville.
Swede André Göransson paid tribute to him post-match.
"It's been a pleasure to compete against Luke and have Luke on tour, it's been great," he said.
His teammate Sem Verbeek was also full of praise for the crowd.
"You guys made it so much fun to play, the best crowd to play against or for, sorry to ruin the Australian party but hopefully next round we get a little more support," he said with a smile.
Sem Verbeek. Nine
That's it!
The dream is over for Li Tu and Luke Saville.
Gorannsson and Verbeek were quite simply way too strong and difficult to overcome fro the Aussie duo.
The match finished for 6-4, 6-3.
And that's the end of the road for Luke Saville in his tennis career.
Aussies drop first set
The Aussies have dropped the first set of their doubles match.
Saville and Tu put up a strong fight but were unable to halt the momentum of their rivals.
Goransson and Verbeek won the opening set 6-4.
Aussies stand strong
Luke Saville and Li Tu currently trail 3-2 in the opening set.
The Aussie duo have been really sharp in their actions throughout the match but their European rivals have set the tone early.
Let the game begin
Let the game begin!
The Aussies have served to start the game but Gorannsson and Verbeek have taken the first point.
Luke Saville's partner Daria, another Aussie star on the professional circuit, is in the crowds watching on.
Farewell tour continues...
Luke Saville is looking to extend his farewell tour further this evening as he returns to the courts again with Li Tu in the men's doubles.
The All-Aussie pairing will face Andre Goransson of Sweden and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands in the third round.
That was odd
Novak Djokovic clearly isn't happy about the fans.
But he's signing autographs still.
The big news is Jim Courier went to interview him and he didn't answer one question.
He just grabbed the mic and said thanks for the crowd being at the game, he appreciates their presence and support and then copped boos.
"What happened there? ... that was a somewhat shocking ending to this evening," John McEnroe said on Nine.
"That was something extraordinary," Todd Woodbridge added.
Novak Djokovic is just too good!
Novak Djokovic is into the quarter-final!
Lehecka was much better in that third set but it wasn't enough to beat the great man.
Djokovic wins 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
"He has set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Carlos Alcaraz," Todd Woodbridge said on Nine.
"He's still got that hunger ... he still looks hungrier than the guys who haven't won anything," John McEnroe added.
