Two matches, two wins. For wheelchair tennis star Dylan Alcott, Thursday was a near-perfect day despite the oppressive Melbourne heat.

Alcott’s day was highlighted by success in the final of the quad doubles with Heath Davidson, the Aussie pair dramatically saving a championship point in a 6-3 6-7 (8-6) 12-10 win over American David Wagner and Brit Andy Lapthorne.

Victory saw the pair defend their doubles title and they were understandably delighted.

“We pride ourselves on playing ’til the last point,” Alcott said afterwards.

“I think we both played incredibly well … one thing that really helped us is a massive crowd.”

Australian Open doubles champions with my guy @heathdavidson13 for the second year on the trot!!! Proud of you mate, and big love for the countless messages from you all!!! xx #ausopen @wwos pic.twitter.com/E16uHzsMr2

— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) January 24, 2019

In a strange twist of fate, Alcott and Davidson could battle each other in Saturday’s quad singles final after the former won a round-robin match on Thursday.

Alcott, who is gunning for a fifth consecutive quad singles title at Melbourne Park, came from behind to defeat Wagner 6-7 (7-3) 6-4 7-5 to book his spot in the decider.

“It’s hot and have look at how many people stuck around – it’s unbelievable,” Alcott said on the Nine Network.

“I know it was broadcast on Nine’s Wide World of Sports, one of the first ever wheelchair tennis matches to be played live on TV, especially in this country.

“And I did it, so I’m stoked, mate. I almost want to cry, because if you’re here … look how many kids there are with disabilities here.

“And not everyone has an opportunity to come to Melbourne Park and see that, but now they do on TV.

“As I said, you might not play in the Australian Open but you can still get out there and do whatever you want to do, you know.”

Alcott said the fact that he could be considered a role model to those with disabilities was “why I do what I do” and that he had “no one in mainstream [society]” to look up to when he was younger.

Also on Thursday, Aussie John Peers and Finland’s Henri Kontinen won through to the men’s doubles final, toppling Portugal’s Joao Sousa and Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-1 7-6 (8-6).

Peers and Kontinen, seeded 12th, will play French duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut (seeded fifth) in the decider.

Australian pairing Astra Sharma and John-Patrick Smith will feature in a final, too, winning a mixed doubles semi-final on Thursday evening.

Sharma and Smith, who are wildcards, beat second seeds Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares 6-4 7-6 (7-5).

They will play Czech Barbora Krejcikova and American Rajeev Ram in the decider.

Passing Shots

Our wrap-up of the weird and wonderful on day 11 at the Open starts with the naming of Margaret Court Arena.

The issue reared its head again on Thursday as US Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, produced a speech at an Australian Open event.

Court’s views on same-sex marriage have attracted widespread condemnation and Wintour called for change.

“I find that it is inconsistent with the sport for Margaret Court’s name to be on a stadium that does so much to bring all people together across their differences … Intolerance has no place in tennis,” she said.

The heat brings … the stars

Star power on @RodLaverArena 🤩#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/8xeoE6QijN

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019

They said what?

“I think no matter what the situation is – if it’s really hot, if it’s … you know, they need to start the match the way it’s gonna finish, I think.

“I think they do that in football and I think it certainly changed a little bit of the rhythm in the match.”

https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments/status/1088292673457315842

American Danielle Collins, who was involved in some testy exchanges with court umpire Carlos Ramos, was unhappy with the decision to shut the Rod Laver Arena roof during her semi-final against Petra Kvitova.

The match was locked at 4-4 in the first set when the Open’s extreme heat policy kicked in.

That saw the roof shut and Kvitova went on to record a 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 win over the unseeded Collins.

The stat

The last three women at the 2019 #AusOpen (Kvitova, Pliskova, Osaka) are playing for the title and the #1 ranking.

Same scenario happened for the last three women here in 2012 (Azarenka, Kvitova, Sharapova).

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 24, 2019