MELBOURNE // In the same half of a grand slam singles draw for the first time since 2005, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are taking similar paths to a potential semi-final match at the Australian Open.
Neither the four-time Australian champion Federer nor 2009 title-holder Nadal have dropped a set so far, although Federer's path has been made easier by a walkover win in the second round.
The long-time rivals played back-to-back matches at the Rod Laver Arena on Friday.
Nadal, his right knee still taped from an injury, showed no problems while moving briskly around the court in a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over the qualifier Lukas Lacko.
Federer followed in the marquee matinee programme by beating Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 7-5, 6-3, saving a set point in the tiebreaker with a scrambling lob over the tall (2.08m) Croatian.
Federer will play the Australian teenager Bernard Tomic on Sunday in the fourth round.
"He gave me a second serve and gave me a slight chance," Federer said. "Might have had a little bit of a lucky volley …"
Karlovic agreed. "It was unlucky … one in a hundred that I'm going to lose that point," he said.
"I didn't really expect him to do that. I was there, I just miscalculated how much I was jumping. If I would have won that, everything would be different, but that's life."
Nadal had few dramas in his match against Lacko, the Slovak, which is just the way he wanted it. He felt a sharp pain in his knee while sitting in his chair in his hotel on the weekend, an innocent enough movement he initially feared would cause him to withdraw from the tournament.
Three matches later, Nadal said: "The knee is fine … being in the fourth round without losing a set, it's fantastic news."
Nadal will next meet fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, who beat No 16 John Isner 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 to put the last US man out of the draw.
It is the first time since the start of the Open Era in 1968 that no American men have reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, although no Americans entered the tournament in 1972 and 1973.
The last American to win the Australian Open was Andre Agassi in 2003, his third win in four years at Melbourne Park.
"It's very ugly, to be honest, to have no one in the round of 16 … very disappointing, not a good effort from the Americans," Isner said.
"We've got to try to rectify that next time the big tournaments roll around."
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The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
More on animal trafficking
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
