Most players would feel intimidated facing a rampaging Serena Williams for an Australian Open semi-final berth but not Czech seventh seed Katerina Pliskova, who instead harbours a desire for revenge against the American great. Follow Day 10 live below!
The pair will meet in the last eight at the season-opening grand slam on Wednesday, with the day’s other women’s quarter-final pitting Japan’s US Open champion Naomi Osaka against Ukrainian sixth seed Elina Svitolina.
Williams has blazed her way through the first four rounds at Melbourne Park, dropping only nine games in her opening three matches before finally encountering some resistance from top seed Simona Halep.
Kvitova overcome by emotion
0:51But even the world number one was eventually overwhelmed in three sets as an intensely focused Williams continued her quest for a record-equalling 24th major, with Halep saying facing the 37-year-old was like being hit by a freight train.
Pliskova is confident she can derail the Serena express. She’s done it before at a Grand Slam when she defeated Williams in straight sets in the 2016 US Open semi-finals.
The American responded with a commanding quarter-final victory over Pliskova at Flushing Meadows in 2018, but now the Czech 26-year-old is convinced it’s her turn, saying she has improved since then.
MORE TENNIS NEWS
DAY 9 WRAP: TWO SHOCKS, TWO FANCIES INTO AUS OPEN SEMIS AS NADAL MAKES A STATEMENT
FIT AND FIRING: PERFECT RAFA STRATEGY SETS HIM UP FOR ULTIMATE AUS OPEN SUCCESS
WATCH: KVITOVA’S BEAUTIFUL REACTION TO MAKING AO SEMIS, TWO YEARS AFTER STABBING
If fourth seed Osaka defeats the in-form Svitolina, she will set up a blockbuster semi-final with Williams, who infamously melted down and ranted at the umpire as the 21-year-old outgunned her in last year’s US Open final.
But Svitolina will be no pushover for the young Japanese star, who has lost to the 24-year-old Ukrainian in three of their previous five meetings.
While Osaka has been hailed as the leader of a new player generation after her US Open breakthrough, Svitolina is hungry for Grand Slam success after scoring her biggest career win at the WTA Finals in Singapore last October.
Barty OUT of AO
3:23MEN’S QUARTER FINALS
Novak Djokovic must outgun “fighter” Kei Nishikori to keep his record seventh title tilt alive, while Lucas Pouille has a maiden semi in sight against Milos Raonic in Wednesday’s Australian Open men’s quarter-finals.
Marathon man Nishikori has already spent 13hr 47min on court in Melbourne this year, more time than any other player, coming through three five-set epics in his four matches so far.
MORE TENNIS NEWS
PERFECT: BARTY’S CLASSY PRAISE FOR RIVAL AFTER ‘HELL OF A MONTH’
QUARTERS: BARTY’S DREAM AUS OPEN RUN ENDED BY DOMINANT KVITOVA
‘PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!’ TSITSIPAS FINDING SUCCESS ON COURT AND ON YOUTUBE
He has twice clawed back from the precipice of being two sets down, the latest against Pablo Carreno Busta on Monday that went to a deciding super tiebreak.
Nishikori is unbeaten in eight matches this year after winning the Brisbane International, and although Djokovic holds a 15-2 win-loss record in head-to-heads he is prepared for another gruelling battle.
They have met five times in Grand Slams with Nishikori’s lone win coming in the US Open 2014 semi-final. Djokovic defeated Nishikori in the last eight of the Australian Open three years ago in straight sets and this will be their third consecutive major showdown.
Pouille, the 28th seed who will turn 25 next month, has a former Australian Open champion in his corner as he tries to reach a first Grand Slam semi-final.
The Frenchman split with his long-time coach Emmanuel Planque in the off-season and hired Amelie Mauresmo, who won the women’s title in Australia in 2006.
Raonic, the 16th seed, has blasted through the tournament on the back of his supreme serving, only dropping one set -- to former champion Stan Wawrinka -- in the second round.
Ominously for Pouille, the Canadian former world number three thinks he has improved since he achieved his highest ranking in November 2016.
DAY 10 ORDER OF PLAY
Rod Laver Arena
From 11am
4-Naomi Osaka (JPN) v 6-Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Not before 1pm
16-Serena Williams (USA) v 7-Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
16-Milos Raonic (CAN) v 28-Lucas Pouille
Not before 7:30pm
1-Novak Djokovic (SRB) v 8-Kei Nishikori (JPN)
LIVE UPDATES (if the blog does not appear, click here)
- with AFP
Read Again Brow https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/australian-open/australian-open-2019-live-scores-results-day-10-order-of-play-for-wednesday-january-23-updates-video/news-story/a47d6238437df2b89917c07ce34c7f2dBagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Australian Open 2019: Live scores, results, Day 10 order of play for Wednesday January 23, updates, video - Fox Sports"
Post a Comment