6th seed Karolina Pliskova booked her place in her second successive Australian Open quarterfinal after defeating her compatriot and 20th seed Barbora Strycova under the lights on the Rod Laver Arena, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 in a contest that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. The former world number one will face current world number one Simona Halep in a mouthwatering quarterfinal clash at on Wednesday.
The two seeded Czechs did not start their fourth round clash until after 11pm local time as Hyeon Chung upset six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles match proceeding this all-Czech affair. Nonetheless, this fourth round clash had a narrative as Pliskova hired Strycova’s former coach Tomas Krupa, and Strycova appointed Pliskova’s former coach David Kotyza.
Both players held onto their serves in the early exchanges in this fourth round encounter but Pliskova was looking to gain the first break of the match as she created four break point chances on the 2014 Wimbledon quarterfinalist’s serve, however, the elder Czech held in a 11-minute game to restore parity at 2-2.
The former Czech Fed Cup champion teammates both produced some good tennis in front of a sparse crowd on the Rod Laver Arena, and the inevitability of the first set was going to be decided in a tiebreak.
Strycova took the initiative in the tiebreak as she raced out to a 4-1 lead, she was a thorn in the 6th seed’s side as she produced sublime backhand and forehand winners down the line. However, Pliskova closed out Strycova’s lead but the 20th seed created two set points, and she took the opening set in 69 minutes, when the former world number one netted a backhand in the net, 7-6 (5).
Pliskova started to up her level in the second set as she broke the 31-year-old’s serve, and she consolidated the break, demonstrating some good movement around the court to lead 2-0.
The 20th seed was beginning to get animated on the court, and frustrating at herself for missing shots, which she was making in the first set, and her serving was just as good as Pliskova’s. Furthermore, her game began to break down and the former world number one gained the double break, stretching out to a 4-1 lead.
However, Pliskova was far too relaxed as she surrendered one of the breaks, followed by a quick hold by Strycova, suddenly being one break behind the sixth seed. Pliskova got away with it as she almost surrendered her second break but regrouped with some consistent serving, finishing off the game with a swing volley winner, leading 5-3.
The 2016 US Open runner-up ensured that her quest for a maiden Grand Slam singles title, and a chance to regain the world number one ranking continued as she took the second set by punishing Strycova’s weak second serve with a forehand return winner down the line, clinching it 6-3.
The two Czechs traded breaks at the start of the opening set but it was the sixth seed, who was in her groove as Pliskova reeled off four games in succession to lead 4-1 as her backhand was firing on all cylinders, accompanied by unforced errors from Strycova.
Pliskova proved to be too strong for the 20th seed as she continued to apply pressure, and she booked her place in a second consecutive Australian Open quarterfinal on her third match point with Strycova’s backhand sailing long in a war of attrition.
The former world number one previewed her upcoming match with Halep.
“I think on this surface I have a good chance.”
