Pliskova beats Serena to reach SFs of Australian Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 8 in WTA rankings Karolina Pliskova, 26, Czech Republic, beat seven-time champion Serena Williams, 37, USA, the World No 16, in a fiercely contested three-set encounter in the quarter-finals of Australian Open (AO)  on January 23, 2019, to advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Pliskova beat Serena 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park, Melbouyrne, Australia. Serena was leading 5-1 in the third set but wasted 4 match points. Serena was bidding for a record tying 24th Grand Slam singles titles. Pliskova and Serena are locked 2-2 head to head.

This will be Pliskova’s first semi-finals appearance at the Australian Open though she had reached US Open final in 2016. Pliskova, a former World No 1,  had also reached SFs of French Open in 2017 and 4th Round of Wimbledon in 2018. Serena had won AO titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2017.

Serena though fired 12 Aces in the match to 9 by Pliskova. But, she also committed 4 double faults to none by Pliskova. Pliskova won 5 break points to 4 by Serena. Pliskova won 6 games in a row in the match while Serena won 4. Pliskova’s winning percentage on her first serve ( 67%) was better than that of Serena (65%). But, Serena’s winning percentage on her second serve ( 50%) was much better than that of Pliskova ( 40%). Pliskova, however, won 60 service points to 57 by Serena.