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BSP-19
TENNIS-AUS-OPEN
Nadal relentlessly marches on as emotional Kvitova makes Open semis
MELBOURNE, Jan 22, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Rafael Nadal continued his relentless
march towards an 18th major title Tuesday as an emotional Petra Kvitova swept
into her first Grand Slam semi-final since a terrifying knife attack almost
ended her career.
On day nine of the Australian Open, the fairytale runs of Stefanos
Tsitsipas and Danielle Collins were also extended as they too swept into the
last four.
Second seed Nadal inched closer to winning an event he has only claimed
once before when he trounced unseeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
in another ruthless display from a man who has not dropped a set so far.
Tiafoe had announced himself by beating fifth seed Kevin Anderson, but was
no match for a player at the peak of his powers as he attempts to become only
the third man to win all four Slams twice and the first to do so in the Open
era.
“I had some trouble at this event all my career, so I’m very happy with
the way I played tonight,” said the Spaniard, who faces another young gun
Tsitsipas in the semi-finals.
“I feel lucky to be where I am.”
Greek sensation Tsitsipas powered into the last four with a measured 7-5,
4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) win over Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
The 20-year-old, who ended Swiss great Roger Federer’s tournament, became
the youngest man to reach the semis at Melbourne Park since Andy Roddick in
2003 and the first player from Greece — man or woman — to get so far at
Grand Slam.
“I’m just living the dream, living what I’ve been working hard for,” said
the 14th seed, who lives in Cyprus but trains at the academy of Serena
Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou in France.
“I feel a bit emotional but not too much — I know I really worked hard to
get here, playing in semis of a Grand Slam.”
Czech Kvitova had not gone past the last eight at a major since a burglar
slashed her left hand in December 2016, forcing her out of the game for six
months and leaving her with lasting nerve damage in the fingers of her
racquet hand.
But the eighth seed has bounced back and is on a sensational 10-match
unbeaten streak after claiming the Sydney International warm-up title.
She proved too much for Ashleigh Barty, crushing the local hope 6-1, 6-4,
and was in tears afterwards as she reflected on her long journey back to the
top.
“Really, I didn’t imagine to be back on this great stadium and play with
the best,” the two-time Wimbledon champion said.
“I’m calling it as my second career. So it’s the first semi-final of the
second career. I’m really enjoying it.”
Kvitova will face unseeded American Collins in the semi-final on Thursday
and she desperately wants to reach Saturday’s decider.
“I want it bad, that’s right,” she said.
Collins, the world number 35, had never won a Grand Slam match before
entering this year’s tournament but she stunned three-time major champion and
second seed Angelique Kerber in round four.
And the 25-year-old from Florida continued her Cinderella run by bouncing
back spectacularly to down Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 in
the quarter-finals.
Collins, who has spent long stretches of her career playing small
tournaments to build up her ranking points, was in big trouble after losing
the first set to the world number 44.
But she fearlessly battled back into the match to again stamp her mark on
the tournament.
“This has all been a really incredible experience,” she said.
“This time last year I was playing a challenger (tournament) in Newport
Beach. But, yeah, I think I’m really embracing it. It makes it a lot easier
when you play in front of great fans and really good energy.”
BSS/AFP/BZC/1825HRS