ZCZC
BSP-13
TENNIS-AUS-OPEN
Osaka, Williams survive scares to reach Australian Open last eight
MELBOURNE, Feb 14, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Naomi Osaka saved two match points
and Serena Williams recovered from losing her first set of the tournament as
they fought their way into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Sunday.
Japan’s Osaka edged a thriller with fellow major-winner Garbine Muguruza
and Williams came through a physical test against Aryna Sabalenka to maintain
her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
Unheralded Russian debutant Aslan Karatsev extended his fairytale run, and
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei, 35, reached the last eight for the first time after 16
years of trying.
Later, all eyes will be on whether eight-time winner Novak Djokovic can
recover from a serious abdominal injury in time for his night match with
Milos Raonic, last up on Rod Laver Arena.
Second seed Simona Halep will also be looking for revenge against Polish
teenager Iga Swiatek, who beat the Romanian easily on the way to a maiden
Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last year.
In an empty Rod Laver Arena, with fans barred on the second day of a five-
day, state-wide coronavirus lockdown, Osaka was on the verge of elimination
at 3-5, 15-40 on her serve in the third set.
But the three-time major champion rattled off four points in a row and
then twice broke Muguruza’s serve to prevail 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
“I felt like I was intimidated because she was playing so well,” said
Osaka, after her first meeting with last year’s beaten finalist.
“On the stressful points, I had to play within myself.”
Williams, 39, was also meeting Sabalenka for the first time and she had to
weather an onslaught from the Belarusian to reach the last eight 6-4, 2-6, 6-
4.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, she was teeing off on every shot,”
said the American, who was on upset alert before rallying to take a tight
third set.
– History-makers –
Earlier Taiwan’s Hsieh became the oldest player to make a last-eight debut
in the Open era after winning 6-4, 6-2 against Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who
is 14 years her junior.
“I try to pretend I’m only 18 years old,” said Hsieh, who made her Slam
debut in 2005 and is playing her 38th major.
Karatsev also claimed a slice of history as he became the first player in
25 years to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final on debut, stunning 20th seed
Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets.
The 27-year-old, a virtual unknown before the tournament started, battled
back from two sets down to upset the Canadian 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
“It took me two sets to find a way how to play,” Karatsev said. “In the
end I got into the rhythm in the third and fifth.”
Djokovic has been given the maximum amount of time to recover from a
midriff muscle tear that left him grimacing during his attritional, five-set
win over American Taylor Fritz late on Friday.
Djokovic, who chose not to practise on Saturday to seek medical advice and
treatment, said he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to face Raonic in the late
match.
Swiatek, 19, will open the night session against Halep, after hammering
the two-time Grand Slam champion for the loss of just three games in the
French Open’s last 16.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem — who came from two sets down to beat Nick
Kyrgios and silence a vociferous crowd — also faces Bulgarian 18th seed
Grigor Dimitrov in a fan-free Rod Laver Arena.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1425HRS