Australian Open 2019: Day 10 Round-Up, Pliskova stuns Williams, Nishikori retires and more
The tenth day of the lone Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific saw another bittersweet day at the courts where favorites fell and others marched ahead, amidst a lot of excitement all around. The key attraction was in the quarter finals of the women's draw of the Australian Open 2019 where a dramatic match took place between 7th seed Karolina Pliskova and 7-time Australian Open Champion, Serena Williams.
All looked to be cruising well for the 37-year-old Williams as she built a huge lead in the decider. When she was close to sealing the match, things went in a very different and disappointing direction for her.
Serena played her usual style of dominating tennis and badgered Pliskova to go up 5-1. With the audience having assumed the match would go to the feisty American anytime soon as she served on match point, things turned in the opposite direction when she wrenched her ankle during replay of a point.
Pliskova scooped up this rare opportunity and saved all the points to prevent Serena from running away with the match. The 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams was ever graceful in this sudden and shocking defeat as from serving on match point she went on to be on the losing side of the match.
She lauded Pliskova's brilliant efforts as the 7th seed defeated Serena in 4-6, 6-4, 5-7 and then went forward to set up a date with US Open 2018 champion, Naomi Osaka in a semi-final clash. The fans had all been rooting for a rematch of the controversial US Open final with Naomi and Serena facing off yet again, but such hopes were all crushed as the 37-year-old bowed out of the Australian Open.
However, the 21-year-old Naomi Osaka stayed true to her style as she swiftly surpassed World Number 6 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Osaka looked pretty unruffled in the 1 hour 12 minute match which she wrapped up in a neat 6-4, 6-1. Had Serena Williams won her match against Pliskova in the quarter-final clash, then Osaka would have been made to lock horns with her childhood idol yet again.
On the men's front, World Number 1 Novak Djokovic looked to be in scathing form as he began the routine job of demolishing Kei Nishikori. In the brief 52 minute encounter, the 29-year-old Kei Nishikori failed to find enough steam to see him through 3 sets and play an entire match. Having been made to fight his way in tight five-setters in the last 3 encounters, Nishikori looked fatigued and Djokovic was in a top-notch form and it was difficult for Nishikori to spot any chinks in the Serb's armour.
Nishikori retired mid-way into the second set of the match with the scoreboard reading 6-1,4-1 in the numero uno player's favour. While favorites in both men's and women's circle are quickly falling like dominoes, Djokovic is still keeping his hopes alive as he stays in quiet quest for a 7th Australian Open title at Melbourne.
In the other quarter-final of the day, we had Canada's big-serving Milos Raonic being made to go the length by Frenchman Lucas Pouille. The French 28th seed in the tournament displayed some of his very best tennis as the battle grew intensely physical and exhausting with the match spanning a little over 3 hours and lasting a good 4 hard-fought sets. Pouille established his fine form as he grabbed the first 2 sets before Raonic stormed back briefly in the match only to be bested by Pouille in an easy fourth set in 6-7,3-6,7-6,4-6.
With the quarter finals concluded, Day 11 will showcase the semi-finals of both categories-men and women. Whilst it'll be Naomi Osaka going up against Karolina Pliskova on one hand, we'll have Danielle Collins of USA going up against Petra Kvitova in the other semi final.
On the men's side, we'll have Rafael Nadal trying his best to oust the ambitious Greek and Federer-slayer Stefan Tsistipas in the first semi-final while in the other encounter, which will happen on Friday, it'll be Novak Djokovic going up against Lucas Pouille.