Staff Reporter.
(AFP) – Donna Vekic ended the fairytale Australian Open of Linda Fruhvirtova in the fourth round on Monday, eventually overcoming the 17-year-old 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.
Croatia’s unseeded Vekic plays fifth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus for a place in the semifinals at Melbourne Park.
The last-16 match was uncharted territory for the Czech Republic’s Fruhvirtova, the youngest player left in the draw.
The teenager reached the second round of the 2022 US Open on her Grand Slam debut and her run in Melbourne was more proof of her rich promise.
But in the end it was 64th-ranked Vekic who is into a maiden Australian Open quarterfinal after a terrifically entertaining 2hr 7min tussle at Margaret Court Arena.
“I didn’t really feel like I had much control in the second set to be honest, but I just had to keep fighting and hoping and believing that I will win,” said the 26-year-old Vekic.
Vekic said she had been hoping to play Belinda Bencic in the last eight, but the Swiss was overpowered in straight sets by the ominous-looking Sabalenka.
“Really sad it’s not Belinda,” said Vekic, who is good friends with the Swiss world number 10. “But I’m sure she’ll give me some tips.”
Vekic extended her win streak to start the season to seven matches, after being unbeaten in three matches at the United Cup.
She was quickest out of the blocks, taking an emphatic first set in 39 minutes.
But the 82nd-ranked Fruhvirtova struck back, showing all the fighting spirit and talent that has earmarked her as a future Grand Slam champion, romping to the second set in 35 minutes.
But it was the more experienced Vekic who was able to stay the distance, although she needed to battle the never-say-die Fruhvirtova another 53 minutes to edge to victory.
POLAND’S LINETTE SHOCKS FOURTH SEED GARCIA AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Caroline Garcia was knocked out of the Australian Open in the fourth round Monday by Magda Linette, becoming the latest top seed to suffer an early exit at the first Grand Slam of the year.
Poland’s Linette outfought the French world No 4 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.
The 45th-ranked Linette gave a sizeable contingent of red-and-white-clad Polish fans on Rod Laver Arena plenty to cheer, just 24 hours after they witnessed countrywoman and top seed Iga Swiatek being bundled out.
Linette, 30, had never before gone past the third round at the Australian Open in six previous attempts.
She was almost overcome after reaching her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal in 1hr 57min.
“I don’t really believe it,” she said. “I still can’t believe it, I don’t know what happened.
“I’m speechless, really. I don’t know what to say.
“But I don’t want to say I didn’t expect it, because coming on the court I was confident in how well I’m playing,” added Linette, who has now knocked out the 19th, 16th and fourth seeds.
Garcia had endured a 2hr 10min battle just to get to the fourth round and avoid a massive upset against world number 158 Laura Siegemund.
But she started the first set well, breaking immediately, but the gritty Linette hung on and refused to lie down.
Garcia started to become more erratic and nerves kicked in as she served for the set at 5-4.
A double fault gave Linette a break-back point, the Frenchwoman saving it with a crosscourt winner.
But Linette was rewarded for her tenacity with a second chance and this time Garcia went long off a forehand.
In the tiebreak, Linette was again the more solid and took it with ease, tellingly committing just eight unforced errors in the entire set against Garcia’s mounting tally of 19.
“She’s such an amazing opponent, such a tough one, especially on the big stage,” said Linette.
“I’m just glad I stayed composed throughout the whole first set and managed to come back again.”
The second set was another tight affair, Linette grabbing the crucial break at 4-4 and serving out for one of the biggest wins of her career.
She will now face former world No 1 and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic for a place in the semifinal after the 30th seed served 12 aces in a 55-minute straight-sets romp against Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai.
SABALENKA BLOWS AWAY BENCIC TO REACH FIRST AUSTRALIAN OPEN QUARTERFINAL
Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka was in unstoppable mood Monday as she sprinted into her maiden quarterfinal at the Australian Open, blowing away Belinda Bencic with a brutal display of power hitting.
The Belarusian fifth seed won 7-5, 6-2 in 1hr 27min on Rod Laver Arena to set up a last-eight clash against either Donna Vekic or Linda Fruhvirtova.
Sabalenka was troubled only once in the match, dropping her serve early in the first set to the Swiss 12th seed.
But she demonstrated her new-found mental steel, all too often missing from her game in the past, to calmly break back and take the initiative.
“My whole life, it took me a little while to understand that negative emotion is not gonna help you on court,” said Sabalenka, who reached the US Open semifinal last season but had never been beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park before.
“You have to just stay strong and believe no matter what and then do everything you can.
“So just super happy with the mind set during the game today. Yeah, I did a wonderful job.”
Sabalenka and Bencic have both been on a roll this year in Australia and came into the first Grand Slam of the year as the form players.
They each won titles in Adelaide this month, both were yet to drop a set in Melbourne before the last-16 showdown, and both were on seven-match unbeaten runs.
The Belarusian had taken just 74 minutes to rip past her former doubles partner Elise Mertens in the previous round.
Bencic, of Switzerland, was just as dominant in her 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Camila Giorgi.
The pair exchanged early breaks in a high-quality first set which ended on a sour note for Bencic, who blinked first under relentless pressure from Sabalenka.
Serving at 5-6, Sabalenka hammered a forehand return winner past the Swiss to bring up two set points, only for Bencic to serve her fourth double fault and gift the advantage to her higher-ranked opponent after 52 minutes.
At 2-1 in the second, Sabalenka increased the intensity again, pummelling deep returns.
Bencic, no slouch herself when it comes to hitting a tennis ball hard, was forced into the retreat.
The Swiss again faltered on break point, this time serving her seventh double fault.
Sabalenka sensed the finish line approaching, powering down a fourth ace next game to extend her lead to 4-1.
The end soon followed, another forehand winner sealing a second break and the match.
PLISKOVA OVERPOWERS ZHANG TO REACH AUSTRALIAN OPEN LAST EIGHT
Former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova kept herself on track for a maiden Grand Slam title Monday, romping past Zhang Shuai 6-0, 6-4 and into the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The Czech 30th seed continued her confident run at Melbourne Park with a sizzling serving display, banging down 12 aces to destroy the 23rd seed from China on the Kia Arena showcourt.
“I thought I started really well today, super aggressive,” said Pliskova, who raced through the first set in just 21 minutes.
“But I was going for it, especially the first set. A little bit slowed down in the second set, but also she started to play a bit better. Maybe a bit smarter.
“But I’m just happy that I made it because the second set, it could go, I think, both ways.”
Pliskova, who endured a torrid 2022 and missed last year’s Australian Open with a wrist injury, was imperious in reaching her 11th Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The 30-year-old has won 16 WTA Tour titles and reached the semifinal at Melbourne Park in 2019.
Pliskova is yet to drop a set and on this form has an opportunity to go all the way, especially with the top two seeds, Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur, already out.
Pliskova will face Polish world number 45 Magda Linette for a place in the semifinal.
Last season Pliskova plummeted from fourth in the world and finished outside the top 30 for the first time since 2013.
Along the way she was bundled out of the French Open in the second round by a 277th-ranked qualifier as her fortunes on court hit rock bottom.
“Last year was tough, especially missing Australia, which is my favourite country and my favourite tournament to play,” she said.
“It was difficult to get back into shape, but I’m happy that I’m competing back at the level I want to be.
“It’s always great to be in the second week of a Slam and hopefully I can stay a bit longer.”
Another second-round exit at Wimbledon prompted her to sack coach Sascha Bajin, the German who guided Naomi Osaka to back-to-back Grand Slam titles at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open.
In December she rehired Bajin, who was seen beaming courtside Monday, and the turnaround in her form as a result has been rapid.
“We have had some great success together,” she said.
“So that’s why it took him back. I believe we have plenty more tournaments to come and plenty more success. So hopefully, we can finally win some trophies together.”