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January 23, 2018

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No surprises as Pliskova, Halep and Keys advance

Sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 win over No. 20 Barbora Strycova.

Pliskova clinched the match on her third match point when fellow Czech Strycova, who was serving, hit a backhand long.

“In the first set it was very close so I knew I needed to step up,” said Pliskova, who reached her second last eight at the Australian Open.

“I needed to play more aggressive.”

Pliskova will play top-seeded Simona Halep in the quarterfinals.

After successive first-round exits, top-seeded Simona Halep is going deep into the draw at this year’s Australian Open, advancing to the quarterfinals by beating Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-2.

Halep, who could lose her No. 1 ranking if she doesn’t win the title here, extended her record of not having lost a fourth-round match on hard courts at a grand slam since the 2013 US Open — she’s 10-2 in round-of-16 matches.

She had considerably less trouble beating Osaka than her third-round match, when she needed 3 hours, 45 minutes and saved triple match point to beat Lauren Davies.

US Open finalist Madison Keys also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-2 win over eighth-seeded Caroline Garcia of France.

Keys, who didn’t play at Melbourne Park last year because of off-season wrist surgery, is the only American woman left in the draw.

The 17th-seeded Keys should move back into the top 15 on the WTA rankings with her win yesterday.

In the quarterfinals, Keys will play 2016 Australian champion Angelique Kerber, who extended her winning streak to 13 matches with a frustration-filled 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Hsieh Su-wei.

“She plays winners and had answers for every single shot I had in the first two sets,” said a relieved Kerber, who added her fitness had been vital.




 

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