Halep hurting after marathon
TOP seed Simona Halep will have to overcome a lingering ankle injury to continue her charge towards her first Grand Slam title.
After a marathon threehour 45-minute win over American Lauren Davis on Saturday, Halep’s recuperative powers have been severely tested ahead of her fourthround clash against Japan’s Naomi Osaka (68) today.
Halep, 26, rolled her left ankle in the first-round win over Australian Destanee Aiava and required more painkillers in Saturday’s epic win.
The 4-6 6-4 15-13 triumph equalled the record for most games played (48) in an Australian Open women’s draw.
Halep, who planned to keep off her feet yesterday, said the injury could continue to hamper her.
“It’s sore,” she said after the win. “I felt the pain. It’s not recovered.
“After this match I think tomorrow is going to be worse, but I just push, push myself, and we will see what’s going to happen.”
The Romanian has beaten Osaka in their two meetings, although the 20-year-old has pushed Halep in both matches.
Osaka knocked Australian Ashleigh Barty out of the tournament on Saturday 6-4 6-2, using guile and power to underline her status as one of the best young up-and-coming talents in the women’s tour.
Halep said she would have to use her excellent court coverage to edge out the aggressive Osaka.
The winner will press through to the quarterfinals against the winner of the Barbora Strycova (20) versus Karolina Pliskova (6) match. SHATTERED Ashleigh Barty can console herself with a fresh career-high ranking after her “unbelievable” summer came to a shuddering halt at Melbourne Park.
Barty is projected to rise to 15th in the world after following up her charge to the Sydney International final with a third-round Australian Open showing.
But the 21-year-old was unable to hide her abject disappointment at letting slip a huge opportunity to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Barty was blown off the court by big-hitting – but unseeded – Japanese youngster Naomi Osaka, just as a shot at wounded and weary world No.1 Simona Halep beckoned.
“It wasn’t a good day at the office for me,” Barty said after the 6-4 6-2 shellacking.
“I’m pretty shattered and it’s a missed opportunity only because we’ve done well to get here and would have loved to have gone further.
“But we’ve still had a pretty unbelievable summer.”
Barty was ranked 153rd when she departed Melbourne this time last year, but is now being earmarked as a Grand Slam champion in waiting.
While stung by her loss, the Queenslander wasn’t about to lose sight of her achievements over the past 12 months.
After landing her maiden WTA title last year in Kuala Lumpur, Barty soared to world No.17 in November with a semi-final berth at the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai.
The former Wimbledon junior champion was rewarded with the 2017 Newcombe Medal as Australia’s most outstanding player of the year before raising hopes of an Open title tilt with her foray in Sydney.
Her Open exit was without controversy.
After thriving on Rod Laver Arena in back-to-back comeback wins in her opening two matches, Barty had again been scheduled to play on centre court against Osaka.
But a backlog of matches on the marquee court meant their clash was shifted to the smaller Margaret Court Arena.
Osaka described the shift in courts – and subsequent reduction in home support – as “good for me” but Barty refused to buy into suggestions it might have influenced the outcome.
“That had nothing to do with it,” Barty said.
“I had phenomenal support in Margaret Court Arena as well ... I enjoyed playing out there.”
Barty will lead Australia in next month’s Fed Cup tie against Ukraine in Canberra before contesting tournaments in the Middle East, Indian Wells and Miami. not