Serena says goodbye . . . as does Caroline
China’s Wang Qiang has sent 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams crashing out in the third round of the Australian Open with a stunning three-set triumph in Melbourne.
The No 27 seed Wang, who beat current world No 1 Ashleigh Barty at last year’s US Open, ousted the eighth-seeded American 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 in a match lasting two hours and 41 minutes.
The defeat means Williams, 38, remains one title behind Margaret Court on the all-time list of women’s major winners.
It was Williams’ earliest exit at Melbourne Park in 14 years.
Wang was on the verge of what would have been a straight-sets victory when she served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, only for Williams to secure her only break yesterday.
The seven-times champion went on tiebreaker.
But Wang held her nerve in a tense final set, securing the crucial break in the 12th and final game with her third match point.
‘‘My team always believed I could do it,’’ said Wang, who won only one game in her previous encounter with Williams in the quarterfinals at last year’s US Open.
‘‘After last year I did really hard work on and off the court.’’
Wang said she had no plans to celebrate Chinese New Year today, preferring instead to rest up and prepare for her fourth-round encounter with Ons Jabeur.
The Tunisian sent former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki into retirement by beating the Dane 7-5 3-6 7-5.
In other matches, seventh seed Petra Kvitova, of the Czech Republic, belted No 25 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, of Russia, 6-1 6-2 after Australia’s Barty started the day’s proceedings by beating big-hitting Kazakh youngster Elena Rybakina 6-3 6-2.
Melbourne Park to dominate the
It was an emotional farewell for Wozniacki. The champion at Melbourne Park two years ago, Wozniacki choked back tears as she paid special tribute to her lifelong coach and father Piotr yesterday.
‘‘I usually don’t cry, so sorry but these are the special memories that I will always cherish,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s been a great ride. I’m ready for the next chapter. I’m really excited about what’s next to come.’’
Revered as one of the fiercest fighters women’s tennis has ever seen, Wozniacki landed her only grand slam crown in Melbourne with an epic victory over Simona Halep.
‘‘It was only fitting that my last match would be a three-setter, a grinder, and a forehand error. I’ve been working on those things my whole career. I guess this was just meant to be,’’ the great Dane said.
In backing up her first-round upset win over 12th seed Johanna Konta, Jabeur is through to the last 16 at a major for the first time in her career.
‘‘I’m really happy, especially because this grand slam I usually lose first round,’’ the 25-year-old said.
‘‘I don’t have much experience so I was nervous, especially in that last set.’’
The only Arab to have ever made a WTA final, Jabeur will play Wang tomorrow for a spot in the quarterfinals.
In the men’s draw, reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic set up a fourth-round encounter with Diego Schwartzman with a clinical win over Yoshihito Nishioka.
The No 2 seed breezed through the third-round clash, registering a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over the Japanese in just one hour and 25 minutes.
It’s the 13th time the Serb has made it to the last 16 at Melbourne Park as he chases a record-extending eighth crown.