Muchova hits back to stun world No 1 Barty
KAROLINA Muchova stunned world number one Ashleigh Barty with a stunning comeback sparked by a medical time-out to progress into the Australian Open semi-finals following a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.
The 25th seed looked out of sorts in a first set which lasted only 24 minutes and at that stage it seemed the home favourite sealing her place in the last four was a formality.
A medical time-out proved the catalyst for the Czech to wrestle back some momentum and, after she levelled, it was Barty who lost her radar and a catalogue of unforced errors saw hopes of a maiden Australian Open victory ended.
For Muchova her remarkable tournament continues with Karolina Pliskova and Elise Mertens already dispatched but this victory tops the lot and seals a first appearance at the last four of a grand slam.
In her on-court interview, the 24-year-old semi-finalist reflected on her medical time-out and said: “I started to feel a bit lost at the end of the first set. My head was spinning so I took a break and it helped me. I tried to get back and play a bit faster and it worked well. They checked my (blood) pressure, I was a bit lost and spinning. They cooled me down with ice and it helped me.”
French Open winner Barty refused to be drawn into a debate about the long break in play when she attended her press conference.
She insisted: “If she wasn’t within the rules, the physios and the doctors would have said so. That’s the laws of our game, is that we have those medical time-outs for cases that are needed. Obviously she needed that today. Completely within the rules for her to take that.
“From my point of view, I’ve played a lot of matches where there have been medical timeouts. I’ve taken medical timeouts myself before, so that shouldn’t be a massive turning point in the match.
“I was disappointed I let that become a turning point. I’m experienced enough now to be able to deal with that.”
Jennifer Brady clinched a second consecutive last-four appearance at a major with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over fellow American Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals.