Sensational teen eyes champ Osaka
SHOT AT HISTORY: WILLIAMS CAN STILL EQUAL RECORD
Fifteen-year-old prodigy Coco Gauff set up an Australian Open blockbuster with defending champion Naomi Osaka yesterday, as a pumped-up Serena Williams took another step towards a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.
On a day when men’s seeds tumbled, Novak Djokovic strode into the third round to be joined by Roger Federer, who dismissed Filip Krajinovic 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.
American teenager Gauff, showing a tenacity which is becoming her trademark, clawed her way back from a set down to beat Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Gauff, who screamed and pumped her fists as she completed her victory, said her “will to win” had got her through the tough second-round match at a windswept Melbourne Park.
“My parents always told me you can always come back – no matter what the score is,” said Gauff.
Osaka, 22, beat China’s Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4 but briefly lost her cool mid-match, hurling and kicking her racquet when she gave up a break in the second set.
“I was thinking I really don’t want to play a third set this time,” explained Osaka.
Former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki, playing her final tournament before retiring, came from behind in both sets for a 7-5, 7-5 win over Dayana Yastremska.
Williams shouted at the top of her voice during a testing second set against 70th-ranked Tamara Zidansek, before seeing off break points to win 6-2, 6-3.
“She was a really good fighter – she did not just let me win,” said Williams.
Earlier, Australia’s world No 1 Ashleigh Barty raced through 6-1, 6-4 against Polona Hercog, buoying hopes of a first home winner since 1978.
“It was very different end to end, I think the wind was a massive factor particularly with the new ball,” she said.
Djokovic also weathered the breeze which followed heavy rain on Monday and smog from bushfires last week to beat Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 .
“They were tough conditions, pretty windy and it was hard to know where the balls were going. My serve helped a lot to get me out of trouble,” said the Serb.
Federer was barely detained by Krajinovic, the world No 41, as he moved smoothly through in 92 min in the night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Tennys Sandgren, engulfed in controversy during his run to the 2018 quarterfinals, took the biggest scalp so far when he ousted eighth seed Matteo Berrettini.
Stefanos Tsitsipas was handed a slice of fortune when Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew injured. – AFP