Serena advances; 5-day lockdown begins
MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams overcame erratic strokes and two set points to beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (5), 6-2 Friday and reach the fourth round at the Australian Open.
The surprisingly close match entertained a modest crowd in Rod Laver Arena, but government officials announced fans will be banned from the tournament for five days beginning Saturday because of a COVID-19 outbreak at a Melbourne hotel. The Grand Slam tournament had been the first in a year to allow sizeable crowds.
Williams was eliminated in the third round at Melbourne last year, and appeared destined for the same fate until the 19-yearold Potapova became unnerved. Serving at 5-4, the young Russian held two set points but double-faulted five times and was broken.
Potapova squandered another lead in the tiebreaker, committing unforced errors on the final three points. The last was perhaps the best of the match, with Williams playing spectacular defense to extend a 21-shot rally that ended when a weary Potapova misfired on a forehand.
Another wild scramble two games later swung the match even more in Williams’ direction and had her laughing before the rally ended. She chased down a drop shot at the net, retreated to retrieve a lob, and watched from near the backstop as Potapova smacked an overhead into the net.
Williams won despite losing serve three times and committing 31 unforced errors.
“I definitely feel good to be in the fourth round,” she said. “It’s about surviving and playing better every round.”
Williams learned the news about the ban after her match.
“No more fans? Wow. It’s sad,” she told ESPN. “Five days? I need to stick around then.”
Seeded 10th, she’ll next face Aryna Sabalenka, who matched her best Grand Slam showing by advancing to the round of 16 with a win over American Ann Li, 6-3, 6-1.
Williams, 39, is again seeking to tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles. Williams won her 23rd at the 2017 Australian Open.
Sabalenka is the only woman among the top 16 seeds who has yet to reach a major quarterfinal. Her best effort previously came when she earned a fourthround berth at the 2018 U.S. Open.
“I really want to play well in the Grand Slams, go as far as I can,” Sabalenka said.
“I’m trying to come out in the big stadiums and show my best.”
The Belarusian did that by overpowering Li from the start, winning her first two service games at love and then breaking at love. Sabalenka held every serve and pounded 15 forehand winners.
Sabalenka, 22, has won 23 of her past 26 matches.
Later matches on the men’s side included eighttime Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic against American Taylor Fritz.
In other third-round play, No. 14-seeded Garbine Muguruza defeated Zarina Diyas 6-1, 6-1. No. 19 Marketa Vondrousova beat Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-4.
Muguruza reach the fourth round for the sixth time. She saved all five break points she faced in the match, including while serving for the match at 6-1, 5-1, when she hit a backhand passing shot winner to end a 29-shot rally.
Muguruza, the 2020 Australian Open finalist, has dropped just 10 games in her first three matches in Melbourne. She next faces Naomi Osaka, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Ons Jabeur.
No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round by dispatching Michael Mmoh 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. No. 4 seed Danil Medvedev won his second-round match against Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 7-5, 6-1.
Scheduled to open the night session at Rod Laver Arena were second-seeded Simon Halep vs. Veronika Kudermetova, followed by defending champion Novak Djokovic against Taylor Fritz.
Over on Margaret Court Arena, the all-Canadian pair of Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime were slated to start the night session, followed by French Open champion Iga Swiatek’s match against Fiona Ferro. At Cain Arena, local hope Nick Kyrgios will was set to face U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.
Those will be the last fanattended matches until at least Wednesday.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said all residents of Melbourne and the rest of the state must stay home except for essential shopping, care, exercise and work as authorities battle to contain the outbreak which has seen cases in the state grow to 19.
The tournament, which is nearing its midway point, will continue.
“We must assume that there are further cases in the community than we have positive results for, and that it is moving at a velocity that has not been seen anywhere in our country over the course of these last 12 months,” Andrews said.