AUSTRALIAN OPEN;
Serena battles while Gauff and Osaka set for epic clash
SERENA
Williams admitted she was frustrated and not at her best as she fought off a stubborn Tamara Zidansek to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday.
The American great, one short of Australian Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles, faces China’s 27th seed Wang Qiang next in Melbourne.
The 38-year-old Williams was never in serious trouble against the 70th-ranked Slovenian Zidansek, winning 6-2, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena.
But the eighth seed was restrained in her celebrations and said: “It was a good match for me, she was a really good fighter, she did not just let me win.”
The 22-year-old Zidansek put up resistance in the second set with Williams twice failing to break when 40-0 up on the Slovenian’s serve.
Williams then struggled through her own service game at 3-2 down, with a brief stoppage while the roof closed because of more rain in Melbourne.
Williams finally broke Zidansek’s stubborn resolve in the seventh game, getting the break of serve on the way to victory in one hour 18 minutes.
The American great described herself as “frustrated” by her failure to bury her opponent in those two service games.
“I made so many errors in a row and had to battle through my own internal problems,” said Williams.
“I knew I had to play better and couldn’t keep making unforced errors like that, otherwise it was going to be a long evening for me.”
Williams, who has won the Australian Open seven times, thrashed Wang 6-1, 6-0 when they met at the US Open quarterfinals last year.
She dropped just three games in her opening win over Russian teenager Anastasia Potapova on Monday in Melbourne.
GAUFF SETS UP BLOCKBUSTER WITH OSAKA
Fifteen-year-old prodigy Coco Gauff recovered from a set down to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday, setting up a mouthwatering meeting with reigning champion Naomi Osaka.
The American teenager, playing just her third Grand Slam and her first at Melbourne, celebrated wildly after defeating Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Japan’s Osaka, a relative veteran at age 22, defeated the fast-rising Gauff in straight sets in the third round of last year’s US Open in their only previous match.
“It was emotional,” the young American, ranked 67 in the world, told Melbourne Arena after her latest scalp.
“I never thought I would have so many people supporting me,” she added after dumping out Cirstea.
Of her looming showdown on Friday with two-time Grand Slam winner Osaka, Gauff said: “She’s a great competitor so I think it’s going to be a good match.”
OSAKA LOSES COOL
Osaka, the former world No 1 and third seed, booked her spot in the third round despite a mid-match fit of pique.
The Japanese dealt better with the blustery Melbourne conditions to defeat China’s 42nd-ranked Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4.
But there was a flash of temper from Osaka when Zheng broke early in the second set, throwing her racquet to the floor, then giving it a kick for good measure.
She also threw down a ball and tossed the racquet down again as she slumped to her chair, covering her head with her towel.
“I just wanted to fight, I’ve been in this position before on this court (a break down in the second set) and I was thinking that I really don’t want to play a third set this time,” Osaka said.
Osaka wrapped up a dominant first set in 34 minutes with a stinging forehand.
After the blip of dropping her serve at the start of the second set, Osaka wrestled two breaks back, sealing victory when Zheng again double-faulted.
EMOTIONAL WOZNIACKI KEEPS HOPES ALIVE
An emotional Caroline Wozniacki had tears in her eyes as she kept alive her dreams of a triumphant farewell to tennis at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old former world No 1 roared back in both sets to defeat 23rd-seeded Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine 7-5, 7-5.
Neil Diamond’s hit “Sweet Caroline” rang around a blustery Margaret Court Arena after the Dane nailed the sixth match point to reach round three in blustery Melbourne.
She plays Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
“It’s a little bit emotional for me,” said Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open winner who announced in December that this would be her final tournament.
“The crowd really got behind me so that was so special. Thank you everyone for coming out today, it really means a lot to me,” she added, fighting back tears.
The 19-year-old Yastremska, beaten by world No 1 Ashleigh Barty in last week’s final in Adelaide, threatened to put a swift end to Wozniacki’s career.
But having been 5-1 down in the first set, Wozniacki – who suffers with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes fatigue and joint pain – fought back to claim the set in 53 tough minutes.
Now ranked 36th, having ended 2010 and 2011 at No
1 in the world, Wozniacki was similarly quickly down 3-0 in the second set.
But once again she battled back to make it 4-4, then held her own serve to lead 5-4 and within touching distance of round three.
Yastremska then required a medical timeout for what appeared to be a left thigh problem, and returned to court with heavy strapping.
She saved five match points, but with the crowd firmly behind her, Wozniacki would not be denied.
BARTY BREEZES INTO NEXT ROUND
World No 1 Ashleigh Barty made light of windy conditions to reach the Australian Open third round in front of an adoring home crowd on Wednesday.
The French Open champion took just 66 minutes to dismantle Slovenia’s Polona Hercog, winning 6-1, 6-4 without dropping any service games at Rod Laver Arena.
“A clean match today – I’m really happy to get out of that one,” said Barty, who needed three sets to see off Lesia Tsurenko in the first round.
“It was very different end to end, I think the wind was a massive factor particularly with the new ball,” she added.
“Polona’s got the ability to blow you off the court but once I got my opportunities I was able to take them.”
Barty, 23, reached the quarterfinals last year – her best result at the Australian Open, which hasn’t seen a home women’s winner since Chris O’Neil in 1978.
It came at the start of a breakthrough season when she won Roland Garros and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open, equalling or bettering her best performance at each tournament.
Japan’s Osaka, a relative veteran at age 22, defeated the fast- rising Gauff in straight sets in the third round of last year’s US Open in their only previous match.
Williams finally broke Zidansek’s stubborn resolve in the seventh game, getting the break of serve on the way to victory in one hour 18 minutes. The American great described herself as “frustrated” by her failure to bury her opponent in those two service games.