Australian Open | Gračová – Ka. Plíšková 4:6, 2:6, Plíšková is in the round of 16 at the Australian Open, Fruhvirtová is more successful in the Czech derby

Gračová started the match by winning serve, but at 1:1, Plíšková already won the decisive break of the opening set. The Russian, who defeated the strong Darja Kasatkinova in the first round, did not erase the deficit and lost the set 4:6.

In the second set, the experienced Czech broke her opponent’s serve in the opening game and controlled the action on the court during the first duel between the two tennis players. At 2:4 from Russia’s point of view, Gračová again lost her serve and Plíšková then brought the duel to a winning end in the Rod Laver Arena in one hour and seventeen minutes.

The Czech served well and did not give her opponent a single chance to break. “The serve can of course be my weapon, at least then I don’t have to run as much. But even the game from the baseline was solid,” she smiled during the post-match interview right on the court.

“I have good memories of this court, I hope to visit it again. Now I will watch the match that will determine my opponent. I will try to prepare well for that match,” she added. She will face Zhang Shuai from China to advance to the quarterfinals.

On Saturday, from the Czech point of view, the derby between Markéta Vondroušová and Linda Fruhvirtová is still on the agenda. Vondroušová fought her way to the third round at the expense of world number two Tunisian Uns Džábirová, the 17-year-old Fruhvirtová making it this far at the Grand Slam for the first time. They will compete on the international stage for the first time.

The Czech Barbora Krejčíková won her place in the round of 16 already on Friday, when she eliminated the Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalininová.

The first set of the Czech derby offered a dramatic spectacle full of twists and turns. Fruhvirtová led her compatriot 2:0 and 4:2, but then the more experienced Vondroušová won three games in a row and it seemed that she could win the opening part of the match in her favor. But then, for a change, the young star took over and turned the score around with three games in a row and won the set.

On the other hand, Vondroušová dominated the second act, when she took the younger compatriot’s serve twice and after the result 6:2, she had to decide the winner in the third set.

Both tennis players had health problems during the third set and had to be treated. But the match was finally finished and after a thrilling turn Linda Fruhvirtová was able to beat Markéta Vondroušová 6:3.

The 17-year-old tennis player thus won the 3rd round of the Australian Open against compatriot Markéta Vondroušová 7:5, 2:6, 6:3 and will play in the Grand Slam round of 16 for the first time. The native of Prague won the Czech fight with an opponent six years older in two hours and ten minutes. In the fight for the quarterfinals of her life, she will challenge the 64th player in the world, Croatian Donna Vekičová.

The talented Fruhvirtova, ranked 82nd in the WTA rankings, continues to improve on her Grand Slam highs in her main event debut in Melbourne. Her best result to date was the 2nd round at last year’s US Open. After winning over the Australians Jaimee Fourlisová and Kimberly Birrellová, she also succeeded over Vondroušová, who knocked out world number two Uns Džábirová from Tunisia in the 2nd round.

A few hours after the singles match, Fruhvirtová entered the doubles with American Alison Riske Amritraj. In the 2nd round, they were not enough for the first seeded pair and the defending champions Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková, who lost twice 2:6 in one hour and two minutes. The winners of last year’s three Grand Slams will meet the Georgian-American pair Oksana Kalashnikova and Alycia Parks in the round of 16.

“It’s unbelievable and I’m happy to be able to say: Hello, the second of the week,” said Fruhvirtová at the press conference. “I’m still seventeen years old. This is my second participation in the main competition of the Grand Slam and being among the top sixteen is amazing. Markéta is an excellent player who can beat anyone. The last time she beat the world number two,” added Fruhvirtová.