AUSTRALIAN OPEN – Barbora Krejčíková (28) did not win her second Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open. The winner of the French Open 2021 in Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena did not find a weapon against the defending champion Aryna Sabalenkova (25), who she lost smoothly 2:6, 3:6 and lost the sixth of seven mutual duels. The Belarusian also won her eighth major quarter-final 2-0 in sets and may be looking to avenge her defeat in last year’s US Open final against Coco Gauff, 19. The American teenager defeated Ukrainian Marta Kostyukova (21) after a three-hour fight, extended her unbeaten streak to 10 matches and improved her Melbourne record for the second time.
Krejčíková – Sabalenková 2:6, 3:6
Barbora Krejčíková in Melbourne, thanks to a favorable draw, defeated three of her four opponents after turning from 0:1 to sets, and by advancing to the fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal, she equaled her best at the Australian Open.
For the fourth time, however, she did not reverse the unfavorable development. After 61 minutes of play, she lost to world number two Aryna Sabalenková 2:6, 3:6 and lost the sixth out of seven mutual duels.
Statistics of the match Barbora Krejčíková – Aryna Sabalenková (@ Livesport)
The fight for the semi-finals was supposed to start at Rod Laver Arena at 9:00 CET (19:00 Melbourne time), but the previous schedule was significantly extended and the tennis players reached the court two hours late. They could perform as planned in the Margaret Court Arena, but they refused the organizers’ offer and preferred to wait for the full central court.
And from the opening exchanges, Sabalenková pelted Krejčíková, the oldest of the eight quarter-finalists, with hard shots and tried to end the exchanges quickly. In both sets, she quickly built up a 4:1 lead with two back breaks, and even the subsequent service losses did not have to upset her too much.
A sixth consecutive Grand Slam Semi Final. A 12th consecutive win at Melbourne Park. @SabalenkaA is looking formidable. @Kia_Worldwide • #Kia • #MakeYourMove@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/EPBDXMtK3Z
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2024
Krejčíková hit only six winning shots in the match and committed 24 unforced errors. She didn’t even come close to her second Grand Slam semifinal, which she only played at Roland Garros 2021. That time, she made it to triumph on the Paris clay and also added a doubles trophy alongside Kateřina Siniaková.
The 28-year-old native of Ivančice does not have to pack her bags in Melbourne yet. On Wednesday, she and Germany’s Laura Siegemundová also face the quarterfinals in the women’s doubles against the domestic best doubles player in the world, Storm Hunter, and her longtime partner Siniaková, who initiated the unexpected interruption of their successful cooperation after last season.
Sabalenka d. Barbora Krejcikova 6-2 6-3
Aryna remains undefeated in Grand Slam Quarterfinals.
8 wins. 0 losses.
6-0 6-1
6-3 6-2
6-0 6-0
6-3 6-2
6-2 6-3She has lost just 16 games to reach the SF
✅12 match win streak at Australian Open
The woman to beat. pic.twitter.com/PKoNPSpCQH
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 23, 2024
Sabalenkova played in the quarterfinals at the sixth consecutive Grand Slam and the eighth overall in her career. At this stage of the majors, she now has a fantastic record of 8-0 in matches and 16-0 in sets, in which she only had to go to a tie-break once.
“I played great tennis and I hope I will continue to do so. Thank you all for the wonderful atmosphere you have created here again. I really like playing here, of all the Grand Slams I probably have the most support here.” praised a well-tempered Sabalenková in the post-match interview on the court, who has not lost 12 matches in a row in Melbourne. This year, in five duels, she lost a total of 16 games.
Sabalenková will play the semifinals at the sixth major in a row and will aim for her third final overall. She transformed the first one a year ago at the Australian Open into her most valuable triumph, the second at last year’s US Open she lost to Coco Gauffová. And it is with the American teenager, with whom she loses 2:4 in the head-to-head record, that she will see revenge in Australia after five months.
Kostuková – Gauffová 6:7, 7:6, 2:6
World number four Gauff, who has been in great form in recent months. At the beginning of last August, she only owned trophies from the WTA 250 events, but then she celebrated her first triumph at the WTA 500 (Washington), WTA 1000 (Cincinnati) event and at the Grand Slam (US Open).
She obviously hasn’t lost her form in the break between seasons and hasn’t lost yet in 2024. In Auckland, she successfully managed the premier role of defending champion, improved her excellent final record to 7:1 and is now experiencing her most successful Australian Open.
Statistics of the match Marta Kosťuková – Coco Gauffová (@ Livesport)
After four smooth two-set wins, she dealt with her first complications only in her first Melbourne quarter-final. Marta Kosťuková, playing her first quarterfinal at a Grand Slam, ran away from 1:5 and two set points in the first set, and subsequently did not hold the lead 7:6 and 5:3 and lost a set for the first time.
However, the 19-year-old American eventually defeated the Ukrainian, two years older. After more than three hours of fighting, she won 7:6, 6:7, 6:2 and won her 10th match this year. And this despite the fact that during the match she recorded only 17 winning strokes and committed 51 unforced errors.
Coco Gauff is in the Grand Slam semifinals for the third time (@Profimedia)
“I’m happy and proud of how I fought today and left everything on the court. I didn’t play well, something was missing and I didn’t even serve well. I just tried to win the next game. It’s always difficult matches with Marta” assessed Gauffová in the post-match interview on the court.
“In the first set, I was looking for my game for a while. In the second, I had a chance to end the match, but I started playing too cautiously.” the American, who has won 34 out of 38 matches since last August, commented on the complicated moments of the duel. She only lost to Iga Šwiatek (twice) and Jessica Pegula (twice).
See you in the semis @cocogauff outlasts Kostyuk 7-6(6) 6-7(3) 6-2 and is still unbeaten in 2024!#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/i2PP7Tqoyz
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2024
Roland Garros 2022 finalist and US Open 2023 winner Gauff advanced to the Grand Slam semifinals for the third time in her career. She then made it to the finals in Paris and New York, where she celebrated for the second time. triumph.
Kostúková: People must not forget
After being eliminated, the 21-year-old Kosťuková believes that at least her compatriot Dajana Jastremská will make it to the semifinals of the opening Grand Slam of the season, with Linda Nosková waiting in the quarterfinals. Their match is scheduled for Wednesday in Melbourne at 2:00 CET. The last semi-finalist will be the winner of the duel between Qinwen Zheng and Anna Kalinska.
Marta Kostyuk wins the POINT OF THE TOURNAMENT against Coco Gauff
21 shot rally.
Marta is sliding all over the court.
This is some of the best defense you’re ever gonna see.
Take a bow, young lady. pic.twitter.com/GYvpeDj96N
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 23, 2024
“I hope that we will do well especially in the big tournaments that are watched by the media,” Kostuková declared. “People must not forget,” indirectly pointed to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The young tennis player was also reminded of the war just before the match with Gauffova, when she learned about another rocket attack on Kyiv. She therefore wrote to her friends how they were doing. “They wrote back that they were watching my match score for a while and rackets for a while,” said Kostuková.
Australian Open Women’s Singles Results
Article originally published for Livesport News.
2024-01-23 12:29:21
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