Thursday 31 January 2019

2nd rounds commence in Russia, Thailand

Latest results from St Petersburg and Hua Hin.


St Petersburg 

First round

To complete the opening round matches, qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated lucky loser Katie Boulter, who was not so lucky, 7-5 4-6 6-1.


Second round 

  • Wildcard Vera Zvonareva v Julia Goerges (5)

Back in the top 100 for the first time since this January six years ago, the former world number two, Vera Zvonareva faced a tough assignment against top twenty player and fifth seed Julia Goerges.

As predicted, Goerges began well, pushing Zvonareva to all parts of the court, and creating three break points early, the final one used to break the Russian serve and lead 2-1.

The Goerges break was maintained throughout the rest of set one, despite an horrific 33% of her first serves being legitimate. 6-4.

Set two started in the same manner of the first, with an early break and Zvonareva trailing 2-0.  That was the last joy seen by Goerges as Zvonareva came charging.


After breaking back for 3-3, following a string of unforced errors from the Goerges racquet, Zvonareva controlled the set, and levelled when a second break occurred in the tenth and final game. 6-4.

Zvonareva broke twice in the decider, and each time Goerges broke back and at 4-5 had the chance to level it.  However, the aggressive Zvonareva shot down the German serve for the third time in the set, and won 4-6 6-4 6-4.

  • Dasha Kasatkina came into the tournament without a win this year, and still not finding success this week, finds herself in the quarter finals.  How, you may ask ? Seeded third, a first round bye gave her free entrance to a match with Sharapova, but a shoulder injury forced Maria to withdraw, and her walkover left Kasatkina with no need to remover her racquet from the bag.  She will play Zvonareva for a place in the semis.
  • Petra Kvitova (1) defeated wildcard Vika Azarenka 6-2 7-6(3)
  • Donna Vekic (8) defeated lucky loser Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 6-3

Hua Hin

Second round 

  • Garbiñe Muguruza (1) defeated Mona Barthel 6-3 7-5
  • Dayana Yastremska (8) defeated wildcard Shuai Peng 6-1 6-4
  • Ajla Tomljanovic (6) defeated Kateryna Kozlova 7-6(0) 6-1
  • Saisai Zheng (4) defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2 6-4

Davis Cup qualifiers this week

The 2019 Davis Cup (by BNP Paribas) Qualifiers will take place on 1-2 February 2019. Twenty-four nations will compete for the 12 qualifying spots for the new-look (horribly restructured in my and several other’s opinions) Davis Cup finals. The 12 losing nations will go on to compete in Zone Group competition in 2019. 


Six nations have already qualified for the 2019 Davis Cup finals - the 2018 semifinalists, Croatia, France, Spain and USA, and the 2019 wild cards, Argentina and Great Britain.


Brazil v Belgium (1)

  • Venue: Sabiazinho - Ginasio Presidente Tancredo Neves, Uberlândia, Brazil
  • Surface: Clay - Red Clay, Indoor
  • Ball: Wilson Tour Premier

Teams include:

Brazil: Doubles players Bruno Soares (5D), Marcelo Melo (12D)

Belgium: Doubles players Sander Gille (83D), Joran Vliegen (86D)


Uzbekistan v Serbia (2)

  • Venue: Saxovat Sport Servis Sport Complex, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
  • Surface: Hard - Rebound Ace Synpave, Indoor
  • Ball: Wilson US Open Extra Duty

Teams include:

Uzbekistan: Singles player Denis Istomin (105S)

Serbia: Singles players Dusan Lajovic (42S), Filip Krajinovic (72S)


Australia (3) v Bosnia/Herzegovina 

  • Venue: Memorial Drive Tennis Club, Adelaide, Australia
  • Surface: Hard - Plexicushion, Outdoor
  • Ball: Dunlop Australian Open (PET)

Teams include:

Australia: Singles players Alex de Minaur (28S), John Millman (36S)

Bosnia/Herzegovina: Singles players Damir Dzumhur (52S), Mirza Basic (99S)


India v Italy (4)

  • Venue: Calcutta South Club, Kolkata, India
  • Surface: Grass - Grass, Outdoor
  • Ball: Wilson US Open Extra Duty

Teams include:

India: Doubles players Rohan Bopanna (37D), Divij Sharan (40D)

Italy: Singles players Marco Cecchinato (19S), Andreas Seppi (37S)


Germany (5) v Hungary 

  •                 Venue: Fraport Arena, Frankfurt, Germany
  •                 Surface: Hard - DecoTurf, Indoor
  •                 Ball: Dunlop Australian Open (PET)

Teams include:

Germany: Singles players Alexander Zverev (3S), Philipp Kohlschreiber (32S)

Hungary: Singles player Attila Balazs (258S)


Switzerland (6) v Russia 

  •                Venue: Swiss Tennis Arena, Biel, Switzerland
  •                Surface: Hard - Rebound Ace GS 8 mm (M), Indoor
  •                Ball: Tretorn Serie+

Teams include:

Switzerland: Singles player Henri Laaksonen (142S)

Russia: Singles players Karen Khachanov (11S), Daniil Medvedev (16S)


Kazakhstan (7) v Portugal 

  • Venue: National Tennis Center, Astana, Kazakhstan
  • Surface: Hard - Greenset Grand Prix, Indoor
  • Ball: Wilson US Open Extra Duty

Teams include:

Kazakhstan: Singles player Mikhail Kukushkin (55S)

Portugal: Singles player Joao Sousa (39S)


Czech Republic (8) v Netherlands 

  • Venue: Ostravar Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic
  • Surface: Hard - Novacrylic Ultracushion®, Indoor
  • Ball: Wilson Tour Premier All Court

Teams include:

Czech Republic: Singles player Jiri Vesely (97S)

Netherlands: Doubles players Jean-Julien Rojer (20D), Matwe Middelkoop (38D)


Colombia v Sweden (9)

  •                Venue: Palacio de los Deportes, Bogotá, Colombia
  •                Surface: Clay - Red Clay, Indoor
  •                Ball: Tretorn Plus (pressureless)

Teams include:

Colombia: Doubles players Juan-Sebastian Cabal (10D), Robert Farah (10D)

Sweden: Doubles player Robert Lindstedt (52D)


Austria (10) v Chile

  •          Venue: Salzburg Arena/Messezentrum Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
  • Surface: Clay - Red Clay, Indoor
  • Ball: Babolat French Open Roland-Garros

Teams include:

Austria: Singles player Dominic Thiem (8S)

Chile: Singles player Nicolas Jarry (41S)


Slovakia v Canada (11)

  •                Venue: NTC Arena, Bratislava, Slovakia
  •                Surface: Clay - Red Clay, Indoor
  •                Ball: Dunlop Fort Clay Court

Teams include:

Slovakia: Singles player Martín Klizan (38S)

Canada: Singles player Denis Shapovalov (25S)


China v Japan (12)

  •               Venue: Guangdong Olympic Sports Center Tennis Center, Guangzhou, China, P.R.
  •               Surface: Hard - TOPLUS MC Pro System, Outdoor         
  •               Ball: Head Davis Cup

Teams include:

China: Doubles player Mao-Xin Gong (95D)

Japan: Singles players Yoshihito Nishioka (66S), Taro Daniel (69S

Wednesday 30 January 2019

First rounds complete in Russia (-1), Thailand

Early results from St Petersburg and Hua Hin.

Dominika Cibulkova, the seventh seed in St Petersburg, was a late withdrawal, and her place in the main draw was taken by lucky loser Katie Boulter.


WTA


St Petersburg 

First round Day One

  • Maria Sharapova v Dasha Gavrilova

The form of Gavrilova this year has been terrible, with first round losses in Brisbane, Sydney and the Australian Open.

Sharapova, on the other hand, had made the quarters in Shenzhen and knocked out the defending champion, Wozniacki, in the Australian Open, reaching the round of sixteen.

St Petersburg was different, being indoors, and Sharapova hadn’t played the third before.

Nevertheless, the Russian broke the Australian (Born in Russia) in the opening game. 


When attempting to consolidate, Sharapova took eighteen exasperating minutes, but eventually did so, to the immense disappointment of Gavrilova who failed to win a solitary game for the set, though not for the lack of trying.

The feisty Australian came back strongly in set two, even in most rallies, in fact cashing in on the weaker Sharapova serve to break and lead 4-2 at one stage.

However, it was too good to last, and Sharapova swamped Gavrilova with a bigger serve and a greater variety of shots, taking the final four games to win 6-0 6-4

  • Wildcard Vera Zvonareva defeated fellow wildcard and compatriot Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-3
  • Alison Van Uytvanck defeated fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 6-4

First round Day Two

  • Wildcard Vika Azarenka defeated qualifier Margarita Gasparyan 6-4 6-1
  • Lucky loser Veronika Kudermetova defeated wildcard Olga Danilovic 6-2 6-1
  • Donna Vekic (8) defeated Timea Bacsinszky 4-6 6-1 6-3
  • Julia Goerges (5) defeated Maria Sakkari 6-2 7-5
  • Qualifier Tereza Martincova defeated Yulia Putintseva 4-6 6-2 6-2
  • Jelena Ostapenko (6) defeated last years runner-up Kristina Mladenovic 6-1 0-6 6-0
  • Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Alizé Cornet 7-5 7-6(4)
  • Qualifier Ysaline Bonaventure defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-4 7-6(3)

Hua Hin

First round Day One

  • Mona Barthel defeated Fiona Ferro 6-1 1-6 6-4
  • Wildcard Shuai Peng defeated qualifier Chloe Paquet 6-2 6-3
  • Dayana Yastremska (8) defeated qualifier Arantxa Rus 6-0 6-3
  • Monica Niculescu defeated Su-Wei Hsieh (3) 6-4 7-6(2)
  • Magda Linette defeated qualifier Priscilla Hon 6-1 2-6 6-2
  • Kateryna Kozlova defeated qualifier Conny Perrin 6-4 3-6 6-3
  • Irina-Camelia Begu defeated Evgeniya Rodina 6-2 6-0

First round Day Two 

  • Garbiñe Muguruza (1) defeated wildcard Sabine Lisicki 6-3 6-4
  • Yafan Wang defeated Anna Blinkova 5-7 6-2 6-1
  • Shuai Zhang (5) defeated Luksika Kumkhum 6-2 6-1
  • Saisai Zheng (4) defeated Mandy Minella 6-7(8) 6-4 6-4
  • Qualifier Yingying Duan defeated Pauline Parmentier (7) 1-6 6-3 6-4
  • Viktorija Golubic defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2 6-4
  • Tamara Zidansek defeated Timea Babos 6-0 3-1 (retired)
  • Qualifier Jennifer Brady defeated wildcard Caroline Garcia (2) 6-4 7-6(3)

Monday 28 January 2019

Tournaments in St Petersburg, Hua Hin

Now that the 2019 Australian Open has been run and done, the spotlight now shines on the WTA and ATP tours.


Firstly, significant ranking moves following the Australian Open.


Stefanos Tsitsipas  up from 15 to 12, a career high

Lucas Pouille  up from 31 to 14

Roberto Bautista Agut  up from 24 to 18

Frances Tiafoe  up from 39 to 30, a career high


Naomi Osaka  up from 4 to 1, a career high 

Petra Kvitová  up from 6 to 2, an equal career high

Danielle Collins  up from 35 to 23, a career high 

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova  up from 44 to 32


This week, there are two WTA tournaments on the calendar, and while no ATP events are scheduled, Davis Cup qualifiers will keep a number of players busy representing their respective countries.


WTA 

The St Petersburg Ladies Trophy - a Premier category tournament, on Hard, Rebound Ace, in St Petersburg, Russia.

Defending champion:

Petra Kvitová who defeated Kristina Mladenovic 6-1 6-2


Petra Kvitová, world number two, is top seed.

The other seven seeds are all in the top thirty, two of them in the top ten.

The top four seeds have first round byes.


The Toyota Thailand Open - an International category tournament, on Hard, Plexipave, in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Defending champion:

Not held in 2018


Garbiñe Muguruza, world number fifteen, is top seed.

The other seven seeds are all in the top sixty.

No byes.


Completed:

First round 

Ajla Tomljanovic (6) defeated Stefanie Voegele 6-1 7-6(6)

AO - Djokovic thrashes Nadal, wins AO #7

Day 14 of Australian Open 2019, and the mens final to conclude a fantastic tournament.

This was the only match in the night session on Rod Laver Arena, and what a match:

Novak Djokovic (1) (SRB) v Rafa Nadal (2) (ESP)


Novak aiming for his record seventh AO championship from seven finals

Rafa seeking AO championship #2, from this his fifth final.

The two met once in a final at Melbourne Park, in 2012, where Djokovic won in five sets taking almost six hours.


Djokovic won the toss and chose to serve.

A love game to Djokovic, an ace and forehand winner to start. 1-0.

Nadal hit a forehand winner, but it wasn’t enough to avoid facing two break points, because of two unforced errors and a Djokovic backhand winner.  An unforced Spanish error and Nadal had dropped serve for the first time since round one.  It was 2-0 to the six times champion.

A second love game, finished with an ace, and Djokovic had made the dream start 3-0.

An unforced backhand error from Nadal gave Djokovic another break point and the chance for an unprecedented four game jump, but Nadal won the next three points by forcing errors from the Djokovic forehand.  The #2 seed was on the board 1-3.


A pair of aces and a backhand winner later, Djokovic had cruised to 4-1.  Yet to lose a point on serve, the Serb was making Nadal work like crazy to earn a single scrap.  Game six appeared better for the Spaniard as, after an unforced error to start, he pulled out a couple of winners and then forced Djokovic into error for the rest of the game. 2-4.

No chances to break through the brick wall which was the Djokovic serve, though, as two winning backhands ended his fourth straight love game, and brought him to within a whisker of grabbing the opening set.

Nadal forced the top seed to serve it out, following Spains best service game of the match.  A backhand winner to open, and a forehand winner to close, and no points surrendered.


At 5-3, Djokovic lost the first point, but thereafter was without an issue, as a backhand winner was pulled out of his pocket, to combine with a string of Nadal unforced errors and agreement reached to register the game to Djokovic along with the set 6-3.


Nadal, despite his disappointment at losing set one, had shown marked improvement in general play, since his inauspicious entree to the final.

Beginning set two, his service game was highlighted by two forehands used for winners, and a serve upon which Djokovic could only lay a racquet. 1-0.  

In response, Djokovic didn’t lose a point, which was the fifth time he was totally selfish out of six service games. 1-1

Down 15-30, the Nadal forehand helped him steer clear with successive winners and hold for 2-1.

Djokovic actually lost a point on his next serve, and his backhand will be disciplined over that unforced error.  He won the game without further damage, a service winner polishing it off. 2-2.


Nadal struck trouble in game 5, as unforced errors saw him face 0-30.  An ace mitigated things slightly, but another backhand failure introduced two break points to a grateful Djokovic.  Not bothering with the second of these, the Serb simply forced Nadal into error on his backhand and broke the Spanish serve.  3-2 Djokovic.

For the first time in the match, Djokovic faced drama on his serve.

Down 15-30 because of Nadal forcing mistakes, Djokovic managed to rectify things and reach game point on two occasions, only for Nadal to bring it back to deuce each time.  On the third game point, Djokovic finally broke through, Nadal’s backhand forced into problems. 4-2.


A Nadal double fault, followed by two Djokovic winning forehands and more break chances.  Only one needed, and Djokovic serving for the set.

A forehand winner and three aces.  Djokovic led 6-3 6-2.


In set three, Djokovic served up another love game to level at 1-1, then Nadal faced two break points after a double fault and unforced error.  He was broken on the second, and Djokovic led 2-1.

Djokovic saved a break point to lead 4-2, and survived deuce to lead 5-3.

These games were under serious pressure as Nadal had been holding serve comfortably since the third game.


At 3-5, Nadal was serving to stay in the match.

Djokovic forced Nadal into a backhand error, in between contributing two forehand winners. Emerging from this were two championship points.

A Djokovic backhand unforced error saw one chance vanish.

However, a Nadal backhand unforced error saw the match end.


Novak Djokovic defeated Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-2 6-3 in one of the finest exhibitions of tennis seen in a Grand Slam tournament final in living memory, especially given the stellar form of Rafa during the past two weeks.


His win was Australian Open #7, a record, and Grand Slam title #15

Novak had now won the past three majors.

Sunday 27 January 2019

AO - Ōsaka wins Aus Open over Kvitová

Day 13 of Australian Open 2019, and the women’s final. 

This was match one in the night session on Rod Laver Arena:

Naomi Osaka (4) (JPN) v Petra Kvitová (8) (CZE)


Osaka served first.

A double fault began the match but a couple of winners guided Osaka to a 1-0 advantage.  A love game from Kvitová with an ace and backhand winner for 1-1.

Osaka, with a pair of aces, held for 2-1.  Kvitová levelled again after a solid game, which included an ace and backhand winner. 2-2.

Osaka survived three deuces and two break points to take a 3-2 lead.

Kvitová saved one one and it was 3-3.

Down 0-40, Osaka saved all three break points, through Czech errors, and eventually held for 4-3, sealing with a winning forehand.


Kvitová, serving at 5-6, saved two set points, before a backhand winner sent things to a tie break.

Osaka played an excellent tie break, with three winners and an ace, whereas Kvitová hit errors which were unexpected.

With four set points in hand at 6-2, Osaka forced a backhand error to take a lead 7-6(2).


Set two began with Kvitová holding serve, then breaking the Osaka serve with a second opportunity, a forehand winner the shot to finalise.

This was the first service break of the match, but instead of consolidating it by holding in the next game,  Kvitová went to deuce four times, wasted three game points, saved a break point, and eventually finished game three with a double fault and unforced error.  Kvitová led 2-1, but games were back on serve.

Osaka won three more straight games, including another break of the Kvitová serve, to lead 4-2, the Czech unforced error count mounting quickly.

A hold for 3-4, sealed with a Kvitová backhand winner, was followed by a Japanese win on serve, concentrating on the Kvitová backhand.

5-3 Osaka.


Down three championship points after an Ōsaka winner and two of her own backhand forced errors, Kvitová suddenly, and to a shocked crowd, charged back into the match.

A winning forehand and then forcing Osaka into forehand failure saved two of the match points.

Then three successive attacks on the Ōsaka backhand produced errors, and serve was held.  

Ōsaka still led 5-4 and served for the title.

A Kvitová backhand winner and an Ōsaka double fault produced two break points.  An unforced forehand error from Ōsaka and it was 5-5.

The extraordinary comeback continued as Kvitová saved a break point in the eleventh game with a forehand winner before holding for 6-5.


Ōsaka then had the horror game of the match - three unforced errors donating three set points to Kvitová - to top it off, a double fault to gift the set 7-5.

A decider was required.


The first two games of set three went to serve without drama, but in game three, Kvitová saw a game point disappear.  A double fault gave Ōsaka break point, and the fourth seed eagerly grabbed the chance with a winning backhand and took the lead 2-1.

An Ōsaka forehand winner ended the fourth game and consolidated the break. 3-1.

Kvitová had a break back chance in the sixth game but Ōsaka had it covered.


Games went with serve until at 5-4 Ōsaka had a chance to serve for the title - she was in the same position in set two, but things began differently this time.  

An ace, followed by a forehand winner, and two points from the title.

Forcing Kvitová into a forehand error produced three championship points, but this time on the Ōsaka serve.

One was saved, but on the second, Osaka was too good for Kvitová’s forehand and the terrifically competitive, high quality match was over.


Naomi Ōsaka defeated a defiant Petra Kvitová 7-6(2) 5-7 6-4 in two and a half hours of wonderful tennis.

As a result of claiming her second successive Grand Slam title, Naomi became world #1, with Petra ranked just behind her at an equal career high #2.

Friday 25 January 2019

AO - Djokovic d Pouille, a peerless display

Day 12 of Australian Open 2019, and the second men’s semi final. 

This was match one in the night session on Rod Laver Arena:

Novak Djokovic (1) (SRB) v Lucas Pouille (FRA)


Lucas had never won a match at the Australian Open before this year, so to reach a semi final in 2019 was to be applauded, and much of the off court credit due to the coach / player relationship with Amelie Mauresmo.


Novak Djokovic has won six AO titles, and a seventh would set him apart from the rest.  Whenever he has reached a semi final in the past, he has proceeded to win the championship, so if successful in this years semi, then Nadal would have a great battle on his hands.


Djokovic served first, and despite two aces, was taken to deuce, but held for 1-0.  Pouille, with three unforced errors, faced two break points, saved those, the second with an ace, but a Djokovic forehand winner and Pouille double fault gave the top seed a 2-0 lead.

A love game from Djokovic, forcing errors on the French backhand, took him quickly to 3-0, and his second break chance in the fourth game was realised when Pouille produced a forehand unforced error. 4-0.

Another Serbian love game, complete with the standard two winners and ace, moved Djokovic to within a game of the first set.

Three more winners from Djokovic on the Pouille serve and two set points emerged.

One saved, but an unforced forehand error ended a 6-0 set for Djokovic.


Djokovic lost one point when holding serve in the opening game of set two.  Pouille then registered his first winning game for the night, three winners included.  1-1.

Djokovic wasn’t so generous when Pouille next stepped up to serve at 1-2 however.  A forced backhand error produced break point, and Pouille surrendered the game with a double fault. 3-1 Djokovic.

Djokovic served to love, sealing it with an ace for 4-1.

At 2-5, Pouille served to stay in the set.  He had two chances to hold serve, but they disappeared.  The one set point offered to Djokovic was grabbed with open arms, and the set was stopped when Pouille’s backhand failed. Djokovic 6-2.


The first three games of set three went to the server and Djokovic led 2-1.

A game point for Pouille passed him by, but a break point for Djokovic was used and he was ahead 3-1.  

Three love games on serve and it became 2-5 with a French serve to come.

After a Pouille forehand winner, two forehand failures came from  the same racquet.  A forced forehand error and two match points.  The match was over on the second of these, another Pouille unforced forehand mistake.

Novak Djokovic took less than ninety minutes to win 6-0 6-2 6-2 and book a meeting with Rafa Nadal in the final, continuing the biggest and closest rivalry in modern tennis.

Djokovic hit 24 winners and committed only 5 unforced errors for the match

Thursday 24 January 2019

AO - Nadal d Tsitsipas, a decent thrashing

Day 11 of Australian Open 2019, and the first men’s semi final. 

This was match one in the night session on Rod Laver Arena:

Stefanos Tsitsipas (14) (GRE) v Rafa Nadal (2) (ESP)


For Stefanos, this was the second of the Big Three that he needed to knock over after showing the exit to Roger.  A difficult task indeed, but he hadn’t lacked confidence.


For Rafa, he just had to continue as per normal, because no sets were lost on his racquet in the matches leading into the semi final.


After both players held their first service games, Tsitsipas faced break point in game three thanks to a Nadal forehand winner, and subsequently dropped serve. Nadal consolidated with a love game, including two forehand winners. 3-1.

Two more love games and 4-2.

Tsitsipas had 40-15 but double faulted twice in succession. A backhand forced error and a Nadal backhand winner cost Tsitsipas the game, and he trailed 2-5.

Nadal served for the set.  A pair of forehand winners and an ace produced two set points, only one of which was needed.  Nadal 6-2.


Tsitsipas opened set two with promise, a love game giving him a much needed boost after the first set disaster.

It was fairly comfortable on serve for the first four games, and then it was the Greek turn again at the line.

Two Spanish winners, a backhand and a forehand, had Tsitsipas facing three break points, but he saved them all, two with forehand winners.

A backhand winner brought Tsitsipas a game point, and an ace sealed it.  3-2.

Serving at 4-4, two errors on the forehand side from Tsitsipas, and he was again in strife, down two break points.  He could only save one as Nadal attacked the forehand with success and broke serve. 5-4 and serving for the set.


A love game to take the set 6-4 and a two set lead.


Things began badly in set three for Tsitsipas, when he was forced into error constantly and faced three break points.  On the second, he was broken, and trailed 0-1.

Nadal raced to 5-0, breaking Tsitsipas twice more, and not facing a break point himself.

Serving for the match, Nadal did face his first break point for the set after an unforced error.  However that was merely a hiccup and a forehand winner brought it to deuce.

Two Greek backhand errors later and the match was over.

Rafa Nadal exploded into the final 6-2 6-4 6-0.

AO - Osaka d Pliskova, 2nd GS final in a row

Day 11 of Australian Open 2019, and semi finals.

Second match on Rod Laver Arena was:

Karolina Pliskova (7) (CZE) v Naomi Osaka (4) (JPN)


Karolina was aiming for her first AO final after a memorable victory over Serena. It would be her second GS final, having been a 2016 US Open finalist.  She beat Serena on the way to that final, so maybe a good omen for this match.


Naomi Osaka was on target for successive GS titles, having won the 2018 US Open.  She would, by winning the AO, assume the world number one ranking.


Pliskova served first, and saved a break point before holding to lead 1-0, forcing errors from the Osaka racquet. Osaka saw a pair of game points slip by, but she ultimately held on. 1-1.

A Pliskova double fault put her down two break points, and she saved those, but the Osaka backhand produced two winners and the break came, leaving Osaka ahead 2-1 with a serve to come.

A forehand winner and an ace were enough for Osaka to consolidate the break and lead 3-1.

At 2-4, Pliskova let 30-15 slide, Osaka’s forehand winner a key factor.

A break point was saved with a Pliskova winner, but a second break chance, set up by a pair of Osaka winners, was greeted by a Czech double fault and a double break for Japan. 5-2.


Serving for the set, a second ace gave Osaka a set point.  The third ace for the game gave Osaka the set 6-2 in not much over half an hour.


After exchanging service breaks in the opening games of set two, it was 1-1.  

Three Osaka winners produced three break points for the Japanese number one.  Clutch serving by Pliskova saw her win all the remaining points to hold for 2-1.  Osaka, strong with her backhand, held to love. 2-2.  Taken to deuce, Pliskova still held strong and led 3-2.

Osaka saved a break point before levelling at 4-4.

At 4-5, two unforced Osaka errors and a Pliskova winner set up three set points.  A backhand forced error and the set was won by Pliskova 6-4.


The deciding set opened with Pliskova holding serve with little problem, but Osaka needing to save three break points before it was 1-1.

Then shockingly, with a pair of Osaka winners, one off each side, Pliskova was facing three break points herself.  The first one was sufficient and Osaka led 2-1.

3-1, after a couple of aces.  

Serving at 4-3, Osaka dismissed a further break point with a timely ace and extended her advantage to 5-3.

Pliskova held with reasonable comfort but Osaka would serve for the match.


A backhand forced error put Osaka at 30-30 and gave Pliskova one last chance, but Osaka blew that one out of the water with a winning forehand to produce the first match point.

It was the only one required as Osaka delivered an ace to finish it off.

Naomi Osaka marched into her second straight GS tournament final by winning 6-2 4-6 6-4.