In Auckland the top 4 seeds appeared to cruise into the quarter finals, and Caroline Wozniacki (1) and Julia Goerges (2) won their matches against players outside the 100 in the current rankings - Russian Sofia Kenin and Slovenian Polona Hercog.
Both losers will expect good years based on their efforts here.
However Barbora Strycova (3) and Agnieszka Radwanska (4) we’re both upset by players ranked far below them.
Radwanska’s serve was demolished in the first set by American qualifier Sachia Vickery, Aga winning a mere 35% of points on it.
The fourth seed was broken three times and was down 6-2.
Set two was no better, 42%of points won on first serve by Aga and her serve broken another three times.
A 6-2 6-2 loss not an ideal initial preparation for the AO.
Barbora Strycova began her quarter final in a flash, destroying Su-Wei Hsieh 6-0 in the opening set.
.Su-Wei was unperturbed, and returned magnificently in the final two sets, breaking the Czech serve five times to win 0-6 6-2 6-2.
Goerges has won her semi final 6-1 6-4 and so her tremendous form at the end of 2017 has continued into 2018. A top ten spot beckons for the German player based on this.
In Brisbane the semi finals provided upsets, one a real shock.
Elina Svitolina (3) defeated defending champion Karolina Pliskova (2) in two competitive sets 7-5 7-5.
Both will feel they are credible chances for a break through Grand Slam win in Melbourne, especially with no Serena.
The other finalist will be qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who dismissed seventh seed Anastasija Sevastova, 7-6(3) 6-4, the only sets lost by Sevastova in the tournament.
The ranking of Sasnovich will improve at least 30 spots into the 50s if she loses the final, and if she wins the title it will be a top 50 entry.
The semi finals for the men in Brisbane are set:
Grigor Dimitrov (1) v Nick Kyrgios (3)
Dimitrov defeated Kyle Edmund in a quarter final battle lasting over two hours
Kyrgios came back from a set down, and looking lack lustre, to defeat Alexandr Dolgopolov, playing much more like the Kyrgios we know.
The other semi final is underway with Australian Alex de Minaur up a set on American Ryan Harrison
de Minaur defeated another American Michael Mmoh in a quarter final and Harrison overcame Denis Istomin 7-6(6) 4-2 with an unfortunate retirement.
The Shenzhen final features world number one Simona Halep against sixth seed Katerina Siniakova.
Halep had no difficulty with Irina-Camelia Begu (4) 6-1 6-4
Siniakova ended Maria Sharapova’s run in an entertaining clash 6-2 3-6 6-3.
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