Karolina Pliskova Defeats Serena Williams At The Australian Open
Serena Williams missed four match points before losing to Czech seventh seed Karolina Pliskova in a dramatic Australian Open quarter-final.
The 37-year-old led 5-1 in the final set but lost the last six games as her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title ended with a 6-4 4-6 7-5 defeat in Melbourne.
Williams seemed unsettled after turning her ankle on her first match point.
26-year-old Karolina Pliskova will now meet Japan’s Naomi Osaka in Thursday’s semi-finals.
MySportDab report the other women’s semifinal will be two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova against unseeded American Danielle Collins.
“I was almost in the locker room but now stand here as the winner,” said Pliskova, who reached the US Open final in 2016.
“My mind was in the locker room at 5-1 down but I was still here. I was too passive and mentally down. She got a little bit shaky in the end. I took my chances and I won.
“Naomi Osaka is dangerous but there is nobody more dangerous than Serena.”
Speaking after the game, Serena said:
