By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 22, 2019
A fierce Karolina Pliskova fought back from a 1-5 thid-set deficit denying four match points to shock Serena Williams, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, to reach her first Australian Open semifinal.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Facing a 1-5 final-set deficit and handful of match points to the most imposing closer in the sport, Karolina Pliskova wasn't contemplating a comeback.
She was already in the locker-room.
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Liberated by looming loss, Pliskova pulled off the most improbable win of her career.
Pliskova fought off four match points roaring back to win six straight games to shock a hobbled and shaky Serena Williams, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, in a breathtaking comeback to charge into her first career Australian Open semifinal.
It was a stunning collapse from the seven-time Australian Open champion, who was bidding to capture her 24th Grand Slam championship and equal Aussie legend Margaret Court's all-time Grand Slam record.
Williams was hit with a foot-fault call that nullified an ace on her first match point. She rolled her left ankle holding match point at 5-1 and never won another point on her serve.
Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Williams showed class in her post-match press conference and did not use her ankle as an alibi for her six-game slide.
"I think she just played lights out on match points, literally hitting the lines and went crazy on match points," Williams said of Pliskova. "She played unbelievable on match points...
"The big picture for me is always winning. I'm not gonna sit here and lie about that. It hasn't happened yet, but I feel like it's gonna happen, just keep taking it one match at a time and just keep soldering on I guess."
A stubborn Pliskova staved off match point to break for 2-5 then fought off three more match points navigating a nervy, hard-fought hold for 5-all that ignited the most pulsating comeback of her career.
"My mind was in the locker room, but I was still here," Pliskova said. "It was tough because she was really playing well. I didn't have too many chances in the third set.I was a little bit too passive. Obviously, I was mentally down.
"This side was still better for me so I just said lets try this game on 5-2 maybe I'm gonna have a couple of chances. She did get a little bit shaky in the end so I took my chances and I won."
The seventh-seeded Czech joined Venus Williams, Garbine Muguruza, Angelique Kerber and Samantha Stosur as the fifth active player to beat Serena twice or more in a major.
The 2016 US Open finalist will play reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka for a spot in the final.
The fourth-seeded Osaka obliterated Elina Svitolina, 6-4, 6-1, stretching her Grand Slam win streak to 12 matches.
Contesting her 50th career major quarterfinal, Williams was streaking toward a rematch with Osaka when she lost her balance and her lead and never recovered.
It was Williams' earliest Australian Open exit since a fourth-round departure in 2014 and her first Grand Slam quarterfinal loss since a 2012 defeat to Ekaterina Makarova in Melbourne.
Scrambing behind the baseline, Williams rolled her left ankle on her first match point.
Though Williams did not call for the trainer, she struggled to push up on her serve and did not win another point on serve or another game in the match. Williams, who plays with taping wrapping both ankles, said she didn't call for the trainer because she didn't feel she needed treatment.
"I really hate calling the trainer out to be honest," Williams said. "And at that point I didn't feel like I needed it or like it would be a big deal. I just kept going.
"I like to just kind of tough it out so to say. I think she just played well on my serve after that point. She kind of played really, really good. I don't think it had anything to do with my ankle per say. Obviously, I made some mistakes, but she played really, really well after that."
For a split second, Williams won the match.
Serving at 5-1, the 16th-seeded Serena slashed an ace on her first match point, but was hit with a foot fault call—the first of the match—to nullify it one hour, 46 minutes into the match.
Showing no reaction, Williams went right back to work.
In the ensuing rally, Pliskova hit behind the 37-year-old American, Williams rolled her left ankle trying to change direction and came up gimpy and clutching at her left foot.
Pliskova broke back and streamed through a quick hold in the eighth game.
Serving for the match again, Williams hit her third double fault and sprayed a forehand dropping serve at love.
The 26-year-old Czech's moment of truth came when she stared down three more match points serving at 4-5.
Plastering a backhand down the line saved the second match point while a netted forehand from Williams erased the third match point.
Playing big and bold on the fourth match point, Pliskova fired a forehand into the corner sparking a crucial hold for 5-all. An energized Pliskova streaked through eight of the last 10 moments capping a shocking comeback in two hours, 10 minutes.
This quarterfinal was a tale of three very different sets.
Playing with taping wrapping her left knee, Pliskova got in a good groove on serve from the start.
Squinting into the high afternoon sun, Williams struggled to locate her service toss and took some pace off her serve. Pliskova drilled a diagonal backhand for double set point then charged behind a chip backhand drawing a netted error to break for 2-1.
The 2016 US Open finalist backed up the break at 15.
Standing toe-to-toe with Williams in baseline exchanges, Pliskova was winning the forehand-to-forehand exchanges at the outset raking some sharp-angled forehands in earning triple break point in the fifth game.
Digging in, Williams whipped a forehand crosscourt then slashed another forehand down the line denying all three.
The 2017 champion saved a fourth break point navigating a gritty hold for 2-3.
Launching herself up and out into the court on serve, Pliskova powered through eight of nine service points stretching the lead to 5-3 after 33 minutes.
Serving for the set, Pliskova caught a break when Williams muffed a drive volley into net squealing in frustration. The seventh seed slid her second ace out wide sealing a 40-minute opening set in which Pliskova won 17 of 21 first-serve points and did not face a break point.
The 37-year-old American lacked the spring in her step she showed subduing world No. 1 Simona Halep in the fourth round.
Saving a break point to start the second set, Williams warded off another break point in the fifth game.
Hovering near the service line, Williams wristed an off-balance smash wide to give Pliskova another break point. Pliskova broke for 3-2 only to see Williams come right back for triple break point in the sixth game.
The seven-time champion needed only one breaking back for 3-all.
Rapping a backhand return down the line, Williams followed it forward to earn set point in the 12th game. Stepping into the court to greet a second serve, Williams belted a backhand return breaking to take the second set and force a decider.
Though her best tennis eluded her, Williams navigated a tricky test to force a final set after 85 minutes of play.
Seeing the finish line as clearly as the baseline, Williams charged through it throwing down three aces extending to 4-1.
The end seemed inevitable, but Pliskova had another vision in mind.