By Chris Oddo | Monday January 21, 2019
Serena Williams has sent World No.1 Simona Halep out of the Australian Open draw with a stunning victory on Day 8. The American battled tooth-and-nail with the Romanian and finally surged past her by taking a tense third set to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 triumph.
It was the American’s 17th win against a reigning No.1, and she claims a spot in her 50th Grand Slam quarterfinal where she'll face Karolina Pliskova next.
Williams held sway early in this encounter, but Halep gradually introduced a tone of physicality into the match and started to ask serious questions of the 23-time major champion.
Working the corners and driving her backhand with intent down the line, the Romanian hit 12 winners against just 2 unforced errors and claimed the final two games to push things to a decider.
In an extremely tight third set it was Williams who found the extra gear. Behind trademark clutch serving she saved three break points to hold for 3-3 then parlayed the momentum into a break for 4-3.
Williams dropped just two points on serve in her final two service games as she closed out her victory in style, forcing a Halep error at the 1:47 mark to book her spot in the quarterfinals to earn her first win over a reigning No.1 since 2013.
Halep was bidding to become the ninth player in history to defeat both Serena and Venus Williams at the same event, and the first to do it since 2016.
Williams victory complicates the WTA’s race to No.1—Halep is one of five players who could hold the top ranking after the Australian Open, but she’ll be eliminated from contention if either Naomi Osaka or Petra Kvitova advance to the semifinals in Melbourne.
Williams finishes the contest with nine aces, 44 winners and four of seven break points saved. Halep hit 24 winners against 12 unforced in defeat.