Karolina Pliskova arrived in Australia with major aspirations and departs after considerable crash.

In an all-Czech third-round clash between practice partners and good friends, Karolina Muchova reeled off seven straight games sending Pliskova packing 7-5, 7-5 to advance to her first Australian Open round of 16.

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Former world No. 1 Pliskova has posted a 10-10 record since her run to the Rome final last September. Working with new coach Sascha Bajin, Pliskova is aiming to win a maiden major, but couldn't sustain the consistency today.

One of the game's premier servers hit 10 double faults and dropped served three times in a row squandering a 5-0 second-set lead in a stunning collapse.

The match was a microcosm of Pliskova's recent up-and-down form.

"I think overall, like, too many mistakes, too much like panic in the rallies," Pliskova said. "I don't know if it's just like not having any matches much lately, like even last year. Yeah, I don't feel like safe with anything what I was really doing on the court."



After Muchova won the opening set, Pliskova left Rod Laver Arena for a bathroom break. She smashed her Babolat racquet while off court incurring a point penalty. That actually angered the 2019 Australian Open semifinalist into action: Pliskova won five straight games to open a 5-0 lead.

"I think actually it helped me in the second set because I was pissed so I started to play well," Pliskova said.

"I thought there were couple close games where I could really go 6-0," Pliskova added. "There was long game for 5-1 and 6-0. I thought she just played little bit better at this moment. Of course, I played quite amazing to 5-0, but then it's quite tough to hold this level for longer time. I was going for, like, big shots."