By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Karolina Pliskova powered past Ana Konjuh, 6-2, 6-2, to reach her first US Open semifinal and stretch her winning streak to 10 matches.
Photo credit: Getty
NEW YORK—Karolina Pliskova punctuated a declarative victory with a pair of explosive exclamation points.
The 10th-seeded Czech cracked successive aces to close a commanding 6-2, 6-2, US Open quarterfinal victory over Ana Konjuh.
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Contesting her 18th career Grand Slam tournament, Pliskova powered into her first major semifinal stretching her winning streak to a career-best 10 matches. Pliskova is the first Czech woman to reach the Flushing Meadows final four since Jana Novotna in 1998.
The 24-year-old aggressive baseliner surprised herself with the ease of this victory.
"I was surprised and I was still waiting even in the first set," Pliskova said. "Even in the second set I was still waiting some complications gonna come. But, well, I'm not gonna complain. I'm happy that it went so easy. Of course I was expecting a little bit tougher battle, but happy that it went so easy."
Prior to this tournament, Pliskova held an ignominious distinction as the only Top 20 ranked player yet to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam event. The former Slam underachiever was in major overwhelming mode today.
The WTA ace leader set the tone on serve. Pliskova served 65 percent, won 22 of 24 first-serve points and permitted just five points on her serve.
It was an impressive run for the 92nd-ranked Konjuh, who swept fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska for her first Top 10 victory becoming the first Croatian woman to reach the US Open quarterfinals. Konjuh was outclassed by an opponent, who refused to let her rally.
"I wasn't at my best level today for sure, but she was just too good," Konjuh said. "Her serve is just too good. Today on the court, you know, she found her rhythm and took the opportunities that I gave her. I cannot be sad after all of this. Good luck to her. She's having great season so far, and, you know, I'm cheering for her."
The 18-year-old Croatian jumped out to a 40-15 lead in the opening game, but faltered. Pliskova broke when Konjuh put forehand into net. That miss started a free-fall Konjuh could not halt.
When Konjuh's stretched backhand expired into net, Pliskova had her second straight break.
The easy power Pliskova generates on her fluid serve and crackling forehand empowered her to play first-strike tennis throughout much of the match. The Cincinnati champion raced through a love hold for 4-0.
At that point, the only drama was whether Konjuh could push the first set past the half-hour mark. It didn't happen.
A rattled Konjuh finally got on the board scooping a forehand down the line for 1-4.
A commanding Pliskova served out the 28-minute opener at love when her teenage opponent curled a running forehand wide.
Playing dynamic tennis during this 10-match winning streak, Pliskova has dispatched four Grand Slam champions: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Garbine Muguruza, Angelique Kerber and Venus Williams. Pliskova fought off a match point edging Venus in a third-set tiebreak in the fourth round.
While her churning serve demands attention, it's the calmer disposition she's displayed on court that's helped her advance to her first major semifinal.
"I was more angry before with myself on the court. So that I am improved a lot," Pliskova said. "Sometimes I'm still smashing my racquets. More in the practices than in the matches. I'm trying to be calm in the match because it's not really helping me. I don't really want to show even the opponent and even the crowd and the people any frustration."
Lacing a backhand winner, Pliskova broke for a 3-2 second-set lead. A meek double fault from the rattled 2013 US Open girls' champion gave Pliskova another break and a commanding 5-2 lead.
Twisting her second ace out wide, Pliskova reached triple match point. Pliskova pounded out her fourth ace sealing a 57-minute triumph in which she did not face a break point.
Pliskova awaits the winner of tonight's match between world No. 1 Serena Williams and fifth-seeded Simona Halep. Williams defeated Pliskova in their lone prior meeting; Halep has won four of five meetings with Pliskova.
"But I'm sure always when you play someone who is better than you it's a little bit different because you don't have any pressure," Pliskova said. "Like I had a little bit pressure today that she was outsider, so there is kind of like you have to beat here. I just gonna go and play everything that I have and put everything in that match, because I have nothing to lose."