MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lumapit sa minimithing major championship si Caroline Wozniacki nang dominahin si Magdalena Rybarikova ng Slovania, 6-3, 6-0, nitong Linggo upang makausad sa quarterfinals ng women’s draw – unang pagkakataon mula noong 2012 – sa Australian Open.
Matapos dumanas nang hirap sa second round — nangailangan ma-saved ang dalawang match points at bumalikwas mula sa 5-1 paghahabol sa third set — naging madali sa pagkakataong ito ang ratsada ng No. 2-ranked na si Wozniacki.
Sunod niyang makakaharap si Carla Suarez Navarro, nakabawi mula sa 4-1 paghahabol para magapi si No. 32 Anett Kontaveit, 4-6, 6-4, 8-6.
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“I think you can tell my confidence is high,” pahayag ni Wozniacki. “I tried a tweener today and it went in.”
Nakopo naman ni sixth-seeded Marin Cilic ang ika-100 panalo sa Grand Slam event nang maungusan si No.10 Pablo Carreno Busta, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (0), 7-6 (3), para makausad sa men’s draw quarterfinals.
“It was a big battle. I was really relieved I played such a good tiebreaker at the end,” sambit ng 2014 U.S. open winner. “I had the 300th win of my career at the U.S. Open in 2014, so this is also beautiful one. I hope I’m going to continue and gather three more here.”
Mapapalaban siya sa mananalo sa duwelo nina top-ranked Rafael Nadal at Diego Schwartzman.
Posibleng mabawi ni Wozniacki ang tangan sa No.1 ranking kung makasasampa siya sa semifinals. Hindi pa siya nagwawagi ng Grand Slam singles title atnabigo nang dalawang ulit sa U.S. Open – kontra Kim Clijsters noong 2009 at kay Serena Williams noong 2014.
Tinuldukan naman ni 2016 champion Angelique Kerber ang nagbabalik na si Maria Sharapova ng Russia, 6-1, 6-3, sa third round para manatiling tanging Grand Slam champion sa women’s draw.
Umusad din sina Roger Federer at Novak Djokovic sa magaan na straight set, habang nanganilangan ng matinding resistensya at hangin ang No.1 rank na si Simona Halep para magapi si American Lauren Davis sa marathon match na umabot sa tatlong oras at 45 minuto.
“I never played the third set so long, so I’m really happy I could stay and win it. I’m almost dead,”sambit ni Halep.
“I just feel that my muscles are gone,” niya.
Sunod niyang makakaharap si Naomi Osaka, nagwagi kay 18th-seeded Ash Barty, 6-4, 6-2. Ginapi naman ni No. 20 Barbora Strycova si U.S. qualifier Bernarda Pera, 6-2, 6-2, para maiwan na magisa si Madison Keys na tanging American woman sa fourth round.
