Australian Open: Caroline Wozniacki to meet Carla Suarez Navarro in quarter-finals
Updated
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki has entered the Australian Open quarter-finals on the back of an emphatic performance to set up a meeting with Carla Suarez Navarro in the last eight.
Wozniacki was rarely challenged in beating Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-0 in their fourth-round encounter, producing the dominant victory in just 63 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Since nearly being eliminated in the second round by Jana Fett - Wozniacki trailed 5-1 in the third set before winning the last six games — the former world number one has won her next two matches in straight sets.
Wozniacki could return to the top ranking if she reaches the semi-finals combined with other results in Melbourne, a spot she has not occupied for six years.
The Dane has never won a major singles title but lost the US Open final twice — to Kim Clijsters in 2009 and to Serena Williams in 2014.
Earlier, Suarez Navarro became the first player through to the quarter-finals, as she dug herself out of a hole to beat Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-4, 8-6 on Rod Laver Arena.
Kontaveit was bidding to reach the last eight of a major for the first time and the 22-year-old Estonian had victory in her grasp when she took the first set and broke twice to lead 4-1 in the second set on a muggy day at Melbourne Park.
Unseeded Suarez Navarro was given heart when Kontaveit double faulted to hand one break of serve back and the 29-year-old stormed back to take the second set.
The deciding set was a real battle and Kontaveit again looked like closing it out when she broke at 4-4 but she faltered and was broken as she served for the match.
Suarez Navarro enjoyed an outrageous slice of luck when Kontaveit served to stay in the match at 6-7, striking a forehand that hit the net tape twice before wobbling over to give her a second match point.
The Spaniard missed that chance but on her third opportunity Kontaveit smacked a forehand long to send Suarez Navarro into the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the third time.
"I always have to fight until the end," Suarez Navarro said after the match.
"It was a really good match and I'm very happy to be in the next round. I try to be focused, try to play my game and that's it, to run, run, run all the time."
Reuters/AP
Topics: australian-open, tennis, sport, melbourne-3000
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