Ash Barty of Australia makes a backhand return to Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Simon Baker) Top-ranked Ash Barty has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over 20-year-old Amanda Anisimova.
Barty is aiming to be the first Australian woman to win her home Grand Slam title since 1978 and has gone through the first four rounds without dropping a set. She’s into the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park for the fourth straight year.
Anisimova was coming off a third-round upset over defending champion Naomi Osaka, when she saved two match points.
🇦🇺 Brilliant Barty 🇦🇺@ashbarty knocks out Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3 to advance to her fourth consecutive #AusOpen quarterfinal ✨
🎥: @wwos • @espn • @Eurosport • @wowowtennis #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/UB7HmjzJA7
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2022
She broke Barty’s opening service game of the second set — a first for the tournament — but the two-time major winner responded by breaking back and taking six of the last seven games.
Barty beat Anisimova in the semifinals of the French Open in 2019 on the way to winning her first Grand Slam title.
Asked if it’s a good omen, Barty said “Let’s wait and see.”
Barty will next play No. 21-seeded Jessica Pegula, who beat fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari 7-6 (0), 6-3.
Earlier, French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova has reached the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-2 win over two-time champion Victoria Azarenka in their fourth round match on Rod Laver Arena.
Welcome to the final 8 👋@BKrejcikova cruises into the #AusOpen quarterfinals for the first time, dominating Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-2. #AO2022
🎥: @wwos · @espn · @Eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/cpohNhqrfg— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2022
The fourth-seeded Krejcikova needed only 85 minutes to beat the 2012 and 2013 champion and progress to her third quarterfinal in four Grand Slams events.
She will next play 2017 US Open runner-up Madison Keys, who had 6-3, 6-1 victory over eighth-seeded Paula Badosa.
Unstoppable 💯@Madison_Keys is into the #AusOpen quarterfinals for the first time since 2018, taking down Paula Badosa 6-3 6-1. #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/dIGsi7zf5q
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2022
Azarenka, seeded 24th, made 28 unforced errors and dropped five service games.
Krejcikova broke Azarenka’s serve in the third game and again in the seventh to take control of the first set.
She broke again the opening game of the second set and then was rarely troubled in closing out as temperatures approached 34 Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit).
Keys beat Badosa 6-3, 6-1 in the first match of Day 7 on Rod Laver Arena.
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