Defending champion Naomi Osaka did not make it to a much-anticipated fourth-round contest against top-ranked Ashleigh Barty at the Australian Open.
Amanda Anisimova, a 20-year-old American ranked 60th in the world, yesterday ensured that so-called final-before-the-final will not happen when she beat the four-time major champion 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).
“I knew I had to be playing sharp if I wanted to give myself a chance,” said Anisimova, who took out Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in the second round and then accounted for the reigning Australian Open champion.
Photo: AFP
After losing the first set, Anisimova knew she needed to get more aggressive or she would be out of the tournament.
It worked.
Anisimova saved two match points in the third set, serving to stay in the match, and ended it with an ace. She hit 46 winners to Osaka’s 21.
It was the fourth time Osaka had been unable to defend a major title, and the 11th time in a Grand Slam she had been knocked out in the third round, including last year’s US Open.
Barty advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 win over 30th seed Camila Giorgi on Rod Laver Arena, the match starting later and finishing earlier than the Osaka-Anisimova contest on the adjoining Margaret Court Arena.
Barty has only conceded eight games and spent less than three hours on court in the first three rounds at Melbourne Park.
The Wimbledon champion and 2019 French Open winner is aiming to be the first Australian woman to win her home championship since 1978.
Earlier, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka’s overpowered 15th seed Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2 to reach the fourth round for the first time since 2016.
Before she had a chance to analyze both players she might meet next, a question was posed to her son about the two-time Australian Open champion’s third-round performance.
Five-year-old Leo, wearing his sunglasses in the news conference and sitting on his mother’s knee, responded succinctly: “Awesome.”
Azarenka next faces French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, who rallied from a set and a break down against 26th seed Jelena Ostapenko to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The 32-year-old former world No. 1 from Belarus is feeling comfortable right now, fulfilling the dual roles of player and mother in Melbourne.
“I always feel privileged that I’m able to have him here,” Azarenka said. “These kind of moments are really priceless for me. To be able for me to share that with my son is pretty incredible.”
Other fourth-round pairings that were set up include fifth seed Maria Sakkari against 21st seed Jessica Pegula and eighth seed Paula Badosa against Madison Keys, who held off Wang Qiang 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
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